Week of January 21st, 2019

As President Donald Trump agreed to temporarily reopen the government Friday, mayors from all around the country were wrapping up a trip to Washington, D.C., to talk about what the shutdown has cost their communities. We’ll talk to some today, plus what government data we’ve been missing during the standoff. Then: What it’s like to be a female economist.

How big a fine is appropriate when a company earns scores of billions a year?

A potential global economic slowdown portends problems stateside. The Fed’s Open Market Committee meets next week to gauge the strength of the U.S. economy, but will they be able to “do the numbers” with a shutdown-driven dearth of data? Plus, a recent study — one of many — finds that raising the minimum wage does not mean fewer jobs.  Today’s show is sponsored by SignNow, Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage and Indeed.

On day 35 of the partial government shutdown, we take a look at the payments not being deducted from federal workers’, zero-dollar paychecks for things like health insurance premiums. Plus, fertility rates in the U.S. have gone down during last few years, and other developed countries are going through the same demographic shifts.  Today’s show is sponsored by SignNow, Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage and Indeed.

From the BBC World Service… As Venezuela’s political rivals continue to battle for control, runaway inflation and a worsening economic situation are hurting millions of people – both those leaving the country and those who are still trying to live and work there. Then, with China and the U.S. still stuck in a stalemate on trade, we hear from the new boss at Goldman Sachs who says a swift resolution might not be in the cards. Plus, a look back at how product placement has become a booming business over the last several decades. Today’s show is sponsored by SignNow, Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage and Indeed.

Many people are still active on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram despite digital privacy concerns. But even if you set out to truly understand all the information tech companies have about you, it’s close to impossible to get your hands on all of the data. Witness the plight of one American professor who’s waging a multiyear legal battle against political data firm Cambridge Analytica, trying to see what it collected, bought and sold about him. It’s a David and Goliath story, and in this case, David is David Carroll, a media design professor in New York. Marketplace’s Jed Kim talks about Carroll’s quest with Issie Lapowsky, a senior writer at Wired. Today’s show is sponsored by Pitney Bowes and Indeed.

As the partial government shutdown is about to enter its 35th day, here are a few facts about the hundreds of thousands of affected federal workers: The median income of a furloughed federal worker is about $67,000 a year, according to Sentier Research About 75 percent of those workers are working paycheck-to-paycheck, according to John Challenger […]

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said recently that modern monetary theory, or MMT, should “be a larger part of our conversation” when it comes to funding ambitious policies she’s proposed. On today’s show, we’ll explain how it works — it’s kind of like a kitchen sink. But first, we’ll take you inside the financial lives of furloughed federal government workers. Plus, more key moments in Trumponomics. 

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Thursday that the U.S. and China were “miles and miles” from resolving their trade conflict, and the markets heard it loud and clear. The Milken Institute has released its annual list of best-performing cities, and No. 1 might surprise you. Plus, we travel to the Kansas City which is performing very well thanks to its booming auto industry.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s days might be numbered, but his potential ouster seems to have piqued investors’ interest as the oil-rich nation’s bonds spiked. As if the partial government shutdown hasn’t complicated the lives of federal workers enough, a second missed paycheck could make things even more difficult for those with child support payments. Plus, how has the shutdown hamstrung economists and investors who rely on government data? Today’s show is sponsored by SignNow, the United States Postal Service and Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage.

From the BBC World Service… It’s been a tumultuous 24 hours in Venezuela after the country’s opposition leader declared himself interim president and garnered support from the U.S. and a dozen other countries. So, what’s next for the economically-troubled nation? Then, French automaker Renault is ready to move forward as Carlos Ghosn is still held in Tokyo. Plus, remember the periodic table from your high school chemistry class? Well, it’s gotten a makeover, but this time, rather than being organized by weight, each element is listed according to how much is left on earth. Today’s show is sponsored by SignNow, the United States Postal Service and Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage.

Each year, the Department of Housing and Urban Development asks local governments to count the number of homeless people in their areas. The task on the ground falls to officials partnered with nonprofits and volunteers. The data is required if you want federal dollars to address homelessness. The count includes those staying in shelters and transitional housing, but in odd-numbered years, like this one, people also go out on the streets to count the homeless population sleeping on sidewalks and in cars. It’s a massive undertaking, especially in regions with high levels of homelessness, like Southern California. This year, some areas near Los Angeles are using an app to improve the quality of data they collect. It’s a big change from the pen and paper method still used by most. Marketplace’s Jed Kim talks with Jill Replogle, the Orange County reporter for Southern California Public Radio. The O.C. is one of the places using the new tech, and she joined the count and downloaded the app to see how it works. Today’s show is sponsored by the University of Florida Warrington College of Business and WellFrame.

That’s where the situation is heading in Venezuela. We’ll tell you what you need to know as President Nicolás Maduro is called to resign. Then, more from our series on President Trump’s signature economic moments. Plus, why the government shutdown is hitting harder than what GDP lets on. 

Some FBI agents sound off on the partial government shutdown, saying they’re not able to do their jobs properly. We take a quick look at current market volatility. Global leaders are meeting at the World Economic Forum’s summit in Davos, Switzerland is this week, but how important is the gathering, really? Today’s show is sponsored by SignNow, Pitney Bowes, the United States Postal Service and Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage.

Another victim of the government shutdown: kids who get free school lunches. Plus, as the World Economic Forum gets underway in Davos, Switzerland, we take a look at the summit’s theme this year, Globalization 4.0. Today’s show is sponsored by SignNow, Pitney Bowes, the United States Postal Service and Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage.

From the BBC World Service… Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is at Davos today calling for a framework for cross-border data sharing in an effort to spur global economic growth, but what needs to happen for more countries to come on board with the idea? Then, the first criminal trial of U.K. bank executives after the financial crisis begins today as four former Barclays employees face charges over its multi-billion dollar rescue. And, we go to school the Swedish way. Today’s show is sponsored by SignNow, Pitney Bowes, the United States Postal Service and Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage.

In 2018 venture capital firms invested $130 billion in private companies — an all-time high. Sounds like a thriving startup ecosystem, right? The movie industry similarly hit a new high in 2018… because ticket prices were way higher and people paid more to go to a few big blockbusters. A similar thing happened with venture capital: Firms invested a lot of money in a few big blockbuster companies, like $1.3 billion in Fortnite maker Epic Games, or they made big investments in so-called “unicorn” companies with billion-dollar valuations, such as Uber or Airbnb or Pinterest. How is this pattern changing the landscape for smaller startups? Molly Wood talks with Bobby Franklin, president and CEO of the National Venture Capital Association, about where all the money is going. Today’s show is sponsored by Pitney Bowes and WellFrame.  

In the past two years, President Trump has changed the way we talk about business and economic life in this country. He views the economy through a transactional lens: there are always deals to be made or renegotiated. He’s the CEO of America, Inc., relying largely on his instincts and owning successes and stock market records. We’ve identified 10 moments that illuminate how the president thinks and what’s changed, and we’ll roll them out all week. Also on today’s show: businesses with discounts for federal workers, how China’s mobile payments business passed its GDP, and pass-throughs explained.

Companies still have to be careful about crafting messages in a highly politicized moment.

The IMF’s downgrade of global market growth spooks markets Tuesday. France fines Google $57 million over privacy. Plus, we look at the growing popularity of sustainable, responsible and impact investment. Today’s show is sponsored by SignNow, the Alliance for Lifetime Income, the United States Postal Service and Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage.

A recent dip in mortgage rates could cause an uptick in home sales. How will food stamp recipients fare if the shutdown continues? Plus, the fertility rate in the U.S. is declining. What does the drop mean for the greater economy? Today’s show is sponsored by SignNow, the Alliance for Lifetime Income, the United States Postal Service and Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage.

From the BBC World Service… Zimbabwe’s president has returned home after cancelling his appearance at Davos. We’ll take you to Harare for the latest. Afterwards, with a backdrop of rising nationalism, slowing growth and less influence, the leaders of France and Germany sign a pledge for closer cooperation in a post-Brexit E.U. But is it more about symbolism than hard commitments? Then, after many world leaders have ditched Davos to focus on problems at home – Brazil’s newly-installed president Jair Bolsonaro will take the stage today. So, what is he hoping to accomplish, and will he catch criticism for not turning focus away from economic problems in his own country? Today’s show is sponsored by SignNow, the Alliance for Lifetime Income, the United States Postal Service and Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage.

In 2019, media giants Disney and Warner both plan to enter the streaming service fray, as if there weren’t a whole lot of on-demand content options already out there. Streaming has definitely disrupted the way we watch TV. What about the way we pay for it? With predictions of widespread cord cutting and the demise of cable television, are we actually seeing that? Marketplace’s Jed Kim talks with Brian Wieser, who focuses on media and advertising as a senior analyst at Pivotal Research Group. Today show is sponsored by the University of Florida Warrington College of Business and Triple Byte_JD.

AT&T has announced it’s putting ads back on YouTube. A couple of years ago, the telecom giant pulled their ads off the platform because of concerns that its messages were running alongside videos containing hate speech or touting terrorism. AT&T says it’s satisfied that the Google-owned platform has improved screening of video content. So what’s […]

As the partial federal shutdown continues with no visible end in sight, banks and creditors have offered the up-to-800,000 affected workers loans and payment deferments so they can keep up with their finances. At the same time, fraudulent agencies may be targeting these workers. Click the audio player above to hear the full story.

Things weren’t looking exactly glass half-full today at the World Economic Forum, the annual meeting of economists, bankers and world leaders. During a news conference, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde said the global economy was growing “more slowly than expected.” We break down what that means in a larger context. Today also marks the 31st day of the partial government shutdown and no end appears to be in sight. Some furloughed workers, in trying to keep up with finances, are becoming the targets of scams. Then, we talk tech and whether or not 5G is here, or if it’s all just marketing. Also: what exactly it takes to be a park ranger.

Oxfam, the international anti-poverty organization, released a report Friday on how the world’s billionaires and poor people are doing economically. And the short answer is: the former are up while the latter are down. Oxfam crunched the income and wealth numbers based on data from Forbes’ annual billionaires list and Credit Suisse’s “Wealth Databook.” The […]

In 2018, ICOs, or initial coin offerings, were the hot new thing in startup fundraising. A company could raise money by selling you a little bit of value or equity in the form of a digital coin, similar to bitcoin but specific to that company. ICOs raised about $22 billion, or so we think. It’s hard to know because the practice has been unregulated. A lot of them turned out to be scams. The Securities and Exchange Commission started fining celebrities like Floyd Mayweather and DJ Khaled over sketchy paid promotions for ICOs. It got weird, and now it’s regulation time. That means that future ICOs and their digital coins might start to look a lot more like good old-fashioned stock, except traded on the blockchain, and that has big ramifications for Wall Street. Molly Wood talks with Kristen Howell, a partner with the law firm Fox Rothschild who helps companies create ICOs.  Today’s show is sponsored by Kronos, Mozilla/Firefox and Lenovo for Small Business. 

Millennials are already in a lot of debt. In fact, 10 percent of Americans ages 18-24 expect to die with debt. And, we look at how tech innovations are changing the ski industry, for better and worse. But first, last year China experienced the slowest pace of economic growth since 1990. That growth is expected to continue to slow this year. However, it’s not all bad news. Today’s show is sponsored by Alliance for Lifetime Income, LinkedIn, Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage and Indeed.

The fortunes of the world’s billionaires grew in 2018, while the wealth of the poorest half of the globe’s population declined, according to a new report. Plus, GDP numbers out this morning show that the global economy is slowing. And, Veganuary (or Vegan January) is a new trend persuading resolution-makers to forgo meat for the first month of the year. It has big brands hopping on the vegan bandwagon. Today’s show is sponsored by Alliance for Lifetime Income, LinkedIn, Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage and Indeed.  

From the BBC World Service…Fresh figures show China’s economy registered its slowest growth pace since 1990 last year. So, what does three-straight quarters of sluggish growth in the world’s second biggest economy mean for the rest of the world? Then, Zimbabwe’s president is the latest world leader to scrap plans to attend Davos and instead focus on issues closer to home. We’ll take you to Zimbabwe where a fuel-price rise has sparked unrest. Afterwards, Veganuary is the latest hashtag to flood your Instagram but is the cost to adapt to new food trends worth it for big brands? Today’s show is sponsored by Alliance for Lifetime Income, LinkedIn, Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage and Indeed.