Segments From This Episode

• Orders for long-lasting, expensive things give us a pretty good read on recovery

  And those orders for April were up, according to data out today, when you strip out the volatile components like aircraft. So-called core capital goods jumped 2.3% last month. Diane Swonk, chief economist at Grant Thornton, says we see strength in the numbers for computers and metals. She says we see weaknesses in chip shortages for motor vehicles, which pulled down the averages. We also got data showing new claims for unemployment benefits dropped again last week. Swonk said it’s great news that they’re continuing the downward trend, but “the bad news is they’re not coming down rapidly.” “We’d like to see big declines right now, given how many jobs we’re still in the hole,” she said.

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• FDIC says credit card balances dropped in Q1

  by Justin Ho

  

  Sure, we’re putting some purchases on credit cards, but we’re still not getting out the plastic for big travel expenses.

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• Meet the business reclaiming the narrative around Native art

  by David Brancaccio and Rose Conlon

  

  Seattle-based Eighth Generation works with Native artists to create wool blankets and more.

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