May 25, 2023

Why don’t we know when the U.S. will run out of money?

Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

All the number crunching on government spending and revenue makes determining an exact date kinda fuzzy. Plus, more high school students are rethinking the value of a college degree.

Segments From this episode

Raising the Debt Ceiling

When will the U.S. run out of money? It’s tough to say.

by Justin Ho

May 25, 2023

Predicting the exact timing of a government default is difficult, given the amount of the variability in government spending and revenue.

Even Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen admitted it’s hard to be exactly sure when a default could happen.

Alex Wong/Getty Images

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Raising the Debt Ceiling

Where does the US credit rating come from?

by Kai Ryssdal and Andie Corban

May 25, 2023

Atsi Sheth from Moody's gives us a behind the scenes look into the company's ratings process.

"In the most basic terms, a credit rating is really an opinion on the credit quality of any entity that borrows on the debt capital markets," said Atsi Sheth at Moody's Investors Service.

Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty Images

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My Economy

Writers strike means this costume coordinator's job has to wrap, for now

by Sean McHenry

May 25, 2023

"It is eerily similar to a regular production wrap," says Kenya Morgan. "Only, as I coined it last week, this is the rehearsal wrap."

Kenya Morgan worked as a costume coordinator on "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever."

Christian Thompson/Disneyland Resort via Getty Images

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What does the decline in corporate profits say about the economy?

by Samantha Fields

May 25, 2023

Profits fell for the second quarter in a row, partly due to Fed rate hikes. Whether it’s a good thing depends on your role in the economy.

Profits are falling, but the stock market is "not freaked out," says Bruce Sacerdote of Dartmouth.

Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images

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The price of copper is an economic indicator, and right now, it's falling

by Lily Jamali

May 25, 2023

The problem? Too little demand, too much supply. Rising interest rates are also contributing to weaker demand around the world.

Over the past six weeks or so, the price of copper has fallen more than 10%, indicating a slowdown for the economy.

Denis Charlet/AFP via Getty Images

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COVID-19

After high school years interrupted by COVID, students calculate the cost of college differently

by Stephanie Hughes

May 25, 2023

This spring, there were 14.2 million undergraduates in the U.S., about 9% fewer than in spring 2019.

This spring, there were 9% fewer undergraduate students in the U.S. than there were in spring 2019.

Brandon Bell/Getty Images

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The team

Nancy Farghalli Executive Producer

Daisy Palacios Senior Producer

Maria Hollenhorst Producer

Sean McHenry Associate Producer

Andie Corban Associate Producer

Richard Cunningham Associate Producer

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