Week of February 25th, 2019

Trade talks with China are going great, or there might be a long way to go; the White House can’t seem to get its narratives straight. It now looks like inflation fears might have been overblown. Plus, Tesla finally comes out with it’s $35,000 Model 3, which is considered cheap for the high-end EV maker. What’s ahead for the global energy market? And some New Yorkers plead with Amazon, “Baby, come back!” Today’s show is sponsored by Amenity Health, the University of Florida Warrington College of Business and Brothers Printers.

The Gap lets go of Old Navy. SpaceX heads to the International Space Station over the weekend in the hopes of eventually getting Americans back into space in U.S.-made spacecraft. Your airline ticket to Hawaii may get cheaper thanks to Southwest. Today’s show is sponsored by Amenity Health, the University of Florida Warrington College of Business and Brothers Printers.

From the BBC World Service… A day after talks of denuclearization broke down between the U.S. and North Korea, South Korea’s president gave a speech insisting meaningful progress was, in fact, made during the two-day talks. We’ll explore why the country has such a large stake in the its northern neighbor’s international relationship. Then, as people live longer, governments around the world are grappling with how to deal with higher health care costs. Wearable technology, though, could hold the key to alleviating the strain. Today’s show is sponsored by Amenity Health, the University of Florida Warrington College of Business and Brothers Printers.

Magic, one of America’s oldest pastimes and a multimillion-dollar industry, has been transformed by the digital age. We talk with Ian Frisch about how the internet has democratized the craft, which he lays out in his new book “Magic Is Dead.” But first, the latest on Brexit and Lyft’s initial public offering. Plus, why consumers are feeling bearish.

As the nation was slowly recovering from the financial crisis, the Justice Department had a choice: Go after big banks with criminal cases that could be tough to win or use powerful civil penalties and negotiate settlements? In the last installment of our special series, we’ll look at how the government made that decision and why no CEO went to jail. Plus, the sanctions that cut short President Donald Trump’s summit with North Korea.

Tariffs take a toll on the GDP. President Trump “walks away” during the North Korea summit. Plus, there are a lot more $100 bills in circulation, and the reason might be less nefarious than you might think. Today’s show is sponsored by Ling Ling Asian Foods, the Alliance for Lifetime Income and Amazon Web Services.

The rate of farm loan delinquencies is at a 9-year high, due, in part, to President Trump’s tariffs and low crop prices. The attention humanitarian crises get in the media is impacting the amount of aid going to troubled zones. Plus, as it competes with hospitality disrupters like Airbnb, Marriott focuses on guest “experiences.” And TikTok pays a record fine over children’s privacy. Today’s show is sponsored by Ling Ling Asian Foods, the Alliance for Lifetime Income and Amazon Web Services.

From the BBC World Service… President Trump’s second summit with North Korea’s leader ends early and without a deal. The news sent ructions through South Korea’s financial markets. Then, economic repercussions of the escalation in tensions between India and Pakistan are being felt globally. But it wasn’t long ago that relations between the two countries softened. So how has the breakdown in relations impacted businesses on both sides of the border? Plus, a look at whether the subscription-box market has peaked. Today’s show is sponsored by Ling Ling Asian Foods, the Alliance for Lifetime Income and Amazon Web Services.

We’re at the end of earnings season, and the news was good, for the most part. But is this the calm before the storm? French carmaker Peugeot says it’s coming back stateside. Plus, Marie Kondo’s popular downsizing movement could work out great for the resale industry. Today’s show is sponsored by Kronos, Indeed and Amazon Web Services.

During the worst of the financial crisis, two hedge fund managers were tried in court for securities fraud … and acquitted. We look at what happened in the second part of our series about who served time after the crash. Plus, a big hearing on Capitol Hill (no, not that one) and why “Grey’s Anatomy” has stuck around even longer than “ER.”

By most accounts, the U.S. economy is doing well, except when we’re talking about farmers. Spotify launches in India, a country with 400 million mobile phone users. Plus, some companies are now offering student loan repayment benefits to attract quality employees. And, in case you’re interested, Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch is up for sale at a big discount. Today’s show is sponsored by Kronos, Indeed and Amazon Web Services.

From the BBC World Service… Ahead of President Trump’s dinner with Kim Jong Un, Boeing announced deals totaling $16 billion with two Vietnamese aircraft carriers. Then, with less than 10 percent of users in Asia, Spotify has just launched its streaming service in India. But in a crowded market, how does it plan to stand out? Plus, what New Zealand can teach Britain about life after Brexit. Today’s show is sponsored by Kronos, Indeed and Amazon Web Services.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio have announced joint support for congestion pricing on cars entering Manhattan’s central business district. Under the proposal, which still needs to be approved by state legislators, revenue collected would help pay for improving the city’s dilapidated subway system. Cities like London, Singapore, and […]

The American economy all but collapsed in 2008, but no CEOs on Wall Street went to jail. Today, we begin three-part series looking at why. Plus: stormy weather for Home Depot and New York City’s plan to cut congestion while fixing the subway.

The big credit rating agencies testify before Congress today as it considers a bill allowing consumers to challenge their ratings, among other protections. Also testifying on Capitol Hill Tuesday is Fed Chair Jerome Powell. How might the markets react? Plus, amid riding health care costs, North Carolina is trying to lower prices for state workers, which could actually mean higher payments to some providers. Today’s show is sponsored by Kronos, WellFrame, the University of Florida Warrington College of Business and Brother Printers.

From the BBC World Service… On his first day in Vietnam ahead of the two-day summit with President Trump, North Korea’s leader is believed to tour Hanoi to see how more economic development could help his country. But we’ll hear why giving up nuclear weapons in exchange for economic stability is a trade-off with national security. Then, the U.N. is appealing for $4 billion in aid to for Yemen, which has been devastated since conflict began in 2015. Plus, the British pound jumped to the highest level in four weeks as politicians weigh a range of options, including a new public Brexit vote, a delay in leaving the UK, or a guarantee the country won’t crash out of the E.U. next month. Today’s show is sponsored by Kronos, WellFrame, the University of Florida Warrington College of Business and Brother Printers.

Big Pharma execs face lawmakers on Capitol Hill over the rising cost of prescription drugs Tuesday. Home Depot jumps on the home delivery bandwagon. Plus, we look at how some attorneys are helping the next generation of jurists avoid crushing law school debt. Today’s show is sponsored by Kronos, WellFrame, the University of Florida Warrington College of Business and Brother Printers.

General Electric today announced the sale of its biopharmaceutical business for more than $21 billion dollars. The buyer is Danaher Corporation, which happens to have been previously run by GE chief executive Larry Kulp, who served as chief executive at Danaher between 2001 and 2015. The move is part of an ongoing restructuring aimed at […]

The economy is doing well, says Janet Yellen, who departed the Federal Reserve last year after four years as chair. She’s less confident in the president, who declined to appoint her for a second term. We talked with Yellen about Trump’s relationship with the central bank, running the San Francisco Fed during the financial crisis and her current plans, which don’t include retirement. Plus: What it’s like to live on one side of the border and work on the other.

The markets responded positively to President Trump’s announcement on Twitter that he was holding off on Chinese tariffs. The president will also meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Vietnam later this week. What are the North Korean people expecting from the talks? Plus, cryptocurrency is helping communities in Kenya with their cash flow problems. Today’s show is sponsored by Kronos, Pitney Bowes and WellFrame.

Asian stocks rally following President Donald Trump’s tweet saying he’ll delay tariffs on Chinese goods. Former Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen says the president doesn’t understand macroeconomic policy. Plus, how high-end exercise equipment companies are vying to keep people connected at home. Today’s show is sponsored by Kronos, Pitney Bowes and WellFrame.

From the BBC World Service… Simmering tensions around Huawei’s participation in the rollout of 5G internet connectivity have thrown technology security into the global spotlight. We’ll take you to world’s biggest meeting of mobile-phone providers in Barcelona, where the Chinese company will be working to boost its battered image. Then, with one tweet about progress on trade negotiations with China, President Trump helped send global stocks sharply higher today. But is there enough detail to sustain investor optimism? Today’s show is sponsored by Kronos, Pitney Bowes and WellFrame.

The big telecom show Mobile World Congress kicks off in Barcelona this week. Expect a lot of talk about phones and the things you can do with them. After reports last week that Apple and Goldman Sachs might launch a credit card potentially tied to the iPhone’s digital wallet, there will probably be plenty of talk about mobile payments. But weren’t we supposed to be paying for everything with our phones by now? Host Molly Wood talks with Lisa Ellis, who covers payment services at the research firm MoffettNathanson. She says when we moved to chip-based credit cards a few years back, we kind of missed the mobile boat. Today’s show is sponsored by Kronos and Topo Athletic.