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Marketplace

Marketplace Business News Podcast
Kai Ryssdal
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05/10/2018: Doing the numbers on the Hermit Kingdom

May 10, 2018

Episodes 2241 - 2250 of 5795

  • The news coming out of Facebook this week is maybe a bit friendlier than it has been: The company announced some leadership shuffles yesterday, along with a new department focused on blockchain technology. We’ll kick off today’s show with everything you need to know. Plus, we’re still talking all things trade, exploring the effects of new Iranian sanctions and a new bill to give companies a break on tariffs on imported goods. Then: Would you subscribe to a car the way you would subscribe to Netflix? Some brands are offering monthly payments that cover the car, insurance and maintenance.

  • Iran agreed to a slew of limits on its nuclear program three years ago in exchange for lifting decades of international sanctions from the United States and five other countries. The year after the deal went into place, Iran’s real GDP grew by 12.5 percent. Growth has certainly fallen off since then, and there were protests in Iran this winter over economic inequality. Now that President Donald Trump has withdrawn from the deal and threatened new sanctions, what happens to U.S. companies doing business there? And businesses of other countries in the deal? That’s where we’re starting today. Then, we’ll examine the story of New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who positioned himself as an ally of #MeToo before stepping down today amid allegations of abuse. Plus, the Parkland shooting has renewed demand for a whole range of products and services to make schools safer from gun violence. We’ll take a look at that market.

  • Or maybe it’s a grande deal? Whatever. It’s a very big deal. The Swiss food brand is paying more than $7 billion for the rights to distribute Starbucks coffee. We’ll talk about what Nestle does (or doesn’t) get for its money. Probably it means no one will write “Nestly” on their cups again. Then: Tomorrow is the first big primary day for elections in the country and a preview of what may come in November’s midterms. A lot of the people running this year are political newcomers from the science community. They worry that the people in power now are discounting science when they make policy, but they’re learning that running a lab and running a campaign are two very different things. Plus: Why fast food restaurants like McDonald’s, KFC and Taco Bell are experimenting with modern architecture and comfy furniture in their stores.

  • The labor market, to be specific. It’s been out of whack for a while, and this morning’s jobs report only got stranger. Last month saw 3.9 percent unemployment, the lowest in 18 years. Finding a job is pretty easy, but wages still aren’t rising. What’s changed since 2000? That’s where we’ll start today. Then: Obamacare is still the law of the land, minus the individual mandate, which Republicans removed as part of the new tax plan. As a result, premiums are going up again. Plus: How’d things go with this week’s China trade talks? And why is the New York Times’ food critic going after ice cream sundaes? Two equally important questions we’ll answer today.

  • We’ve been talking a lot about the countries and companies that have asked for exemptions from President Donald Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs. But remember, the whole point of these things is to help out America’s steel and aluminum industries. So we’ll start today’s show looking at the pro-tariff crowd before chatting with a few of the thousands of companies looking for exemptions. Then: Tesla’s earnings call yesterday was feisty as Elon Musk’s electric car company beat expectations while posting a record loss. We’ll look at the challenges Musk is facing as he makes the turn from luxury to the mass market. Plus: Conventional wisdom says most millennials just can’t buy houses anymore. We’ll talk to a few who did and see how they were able to swing it.

  • 05/02/2018: 2 percent inflation euphoria
    JASON LEE/AFP/Getty Images

    Today, the Federal Open Market Committee chose not to raise interest rates, but it did have other news: Inflation has reached the Fed benchmark of 2 percent. How tolerant of inflation is the Fed going to be? That depends on whether the economy is experiencing good or bad inflation. We look at the difference between the two. Meanwhile, a U.S. delegation led by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin are on the ground in Beijing, resting up before their tariff meetings tomorrow. Most American companies doing business in China are making money, so they might want different things from the talks than the negotiators do. Marketplace China Correspondent Jennifer Pak breaks it down for us. Speaking of tariffs, American companies submitted over 3,500 applications for exemptions. We dig into what some of these companies are doing to try and increase their chances.

  • Ahead of a midnight deadline last night, the White House gave a slew of countries exemptions from steel and aluminum tariffs lasting a month or longer. South Korea has already scored itself a permanent pass by agreeing to restrict its steel and aluminum exports to the United States. That’s the deal the Trump administration is offering Europe and its NAFTA partners, too: If you don’t want tariffs, then agree to a quota. Thing is, there’s a pretty big economic difference between the two. We’ll explain, then examine the reaction to this policy from a number of trading partners. Plus, a look at Canada’s skills-based immigration policy, which Trump has said he admires, and its unintended side effects.

  • The big corporate story du jour is T-Mobile and Sprint, but we’re going to focus on something specific the two wireless companies said when they announced a proposed merger: that the combined company would be able to move faster on fifth-generation wireless technology than anyone else — specifically the Chinese. Will that help win over government regulators? We’ll talk about. Then, ahead of Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin’s trip to Beijing, we’ll talk about China’s bid for tech domination by 2025. Plus: President Donald Trump has until midnight tonight to make up his mind on a whole bunch of temporary tariff exemptions. We’ll look at the state of play so far. 

  • 04/27/2018: Is vaping *too* cool?
    Jack Taylor/Getty Images

    The e-cigarette manufacturer Juul started off aiming its product at adult smokers looking to quit, but now the brightly-colored, fruit-flavored refill cartridges have caught on with teens, and the FDA is stepping in. We’ll talk about it. Plus: the view from Dallas on NFL Draft Day, and the Avengers’ infinite sponsorships. Plus, everything’s looking up at Amazon: profits — and the cost of a prime membership.

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About the show

Hosted by Kai Ryssdal, our leading business news radio program and podcast is about providing context on the economic news of the day. Through stories, conversations and newsworthy developments, we help listeners understand the economic world around them. Marketplace makes sense of the economy for everyone, no econ degree or finance background required. Marketplace doesn’t just report on the numbers, we take it deeper, adding context to what’s happening in the stock market and how macroeconomic policy can affect you and your business. Monday through Friday, our team speaks with a wide range of industry professionals — from small business owners to Fortune 500 CEOs, Marketplace breaks down complex topics related to business and the economy without industry jargon and over-complicated explanations.

Kai Ryssdal has led the program since 2005 and has hosted the program from China, the Middle East and dozens of cities across the United States. As a leading public media voice, Kai has been a trusted broadcaster for two decades and received an Emmy for investigative journalism on a PBS FRONTLINE documentary about money in politics called “Big Sky, Big Money.” He has appeared often on CNN, CNBC and CBS news. His written work has been featured in The New York Times and The Atlantic.

Produced and distributed by American Public Media (APM) our popular business news podcasts are available worldwide on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and RSS Feeds and any place else where you get your podcasts.

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