Week of July 15th, 2024

Legal hurdles may await.

A Windows update threw companies worldwide into chaos. Plus, the Fed’s communication blackouts and a tiny Alaska fishing town faces its demise.

Alan Rappeport, economic policy reporter at The New York Times, examines the former president’s assertions about inflation, taxes and energy.

Meghan Irby mapped her routes the old-fashioned way before navigation software was a thing. Her boss “used chickens as a landmark.”

Storms, both real and predicted, along with war, drought and retailers planning ahead have raised the cost of sending goods around the world.

The cybersecurity firm suddenly gained fame because a global tech outage was tied to its products. Here’s what it does and what happened.

These are times when Fed policymakers and staff must refrain from speaking about monetary policy with the public.

When Peter Pan Seafood closed in April, King Cove lost its economic engine. Now, the town is struggling to survive.

The economic incentives didn’t make sense when cellular services first became available.

The reported 11-year, $2.2 billion deal pencils out to more than three times the league’s current media rights income. But some say it undervalues the league’s growth potential.

New data out this week on retail sales, shipping rates and more offer a snapshot of the economy’s overall health. Plus, the knock-on economic effects of tariffs, and Shanghai becomes a hyper-competitive hub for cafes.

The flood of big tech names coming out publicly for Trump and the GOP is a sharp departure from Silicon Valley’s past political practices.

It’s part of the GOP’s pitch to working-class voters. Plus, get smarter about lunar caves. Subscribe to get the “Make Me Smart” newsletter every Friday!

Donald Trump talked up major changes to tax policy and interest rates, but would he really have the power to carry those out?

From the BBC World Service: A raft of businesses and organizations running Microsoft’s Windows apps have been affected by a major global IT outage.

Jewel Burks Solomon, managing partner at Collab Capital, joins Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino for Tech Bytes: Week in Review.

At Sun City Texas, where the median age is 73, seniors are kicking up their heels and patronizing a variety of nearby businesses.

Also: Who’s spending and who isn’t? And what AI means for authors and publishers.

It may be another data point that helps convince the Fed to start cutting interest rates.

Why one labor leader crossed longstanding party lines.

Price-sensitive shoppers are buying fewer or lower-quality items and retailers are offering discounts, according to the Beige Book.

Many writers see AI as a threat, says Rebecca Ackermann. Outcomes are uncertain, but there’s widespread worry about being replaced as creators.

The Republican Party says it will maintain Social Security and Medicare entitlements without cutting benefits, but that’s a tall order.

Improving the women’s health gap could improve lives and the economy, researchers say.

A look at how tensions between the U.S. and China are affecting Europe and Taiwan-based chipmaker TSMC.

Social Security benefits are adjusted to protect retirees against inflation, but not enough, according to some experts, advocacy groups and lawmakers.

The European Union relies heavily on China for technologies and products needed for the clean energy transition.

Both Social Security and Medicare are projected to go broke in a little over a decade.

From the BBC World Service: Despite big profits for chipmakers, the prospect of further curbs on exports of semiconductor technology to China has prompted a major sell-off by investors.

Molly Dwyer of PeakMetrics and Lisa Fazio of Vanderbilt University share their insights about the false narratives surrounding the shooting in this special episode of “Decoding Democracy.”

According to Rogé Karma at The Atlantic, many economists believe high rates tamp down inflation largely by influencing people’s expectations.

Plus, a long awaited swim in the Seine.

Also: State and local governments have been on a hiring spree, and business inventories are up.

The public sector is still recovering from pandemic turbulence. Due to upcoming retirements, it may stay active in the labor market for years.

But not because it’s easier to buy.

The increase in housing supply will help bring down, or at least steady, prices, experts say.

It all depends on why they’re doing it.

Amazon has pledged to spend $1.2 billion to provide free skills training to about 300,000 Amazon employees.

The GOP wants to be clear that it’s pro-cryptocurrency. Let’s talk the intersection of politics and digital assets.

The official Republican platform adopted earlier this week says the party will “defend the right to mine bitcoin.”

Milwaukee’s visitors bureau estimates the Republican National Convention is bringing $200 million to the city. But that doesn’t include business lost due to the crowds.

We’ll do the numbers on what Milwaukee stands to gain from hosting the Republican National Convention this week.

From the BBC World Service: A majority of worker support was needed for an organizing win, but just under 50% voted in favor.

Officials say the restriction helps students focus on their schoolwork. But Liz Kolb at the University of Michigan points out the multiple layers of the issue, including parents’ desire to communicate with their kids and keep them safe.

What to do when you’re feeling hopeless about the climate crisis.

Homebuilders are feeling a little less confident, AI is trying to read emotions, and the nocturnal sprint at UPS’ one-day-shipping hub.

It’s about more than just voting.

Creators say the new AI is capable of inferring users’ emotions, but some experts are wary of the dangers of adaptive AI.

In the midst of a lagging housing market, builders hope for easier terms on mortgages and construction loans.

Many logistics firms have their own air operations. Worldport, in Kentucky, includes a “hotel,” taco trucks and flight simulators.

Spending in many sectors, like furniture and online shopping, was strong. Falling prices also depressed the top line numbers in some categories.

In June, 37.4% of 16- to 19-year-olds were either working or looking for a job, according to the latest jobs report. That’s just shy of a 15-year high of 38% back in March. 

Ohio Senator J.D. Vance is a proponent of economic populism, which sets him apart from the traditional Republican establishment.

If the Trump/Vance ticket emerges the winner in November, what could a Vice President J.D. Vance’s views on the government’s role in business and trade look like?

Here’s why the assassination attempt against former President Trump isn’t likely to cause any major shifts.

Around the world, populations are getting older. Immigration plays a role in sustaining workforces, according to new analysis.

Agency’s failure to prevent the attack on Donald Trump is drawing scrutiny. It shields officials and families, but also probes financial crimes.

Donald Trump has chosen the Ohio Senator whose economic leanings buck those of the traditional, Republican establishment to be his running mate.

From the BBC World Service: Billionaire Daniel Křetínský explains why the Royal Mail should be entrusted to him.

KB Brookins, poet and essayist in Austin, Texas, chronicles their journey in changing their name and gender marker, plus the surveillance that came thereafter.

Also: How a shipping hub handles quick turnarounds, another decline in China’s GDP, and a DJ’s analog life spinning vinyl records.

And, why eviction rates remain high in many U.S. cities.

DJ Asha recalls that at the beginning of her career, she lugged vinyl records across London.

Growth is being held back by weak domestic demand and a real estate crisis.

UPS’ Velocity in Louisville, Kentucky, has more robots than workers.

A strong stock market and a vibrant economy that never fell into recession have boosted earnings at financial institutions.

One wild card: back-to-school shopping.

“Marketplace Morning Report” host David Brancaccio’s thoughts on “Glengarry Glen Ross.”

Researchers found “measurable” but low amounts of metals like lead and arsenic in all of the tampons they tested.

The workplace — like the rest of America — is a polarized place. So how can workers talk politics without it getting ugly?

The workplace has become an increasingly challenging place to discuss politics openly, honestly and civilly. The Society for Human Resource Management has tips to help.

New research finds that more women entering clerical work during World War I changed gender norms for years to come.

Stocks are set to open higher two days after the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.

From the BBC World Service: China’s leaders meet to talk about its economy as official figures show growth is slowing again.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court sent two laws from Texas and Florida about social media content moderation back to the lower courts with guidance on how to deal with them.