Sep 23, 2021

The Fed is cautiously optimistic on recovery

People walk past the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and a statue of George Washington at Wall Street on March 23, 2021 in New York City. Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

Also: Exhaustion from teaching during COVID, checking in on the Afghan banking sector and a wave of home-schooled kindergarteners.

Segments From this episode

Fed's optimism about economy is balanced by delta variant and slow job growth

by Mitchell Hartman

Sep 23, 2021

But the Federal Reserve's biggest worry may be Congress opting not to raise the debt ceiling and the U.S. defaulting.

A closed retail store on a Manhattan street in July 2019. Though economists are tentatively optimistic, threats of supply chain problems, labor shortages, COVID-19 and inflation still remain.

Spencer Platt via Getty Images

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With a road map to higher interest rates, the Fed starts with baby steps

by Kimberly Adams

Sep 23, 2021

The U.S. economy will need to keep improving in order for rates to go up.

The Federal Reserve building is seen on March 2021 in Washington, D.C. The Fed's tapering of bond-buying and upping of interest rates is likely to be a slow, gradual process.

Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images

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How Afghanistan's money exchangers "grease the economy"

by Kai Ryssdal

Sep 23, 2021

The informal network of exchangers are making money available in ways banks can't, says Cambridge research fellow Nafay Choudhury.

“Given the instability in the country, money exchangers are going to become very important, again, in playing an important role to meet financial needs,” says Nafay Choudhury, research fellow at the University of Cambridge.

Javed Tanveer/AFP via Getty Images

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Evergrande crisis hits China's investors, homebuyers

by Jennifer Pak

Sep 23, 2021

The Chinese property giant Evergrande was known as a risky business operator, but for years investors didn't seem to care — until now.

Evergrande could manage its debt while real estate values climbed, but in many places sales have weakened and regulators have made it harder for developers to borrow.

Charles Zhang/Marketplace

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NYC passes new protections for delivery app workers

by Kristin Schwab

Sep 23, 2021

DoorDash opposed the measures, which set standards for delivery distances and minimum payments per order.

Men on food delivery bikes are seen in Brooklyn in March 2020. New York City passed legislation aimed at protecting app-based food delivery workers on Thursday.

Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

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Public schools see fewer enrolled kindergartners. Where'd they go?

by Caroline Champlin

Sep 23, 2021

Kindergarten enrollment declined by 10% in Michigan public schools last year, according to a new study. It's not only happening there.

There's been an uptick in kindergarteners taken out of public schools over the past year.

Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

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COVID-19

The "organizational nightmare" of managing a classroom this year

by Kai Ryssdal and Maria Hollenhorst

Sep 23, 2021

According to high school art teacher Megan Anzalone, the number of students quarantining this year makes her job more challenging.

Teaching this year has been “a bit of an organizational nightmare for everybody from the administration all the way down to the kids,” said high school art teacher Megan Anzalone.

Christof Stache/AFP via Getty Images

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Music from the episode

Change DJ Premier

Kiara Bonobo

6000 Ft. Bonobo, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs

I'd Rather Be with You Bootsy Collins

Komorebi Craft Spells

Habits (Stay High) Tove Lo

The team

Nancy Farghalli Executive Producer

Maria Hollenhorst Producer II

Sean McHenry Director & Associate Producer II

Richard Cunningham Associate Producer I

Dylan Miettinen Associate Digital Producer

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