Over the last two years, stock prices of a few huge American tech firms have soared, now accounting for over a third of the value of the S&P 500.

2024 has been a year of strong stock growth, but uncertainty about interest rates and Trump administration policies makes the picture murkier for the year ahead.

But it comes with strings attached.

The S&P 500 gained 8.5%, the Dow is up 7.5% and the Nasdaq is up 11% for the quarter.

In 2019, some of the country’s most powerful business leaders promised to redefine what it means to be a corporation. Then the pandemic hit.

“It’s not as simple as it might seem,” said Andrea Eisfeldt of UCLA.

The companies that still donate are also becoming more transparent.

We explain what that means.

Our listener asks which economic statistics are the best predictors of future economic performance.

Fat with cash, companies are driving up their share prices.