Oct 5, 2018

How do you sleep at night?

Unemployment is at a 40-year low and wages are starting to tick up, but the number of people working multiple jobs hasn’t changed in more than a decade. Why? Then: Mattress Firm has filed for bankruptcy, citing poor sales. The sleep business has changed a lot in recent years, in part because starting your own online bed-in-a-box company is really, really easy. Plus, as always, we'll review the economic news of the seven days gone by on the Weekly Wrap.

Segments From this episode

Recent immigration policy moves vex U.S. workers from abroad

by Sabri Ben-Achour

Oct 5, 2018

The lives of many educated, skilled people have essentially been put on hold by a pile of changes to immigration policies.

President Donald Trump speaks in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in 2017, before signing the "Buy American and Hire American" executive order.

SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

Growth in oil and gas demand may not be dominated by cars

by Scott Tong

Oct 5, 2018

When we report on the world’s thirst for energy, we often miss something: chemicals made from oil and gas. A new report Friday finds petrochemical demand in the world is surging for things like synthetic rubber, packaging, fertilizer and detergents. In the long run, chemicals may be a bigger driver of world oil demand than […]

A petrochemical facility is shown after Hurricane Ike made landfall September 13, 2008 in Deer Park, Texas.

David J. Phillip-Pool/Getty Images

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Canadians mull new trade pact, worry about domestic dairy industry

by Emma Jacobs

Oct 8, 2018

Some Canadians worry NAFTA replacement will flood markets with lower-cost U.S. milk and cheese.

A dairy cow on a farm in Caledon, Canada.

Cole Burston/Getty Images

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Unemployment is at a 40-year low and wages are starting to tick up, but the number of people working multiple jobs hasn’t changed in more than a decade. Why? Then: Mattress Firm has filed for bankruptcy, citing poor sales. The sleep business has changed a lot in recent years, in part because starting your own online bed-in-a-box company is really, really easy. Plus, as always, we’ll review the economic news of the seven days gone by on the Weekly Wrap.