Week of November 26th, 2018

If you celebrate Christmas, you might find yourself strapping a fresh tree to your car this week or heading to a big box store for some faux fir. You might be wondering what’s better for the planet: a foreign-manufactured collection of plastic and metal or the genuine article, which takes years to grow, just to decorate your home for a few weeks? We’ll try to sort it out on today’s show. But first: Maine has the oldest median age in the U.S. at 44 years old and counting. We’ll look at the state’s efforts to bring in a younger workforce. Plus, the latest out of the G-20, and how many streaming services is too many?

Consumer spending rose in September at its fastest pace in seven months. Personal incomes rose by the largest amount in nine months. Inflation seems under control. All of this can be seen as signs of future economic growth, so the economy is in good shape, right? Well, there are some warning signs worth watching. Click […]

One of the Federal Reserve’s branches suggests inflation is lower than thought, calling into question the chair’s recent public assessment. The New York Attorney General is looking into a massive data breach at Marriott’s Starwood hotels. And what will happen to Mexico City’s 13-billion dollar, partly constructed airport the incoming president promised to scrap on the campaign trail? Plus, why Amazon’s HQ2 contest doesn’t really benefit the overall economy. Today’s episode is sponsored by the Alliance for Lifetime Income and Paypal.

On the week of the G20 Summit and in the midst of a trade war between the U.S. and China, the head of the WTO says some countries are thinking of a “Plan B” if the international system is undermined. NASA has announced it’s partnering with nine private aerospace companies to head back to the moon for the first time since 1972. Plus, Mexico’s incoming President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has promised to move federal workers out of the capital, but what does that mean for how they get to work when the commutes — and some social interactions — are already fraught. Today’s show is sponsored by the University of Florida Warrington School of Business and Paypal.

From the BBC World Service… China’s manufacturing sector grounded to a halt in November for the first time in two years. With an ongoing trade dispute with the U.S., is more stimulus on the way from the government for the economy? Then, with Brexit nearing, we head to Brussels, the beating heart of the European Union, to find out how the bloc is bracing for the U.K.’s departure, orderly or not.

Everybody wants 5G, the superfast next-generation wireless technology. And Huawei, the giant Chinese electronics maker, is the world’s largest supplier of 5G networking equipment. But the U.S. government banned Huawei and Chinese company ZTE from its telecom infrastructure back in 2012 because of concerns that the Chinese government could use the equipment to spy on companies and government agencies. This week, The Wall Street Journal reported that the United States has been trying to convince foreign allies to also dump Huawei. The warnings about Huawei’s equipment might be working. On Wednesday, New Zealand banned the company from its telecom infrastructure. Australia did the same back in August, and the United Kingdom yesterday warned Huawei to tighten up its security overall. Stu Woo, one of the reporters who wrote the story in the Journal, tells Molly Wood that the thing that makes 5G so useful is also the thing that makes it so insecure. Today’s show is sponsored by Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage.

The giant multinational corporation Bayer is selling off the Dr. Scholl’s and Coppertone brands acquired four years ago when the company bought Merck. Now Bayer is looking to expand its cancer drug research and development and the agribusinesses it’s been growing since buying Monsanto earlier this year. Sounds good, but there’s a lingering problem that […]

Big retailers have followed Amazon’s lead in making free shipping a staple. But that leaves small businesses in the uncomfortable position of managing expectations or just eating the cost of two-day air themselves. But first: Wages are up, inflation is down and consumer spending is on the rise again. That’s all good, right? Well, maybe. We’ll walk through some of the warning signs of downturn to look out for. Plus: A look back in trade history, when Japan had a turbulent relationship with the U.S.

The new Fed chair seems to getting his “sea legs.” Will presidents Trump and Jinping work through the U.S.-China trade beef at the G20 Summit in Argentina? And Starbucks pushes towards inclusivity by teaching employees American Sign Language. Today’s show is sponsored by the University of Florida Warrington School of Business and Paypal.

Fed Chairman Jerome Powell’s big speech Wednesday helped the markets rally, and he emphasized why it’s desirable to keep interest rates neutral, but what does “neutral” mean, anyway. It’s that time of the year again: when lawmakers decide on a budget and try to avoid a federal government shutdown. So, where is Congress’ on their long-awaited budget fix? And with all the talk of Amazon moving into New York and Virginia, let’s not forget Nashville is also part of the online behemoth’s expansion into for-profit health care. Today’s show is sponsored by the University of Florida Warrington School of Business and Paypal.

From the BBC World Service… German prosecutors raid several Deutsche Bank offices over suspicions of money laundering, sending shares down. Then, with the U.S. and China locked in a trade war, can President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping reach a truce at the G20 summit in Buenos Aires? Plus, we travel to Poland as part of our Life After Brexit series. The country is currently locked in a battle with Brussels over independence of the country’s judges.

News broke this week about a Chinese scientist who says he edited the genes of twin girls while they were in the womb. The goal was to make the girls immune to HIV, but editing human genes at that level is ethically controversial and illegal in many countries. It raises many questions about creating genetic traits that can be passed on and about a future where people choose the genetic traits in their children. Not surprisingly, it’s a topic well covered in science fiction. The 1997 movie “Gattaca” is about a future where your genes determine whether you’ll succeed in life or be considered an “invalid.” Molly Wood talks about it with Amy Webb, founder of the Future Today Institute. Webb says there are plenty of benefits to gene editing technology, but that “Gattaca’s” social commentary was all too prescient.

Ahead of the G-20 summit, both the United States and China are signaling a potential agreement to back off the budding trade war. President Donald Trump reportedly may delay scheduled tariffs on Chinese goods, and Beijing has provided more market access to international insurance companies. But there are many issues that still need to be […]

We don’t really talk about Microsoft in the same breath as Apple, Amazon or Facebook these days. Maybe we should. Over the last couple of days, Microsoft has been taking turns with Apple as the world’s most valuable public company. The last time Microsoft held that position was 2003. Microsoft once dominated the tech world […]

That means different folks heard different things. Markets heard a potential end to interest rate hikes, but we’ll go back over Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell’s remarks and tell you what you need to know. Then: Home sales have fallen to their slowest pace in two years, and low inventory in the housing market isn’t helping. But with slow sales, is there enough incentive to convince builders to build? Plus, Canada is seeing more asylum seekers. 

After the tax law passed last year, Republicans argued that companies would take their tax savings and make big investments in themselves — plants, equipment, trucks, that sort of thing. But over the last year, there are signs that business investment is slowing. GM’s plans to shut down five plants are just the latest example. Economists […]

The United States left the Paris Climate Agreement last year, but how are the countries still sticking to the deal faring? Global investors wait with bated breath as Fed Chair Jerome Powell prepares to deliver a highly anticipated speech Wednesday. Plus, how mental health professionals are using their experience treating military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder to help civilians. Today’s show is sponsored by Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage and Forex.

Ahead of the G20 summit in Argentina, China has opened up its tightly controlled financial sector to foreign players. What grade will the U.S. get on its new economic report card? Plus, a look at the field of financial therapy. Today’s show is sponsored by Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage.

From the BBC World Service…The European Union wants to be the first major economy to be climate neutral by 2050. It’s an initiative that could spur hundreds of billions in investment in clean energy technology, but does the plan go far enough? Then, Britain’s treasury minister said any form of Brexit will negatively affect the U.K. economy. The Italian government has been locked in a battle with Brussels on its budget, but we’ll explain how divided political parties in the southern European nation are using the ongoing Brexit negotiations between the E.U. and Britain to their advantage.

If you are a creator on YouTube, you live and die by the algorithm. It’s the invisible technology that recommends videos on the trending page or in search results or suggestions all across the platform. No one but YouTube knows exactly how the algorithm decides what to promote and what not to promote. The controversial process has at times promoted fake news and sensational or harmful content. And creators say it’s burning them out. Katherine Lo, a visiting researcher in informatics at the University of California, Irvine, studies harassment and mental health in online communities. Molly Wood talks with her about how the YouTube algorithm affects business for creators.

A series from Bloomberg this week sheds light on a predatory lending practice that’s turning New York’s court system into a debt-collection machine. Some lenders that offer cash advances to small businesses require their customers to sign what’s called a “confession of judgment.” That means before borrowers get a loan, they sign away their right […]

Last year’s corporate tax cuts were meant to, ultimately, drive economic growth. Prominent Republicans argued, sometimes on this very show, that companies would use the money they saved to reinvest in new equipment, factories and, most importantly, jobs. But many bought back their own stock instead, and that could contribute to an economic slowdown. We’ll talk about it, and how oil refineries along the Texas coast are are trying to protect themselves from hurricane season. Plus: Why “sold out” games don’t always look all that sold out.

New tax laws have changed how much of a tax break you might get for giving to charities and causes. Those changes are worrying some non-profits that need your end of the year gifts, especially to help provide human services. But if you really want to give, and get a tax break, you can find […]

Millions might no longer find an incentive to give to charity with the new tax law. House prices keep going up, but the rise is slowing. And for some veterans working at the marble quarry supplying Arlington National Cemetery’s headstones, the work is personal. Today’s show is sponsored by Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage, Alliance for Lifetime Income and Paypal.

The many factors that led to General Motors to announce it was cutting some 14,000 jobs and closing plants include tariffs. In the midst of a massive E. Coli outbreak, Romaine lettuce growers have been urged to label their products differently. And in the latest “Ask a Manager,” Alison Green breaks down how to react when your boss has a not-so-great idea. Today’s show is sponsored by Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage and the Alliance for Lifetime Income.

From the BBC World Service… French President Emmanuel Macron says he “won’t give in” to protests over higher fuel prices, but it’s more than just the rising price of diesel that’s angering some people in France. The president’s package of reforms aimed at changing how the economy works are becoming less popular among the French people. Then, while Facebook has been accused of spreading fake news, its boss Mark Zuckerberg has avoided facing international lawmakers to answer questions about the company’s data protection policies. Today, a committee of parliamentarians from the U.K. and Canada will try to get answers at a joint session in London.

President Trump has said repeatedly that he wants a Space Force. Congress denied the request for a new branch of the military in the latest funding bill, but some have started pricing it out, including the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Todd Harrison is director of the Aerospace Security Project there. He broke it down into three models: a Space Corps within the Air Force, Space Force Lite, and Space Force Heavy. All would mostly use existing military resources but require an additional $1.5 to $2.7 billion over five years. Harrison talks about his cost estimates with Marketplace Tech guest host Kimberly Adams. Today’s show is sponsored by Mozilla.

With the economy as strong as it is right now, retailers are expecting a big Cyber Monday. But whether those gifts are for yourself or someone else, they have to get to your door somehow, and that’s contributing to holiday season gridlock. But first: GM President Charles E. Wilson once said what’s good for the country was good for General Motors and vice versa. So what about those 14,000 layoffs GM announced today? We’ll talk about it. Plus: The economic consequences of climate change.

Target missed earnings expectations for the third quarter, yet the company is maintaining its forecast for the whole year. The reason? The retailer’s investments in its online segment are weighing down on its profit margins, but those investments are getting some traction as online sales jumped 49 percent in the latest quarter. Click the audio […]

Thinking you’ll have a leg up on those Cyber Monday deals because you’re shopping on your phone? So are a lot of other people. Italy seems to be getting its act together, and the markets are noticing. And what happens to all that luggage lost at the airport? Today’s show is sponsored by Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the Alliance for Lifetime Income.

It’s Cyber Monday, and more people than ever are using their mobile devices to get those deals. Voter turnout was great these past midterm elections, which has had a significant impact on how initiatives get on the ballot. And for all the talk of an ailing publishing industry, cookbook sales are sizzling. Today’s show is sponsored by Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the Alliance for Lifetime Income.

From the BBC World Service… The U.K. and E.U. have reached agreement on Britain’s exit from the bloc. What happens next? We travel to Germany to chat to one of the country’s “Wise Men” about the implications of Brexit on one of the E.U.’s most central economies. Then, an extremely rare, 1,000-year-old Chinese scroll is to be auctioned off in Hong Kong today, and there’s speculation it could set a new record for Asian artwork.

If you’re shopping for holiday tech, you’ll probably see a bunch of devices being marketed as 5G ready. 5G is the next generation of super fast internet, but it needs infrastructure. More bandwidth for streaming videos, games, and connecting the ever-growing Internet of Things. The Federal Communications Commission is trying to open up that bandwidth by auctioning off little-used parts of publicly owned airwaves — portions that may not have been useful for 3G or 4G, but are now in high demand. FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel explains why.