Week of November 16th, 2020

Your bubble is probably bigger than you think, and the hospitals are already strained.

Actors’ Equity and SAG-AFTRA resolve their dispute, with Actors’ Equity representing the virtual broadcasts. The agreement includes restrictions.

OSHA has declined to create national rules during the pandemic.

On today’s show: what the Fed was using that money for during the pandemic. Plus, home births are on the rise during COVID-19.

In a clever workaround, the airline has reportedly sent Airbus planes overseas before bringing them to the U.S.

Fed programs and policy have helped ease economic pain during the pandemic. In its dwindling days, the Trump administration will end some of those emergency programs Dec. 31.

One reason some mothers choose at-home birth is they don’t feel they will be heard or taken care of in a hospital setting.

A 1st edition Charizard card can go for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Better dust off your old collection.

In October, the U.S. built on earlier gains in retail spending and home construction. But the economic story does not stop there. Plus, is it time to pull back on some of the Fed’s ability to fight financial emergencies?

Economist Karen Petrou says the Fed programs have fallen short, but that the Fed needs some facilities in the face of inaction from Congress.

Before the pandemic, Black trans workers faced the most economic challenges of any group in the U.S.

Emergency authorization means the FDA facilitates availability of the vaccine during a declared state of emergency.

The fast food burger chain wants to keep the restaurants from going to its direct competitors

Emojis pack an economic punch. Plus, the world’s biggest vaccine maker says India could have a low-cost shot by early 2021. And, the G-20 in Saudi Arabia threatens to be overshadowed by boycotts. 

The rift between the Fed and the Treasury has to do with emergency pandemic lending programs. Plus, Wendy’s is buying 400 fast food joints from a bankrupt franchisee. And, the challenges transgender people are facing in the COVID economy.

After the presidential election, Parler saw a spike in users.

What we talk about when we talk about a ruling party refusing to concede an election it lost.

On today’s show: a report from Harvard shows the economic fallout from the pandemic is hitting low-income renters the hardest. Plus, a conversation with the president of the New York Fed.

Mnuchin said that he is requesting that the Fed return to Treasury the unused funds appropriated by Congress for operation of the programs.

The lowest-income households were more likely to lose wages and fall behind on rent.

A growing number of people across the country and the political spectrum support raising the minimum wage. Is this a sign of a bigger shift?

The president of the NY Fed expects the economy to fully recover within a few years, despite current setbacks as the virus continues to spread.

It’s good news for our personal economies, but it means we’re not spending as much to prop the economy as a whole.

The 1918 pandemic helped shift the film industry’s center of power. Could the coronavirus pandemic do the same?

This week, how one woman’s student loans put her middle-class dreams on the line.

Plus, jobless claims rise, while those who still have jobs are getting into real estate. Also, an update on the hotel industry. And, a closer look at the teen voting bloc ahead of Georgia’s Senate runoff elections.

Asking people who they think their friends and family members will vote for may end up being a close estimate of actual election outcomes.

It’s the first increase in five weeks and a sign that the resurgent viral outbreak is likely slowing the economy.

The holidays, usually a busy time for the hotel industry, won’t help this year as many families stay at home.

The postmortem is underway for why polls tended to miss how close the presidential election would be. Plus, early data on the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine candidate shows it seems to work especially well for adults in their 60s and 70s.

Oxford scientists say their vaccine candidate has shown a strong immune response in older people. Could a hike in interest rates tackle Turkey’s inflation problem? Plus, managing your online legacy after you’re gone.

Teens need a little extra nudging to cast ballots, so organizers in Georgia are reaching out by email, phone and more.

Even if Twitter calls for people to talk instead of type, everyone should be able to understand.

Some cities are preparing for another round of lockdowns, and we answer more of your questions on this Whadda Ya Wanna Know Wednesday.

When tens of millions of workers were laid off and applied for benefits in the spring, the system crashed. Here are some ideas for making it work better.

The order says that Boeing’s design changes have made the jets airworthy, 20 months after the 737 Max model was grounded.

On today’s show: antiquated equipment and systems have made it a challenge to get aid to the people who need it. Plus, some hackers are trying to rebrand themselves as ethical.

In just 38 days, 12 million jobless workers will lose their benefits. Talks on another relief bill have stalled in Congress.

“Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal spoke with Arturo Sneider, the CEO of Primestor, an LA-based real estate company that works in mostly underserved areas.

Several cybercrime groups are trying to brand themselves as ethical. But it’s hard to know a hacker’s actual motivation in any particular case.

Pfizer says it has the final data showing its vaccine is 95% effective in preventing infection. Plus, the Senate blocks Judy Shelton’s Fed nomination. And, how Hawaii is allowing visitors that don’t have to quarantine in order to help tourism.

It seems that Shelton’s chances at joining the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors are narrowing.

Airlines using Boeing’s 737 Max will have to get FAA approval for pilot training programs and complete required maintenance.

As people spend less time outdoors, will they keep shopping at places like Home Depot and Lowe’s?

The state has dialed back mandatory quarantines for visitors if they test negative for COVID-19.

Plus, how will home improvement stores fare with winter on the way. And, Chinese manufacturers could still be dealing with high U.S. tariffs when President-elect Joe Biden takes office.

The U.K. government has a $16 billion plan to green the economy. Plus, will China’s pork consumers take a bite out of plant-based patties? And, adapting traveling circuses in India during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chinese exporters have found ways to deal with the extra U.S. tariffs and those plans are not set to change under President-elect Joe Biden.

U.S. companies may have to choose — either manufacture in the U.S. or abide by Chinese industrial policy.

The new recordings are bound to sound different than the originals. Which versions will fans choose?

As the year draws to a close, small business owners are starting to figure out their tax liabilities for 2020. That’s complicated for businesses that got Paycheck Protection Program loans.

On today’s show, we’ll talk about the country’s growing patchwork of legalization and how it could reshape the drug economy.

On today’s show: The U.S. is on the outside looking in. Later, the fate of the economy once again hangs on consumers.

As goes the U.S. consumer, so goes the U.S. economy.

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership brings 15 countries together. Should the U.S. be a part of it?

The Houston area lost the most construction jobs of any big city over the last year.

Teacher Nia Grigsby started The School Box Toolbox when her own daughters were running low on supplies early in the pandemic.

In this book excerpt, veteran style journalist Elizabeth Holmes writes about how Meghan Markle used fashion to respond to media criticism.

Plus, where President-elect Joe Biden stands on forgiving student loan debt. And, retail sales growth slowed in October. That’s not a great sign for economic recovery, and neither is the continued absence of a new federal pandemic relief package.

Retail sales growth slowed even as retailers offered early holiday discounts online and in stores.

More than 70% of Black students are going to school entirely online, compared to 40% of white students.

At first, COVID-19 vaccines won’t be marketed in the usual sense, because the government will be the main buyer.

A recent survey from Korn Ferry found that 47% of retailers are having a hard time finding seasonal workers this year.

Part of rebuilding the U.S. economy will be strengthening unions, President-elect Joe Biden said Monday. Plus, is it fair to call the race for a working vaccine a competition? And, working holiday retail during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Two European Union members are threatening to veto the budget, which requires unanimous approval. U.S. sanctions contribute to China’s biggest smartphone-maker selling off its budget brand. Plus, the key role of bloggers in modern royal fashion.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has been battling election misinformation, including President Trump’s false voter fraud claims.

What a royal wears on an official engagement can lead to sold-out items within minutes. Author and blogger Elizabeth Holmes explains.

Now there’s two promising vaccines, but who will trust the government enough to take them? Let’s do the numbers.

One issue for influencers is that joining a perceived ideological site like Parler could turn off some online fans.

Many that survived the shutdowns in the spring have a strategy, while others fear they just won’t make it.

On today’s show: We check in with the small businesses preparing for another round of stay-at-home orders. Later, a look at the odds of a free trade agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom.

Calls for austerity likely slowed the economic recovery from the Great Recession. Could that happen again?

Online sales are expected to surge this year because of the pandemic. And that means retailers need a lot more boxes.

Legalization advocates say there is a tax, and business case, to be made for federal legalization.

President Donald Trump promised Britain a free trade deal after Brexit; Joe Biden’s administration may be less forthcoming.

Plus, Jay Clayton, head of the SEC since 2017, will step down as chairman. And, how much more investors consider factors like environmental responsibility, human rights and labor concerns when deciding where to put their money.

The China-backed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership forms the world’s largest trading bloc.

Pharmaceutical company Moderna said its vaccine appears to be 94.5% effective, according to preliminary data.

A US SIF report sheds light on the criteria investors use to profit society and the environment as well as their portfolios.

Fifteen Asia-Pacific countries have signed a major China-backed trade deal. What does it mean that the U.S. has been excluded? Plus, the arrival of Walmart Pet Care. And, New York City businesses try to negotiate on paying rent.

With pandemic restrictions still cutting into revenues, some business owners say they need a break on commercial rent. But not all landlords are willing to negotiate.

Can the mega-retailer compete with specialty stores in the nearly $100 billion pet sector?

As more people work from home, Japan sees a surge in demand for electronics. Why is Taiwan not part of the world’s largest free trade agreement? Plus, alternative careers when traditional jobs dry up.

Other countries and several states allow for digital voting on legislation. Congress could vote remotely with existing technology, a new report says.