Marketplace

Productivity fell 7.5% in the first quarter, the steepest drop since 1947. On today’s show, we’ll look at what that tells us about the economy as a whole. Plus, the future of medication abortion if Roe v.   More

The Federal Reserve announced a half-percentage-point interest rate hike today. It’s also shrinking its balance sheet in an effort to tame inflation. But supply chain hiccups, inflationary expectations and a potential wage-price spiral complicate the central bank’s job.   More

If the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, about half the states in the U.S. are expected to ban abortions entirely. It’s a human and political story, but it has economic implications too.   More

Since Russia launched its war in Ukraine, the nation has been pummeled by sanctions, the freezing of assets and the exodus of multinational companies. Inflation is hitting ordinary Russians hard too.   More

Exxon Mobil reported quarterly profits of $5.5 billion today, riding the wave of high oil prices prompted by the war in Ukraine, among other factors. The company, a leader in a shareholder-friendly industry, plans to use many of its billions on stock buybacks.   More

U.S. gross domestic product shrank by 1.4% last quarter, but just because the economy’s shrinking doesn’t mean it’s hurting. Today we dive into two big factors — slowed inventory growth and a surge in imports — sinking that calculation.   More

We’ve talked about the Federal Reserve’s tricky balancing act: raise interest rates enough to quell inflation without spurring a recession. That’s often called a “soft landing.” Thing is, it’s hard to do.   More

Home prices? Up. Mortgage rates? Also up. Demand for mortgages? Not so much. Today, we check in with a Los Angeles-based mortgage broker for a deep dive into the cooling of the housing market.   More

Mere days after announcing he wanted to purchase the social network, Elon Musk has reached a deal with Twitter ⁠— a $44 billion buyout. Musk, the world’s wealthiest man, wants to take the company private and change how it moderates content.   More

French voters hit the polls Sunday to decide between incumbent President Emmanuel Macron and hard-right rival Marine Le Pen — known for her pro-Russia, anti-NATO and anti-European Union sentiments. Though Macron leads in the polls, Le Pen has working-class appeal.   More

Two years ago, 4.2 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits. Last week, that number was 184,000. Nowadays, job seekers can be picky while employers bend over backward to attract and retain workers.   More

Homeowners associations aren’t just making rules about lawn ornaments and holiday decorations. HOAs are increasingly leveraging their authority to restrict investors from buying up houses to rent. Today, we’ll dive into what that means for wannabe buyers and renters.   More

The International Monetary Fund slashed its prediction for global economic growth in 2022. Some big reasons: the war in Ukraine, fallout from sanctions on Russia, and the pandemic. Those factors are complicating the jobs of economic forecasters everywhere.   More

China’s strict zero-COVID-19 policy has left workers stuck at home and goods stuck at docks or warehouses. When those measures are lifted, a tidal wave of consumer goods could flood back into American ports, and the burdened supply chain could become congested yet again.   More

Elon Musk has a 9% stake in Twitter and offered to buy the company Thursday. Now, Twitter has countered by activating a “poison pill,” a move that gives other shareholders the opportunity to buy more shares and dilute Musk’s power.   More

The pandemic sidelined millions of working women. Now, women — who often earn less than their male counterparts, yet spend more for similar products — are feeling the sting of inflation more acutely too.   More

There’s a monetary policy principle that says for every percentage point of inflation,  interest rates should rise a percentage point or more. But could rates north of 8% actually be in the cards for the Federal Reserve?   More

… and not a drop of relief, at least for a while. Inflation clocked in at 8.5% year over year in March, but the economic cooling effects of the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes could take a year or more.   More

According to Standard & Poor’s, Russia is in “selective default,” or default on specific debt payments. The country has plenty of money, but Western sanctions could make it unable to pay.   More

Prices were already on the rise before the war in Ukraine, but the United Nations finds that global food prices have reached an all-time high. Now, people in developing countries, who spend proportionately more on food, are at increased risk of hunger as their governments seek alternative suppliers.   More