Feb 16, 2022

Your word of the day: “boomflation”

With inflation on the rise and a boom in demand, the Federal Reserve may move faster to increase interest rates.

Segments From this episode

Forget stagflation. Retail sales point to a "boomflation" economy.

by Lily Jamali

Feb 16, 2022

The monthly gauge rose 3.8%, showing that Americans are eager to shop despite inflation. It could further push the Fed to hike rates.

People are eager to shop, despite inflation and gloomy views of the economy.

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

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Americans are buying a whole lot of furniture

by Matt Levin

Feb 16, 2022

Home furnishing sales went up 7.2% month over month in January, but why are people buying so much furniture?

Furniture sales climbed in January as people made themselves more comfortable at home.

Getty Images

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As U.S. and China bicker over flights, the market "is dead"

by Sabri Ben-Achour

Feb 16, 2022

The two countries canceled 44 flights, tit-for-tat style, in January. But few people are flying between the U.S. and China anyway.

China canceled 44 flights — including from Delta, United and American — from the U.S. in January. In response, the U.S. canceled 44 flights from Chinese carriers.

Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images

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Iowa concert venue operator persisted through pandemic with help of SBA and other allies

by Kai Ryssdal and Richard Cunningham

Feb 16, 2022

Tobi Parks' xBk was open only six months before the pandemic hit. A federal grant helped it weather COVID.

"I never considered shutting it down," said Tobi Parks of xBk. "And, you know, I was always confident and had the support of .... the team of allies."

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

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Workers are hanging up business casual for business comfort, Stitch Fix CEO says

by Kai Ryssdal and Daisy Palacios

Feb 16, 2022

"We hear about two-thirds of our consumers saying they're ready to swap out clothes," Elizabeth Spaulding says.

"I definitely was wearing sweatpants and leggings," Elizabeth Spaulding says of working from home. She stepped into the role of Stitch Fix CEO in August.

Courtesy Stitch Fix

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More states are requiring high schoolers to complete financial aid application

by Stephanie Hughes

Feb 16, 2022

Applications for federal aid for college have decreased, so schools and states are looking at ways to get more grants into students' hands.

In states that require high school students to fill out the FAFSA, the number of students applying for financial aid has gone up.

Tero Vesalainen/Getty Images

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Music from the episode

Dirty Sneakers - Instrumental Substantial

6000 Ft. Bonobo, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs

Music Save Me (One More Time) Mocky

Pyramid Blue Richard Houghten

Shaka Bundu Penny Penny

Be Good 2 Me LUXXURY

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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