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Jul 25, 2017

07/25/2017: This is what "voting to proceed" looks like

The Senate’s effort to repeal-and-something Obamacare inched forward a bit today, and the next 24 hours or so are going to be busy. We’ll walk though what happens next. Then: The Federal Reserve meets tomorrow, so let’s talk interest rates. The benchmark federal funds rate has gone up a full percentage point since the Fed started hikes. So why isn’t your saving account making a thing? Plus: Farmers are struggling thanks mostly to low commodity prices amid a global grain glut. We’ll look at the view from the wheat fields.

Sen. John McCain walks to the U.S. Senate chamber July 25, 2017 in Washington, DC. McCain was recently diagnosed with brain cancer but returned on the day the Senate is holding a key procedural vote on U.S. President Donald Trump's effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.
Mark Wilson/Getty Images

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Segments From This Episode

Why consumer credit is a matter of "social trust"
by Kai Ryssdal and Maria Hollenhorst
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
The modern credit economy mostly works, author Josh Lauer says.
Farmers struggle with low commodity prices
by Peggy Lowe
Peggy Lowe for Marketplace
Farmers, in particular those producing grain, are struggling, thanks mostly to low commodity prices amid a global grain glut.
Big business puts some pressure on big banks
The Federal Reserve probably will not announce a rate hike on the second day of its Federal Open Market Committee meeting on Wednesday. But there’s a decent chance it will again by year’s end. And since the Fed started raising rates 18 months ago, we’ve seen the federal funds rate rise a full 1 percent. […]
A scientist worries about a climate "hostile to science and the truth"
by Maria Hollenhorst and Robert Garrova
ANGELIKA WARMUTH/AFP/GettyImages
Government funding has been pretty reliable — up until now, the Los Alamos National Laboratory researcher says.
Banks suffer as commodities trading hits a rocky patch
by Annie Baxter
Commodity trading — often a big money maker for banks and hedge funds — has been subdued in recent months, leading to significant drops in revenue. Goldman Sachs recently said its commodity trading unit had the worst quarter on record, and other banks are in a similar situation. The reasons behind the slump? Lack of volatility and […]
First the handbag, now shoes to match: Michael Kors buys upscale shoemaker Jimmy Choo for $1.2 billion
by Aaron Schrank
Jimmy Choo has been among the biggest names in high-end shoes for decades, but the company put itself up for sale in April. Today, fashion house Michael Kors announced it’ll buy the British footwear brand for $1.2 billion. Kors has been struggling recently and announced in May it’s closing more than 100 stores. Can this […]
Why the U.S.’s productivity downturn might not be as bad as it looks
by Kai Ryssdal
Many would agree that the key to economic growth, in the U.S. and elsewhere, has long been productivity — how many widgets produced per hour worked. Many would also agree that the U.S. is suffering from a downturn in productivity. But Neil Irwin, senior economics correspondent for The New York Times, thinks it may be […]

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07/25/2017: This is what "voting to proceed" looks like

Subscribe:

Segments From This Episode

Why consumer credit is a matter of "social trust"

Farmers struggle with low commodity prices

Big business puts some pressure on big banks

A scientist worries about a climate "hostile to science and the truth"

Banks suffer as commodities trading hits a rocky patch

First the handbag, now shoes to match: Michael Kors buys upscale shoemaker Jimmy Choo for $1.2 billion

Why the U.S.’s productivity downturn might not be as bad as it looks

Music from the episode