Segments From This Episode

• Retail sales data shows robust consumption despite cost concerns

  by Mitchell Hartman

  

  December saw a 0.4% monthly gain and November was revised up. Less well-off consumers kept up with the aid of credit cards or savings accounts.

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• Is hardening a home against fire affordable? It depends.

  by Kai Ryssdal and Sean McHenry

  

  The costs can vary widely and using the right building materials is essential, says wildfire policy analyst Kimiko Barrett.

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• As trade tensions escalate, here’s what’s inside China’s trade war playbook

  by Justin Ho

  

  China has had years to figure out how to best respond to U.S. tariffs. That means it’s developed plenty of strategies to respond to any new tariffs during Trump’s second term.

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• Employers are having trouble finding workers with the right skills

  by Caleigh Wells

  

  Companies reported on their quest to fill jobs in the Fed’s Beige Book. The arrival of AI may have changed hiring needs.

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• Wholesale electricity prices were lower and less volatile last year

  by Samantha Fields

  

  But how does that show up in your electricity bill?

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• How one California business is learning to prepare for when disaster hits

  by Nicholas Guiang

  After living through the CZU fire in 2020, Sonia McMoran, who owns a gift shop in Santa Cruz, California, is trying to be more proactive in preparing her business for the worst.

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