Economic Pulse

Industry leaders are seeking new ways to sustainably keep the music playing.

Ingredients are up 30%, says Carrie Morey of Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit in South Carolina. But passing along costs poses other problems.

Commuting expenses and training backlogs are just some of the problems compounding staffing shortages, union leader says.

“You can pay kind of a lot to get us where we need to be on the front end of a disaster…or you could pay twice or three times as much to rebuild and recover,” said Mark Ghilarducci, Director of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.

Many independent drivers are starting to see lower rates and increased fuel costs, says Lewie Pugh, executive vice president of the Owner-Operator Independent Driver Association.

Trevon Logan, professor of economics at The Ohio State University, says we’re looking at a “new normal” for the federal funds rate.

Some tech giants have pledged to decarbonize operations. But their cash contributes to climate change, says environmentalist Bill McKibben.

It’s not just about messaging, says Jeanine Poggi, editor of Ad Age. Are companies prioritizing diversity behind the scenes?

“It’s hard to find a clear reason to have [a CBDC], and, in fact, there are a lot of reasons not to,” says the Roosevelt Institute’s Chris Hughes.

Student debt cancellation would be an essential move toward affordable higher education, says Felicia Wong, president and CEO of the Roosevelt Institute.