The Federal Reserve has a decision to make: cut interest rates to help the slackening job market and risk the progress it’s made in cooling inflation, or keep rates high — which could push unemployment up. In this episode, we’ll explain the eco

Fed to wait and see on inflation

12 hours ago 1m 5s

Markets hit new highs; Fed minutes show a wait and see approach to rate cuts; Labor market shows more signs of slowing; Skydance-Paramount deal back on.

Our GPS system is wearing down

12 hours ago 9m 9s

Much in our modern lives depends on GPS. But the United States’ GPS system is getting old and hasn’t kept up with international competition. We’ll get into how this leaves the U.S. vulnerable to national security threats. And, new data shows th

Lower travel costs mean we’ll be doing more of it this Fourth of July

18 hours ago 1m 5s

A record 71 million expected to travel during holiday period, AAA forecasts; continuing claims continue to climb; trade deficit widened in May; auto sales were sluggish in May.

Tractor Supply Company and America’s culture wars

19 hours ago 9m 48s

Tractor Supply Company — a farm, lawn and home improvement chain mainly in rural areas — recently announced it would abandon most of its diversity and climate advocacy goals. Now, the head of the National Black Farmers Association is calling fo

An AI boom means surging emissions

22 hours ago 8m 55s

Artificial intelligence requires an enormous amount of electricity. Google, with AI now added, says it increased its carbon emissions last year, despite a pledge to reach net-zero by 2030. So what are Google and other companies doing to address

It’s the last day of campaigning in the U.K. election

22 hours ago 7m 45s

From the BBC World Service: The United Kingdom goes to the polls in the general election tomorrow — and polling suggests the economy is the No. 1 issue with voters. We hear the key economic anxieties voters are voicing. Then, the Esports World

What do billboards say about a city?

23 hours ago 10m 34s

For the millions of residents and visitors who commute in and out of the areas daily, billboards in Silicon Valley and the Bay Area have long been a way to see where the state of tech is at the moment — and where it’s headed next.

Burning Questions: How can I eat for the planet (without getting stressed out)?

24 hours ago 15m 8s

Do I need to stop eating meat if I care about the planet? Does it really matter where I buy my food? How can I make climate-friendly food choices if I’m short on time? Amy chats with Melissa Nelson, professor of Indigenous sustainability at Ari

That snooze-fest jobs report is probably a good thing

1 day ago 26m 1s

Tuesday’s jobs report showed 200,000 more openings in May than the previous month — pretty yawn-worthy compared to the labor market roller coaster of the past few years. But don’t fret! All that boring data is actually a sign of stability. Also

The evolution of the American office

1 day ago 27m 14s

It’s been about four years since the great remote work experiment took off for many employees who work computer-bound jobs. After plenty of back and forth between return-to-office mandates and work-from-home advocates, neither side really won.

Fed guarded on rate cut

1 day ago 1m 5s

Markets hit new highs; Fed Chair says more cooling needed before rate cut; Google’s emissions grew 50% since 2019; FTC blocks mattress deal.

U.S. employers increased job openings

2 days ago 1m 5s

Job openings rose to 8.1 million; American Airlines pledges to buy hydrogen-electric engines; Redbox parent company files for bankruptcy protection; Google to require ID of political ads that use AI content.

Labor Department to propose first-ever heat protections for worker

2 days ago 8m 39s

More than 60 million Americans are facing a potentially record-breaking heat wave across the South and Western U.S. this week. Still, people will be showing up to work on farms, construction sites and other workplaces where extreme heat exposur

There’s a new economic indicator in town. And it’s powered by AI.

2 days ago 8m 30s

Standard economic indicators like the unemployment and inflation rates are backward-looking. Now, a new tool, the Zeta Economic Indicator, analyzes the economy in real time and utilizes artificial intelligence. We’ll hear more. Plus, regulators

Will Sri Lanka debt deal solve its economic woes?

2 days ago 10m 35s

From the BBC World Service: Sri Lanka’s President Ranil Wickremesinghe is presenting lawmakers with a deal made by creditors after the country’s 2022 financial crisis, but the government is facing criticism over the agreement. Also: Samsung wor

Creating a “joy spiral” to revive San Francisco’s downtown

2 days ago 11m 53s

Yesterday, we explained San Francisco’s fraught relationship with the tech industry. Tech workers weren’t always welcome in the eyes of many other residents, and when the COVID-19 pandemic began, a lot of them left, taking their dollars with th

A one-two punch for the power of federal agencies

2 days ago 20m 3s

A Supreme Court ruling today gives companies a dramatically wider window to challenge federal regulations with lawsuits. We’ll get into why this is particularly important in light of a separate decision to overturn the Chevron doctrine, and ho

A rigged version of Monopoly

2 days ago 27m 14s

Lawrence Brown created “Urban Cipher,” a Monopoly-like game, to illustrate the consequences of neighborhood redlining. We’ll join Baltimore city educators at a professional development session led by Brown and hear how redlining continues to af

SCOTUS skeptical on social media constraints

3 days ago 1m 5s

Markets up; SCOTUS asks lower courts to review Florida and Texas social media laws; Manufacturing contracts again; Roaring Kitty sued.

Property insurance companies are facing lower costs

3 days ago 1m 34s

Global reinsurance rates are declining, which could save home insurers money; Boeing to recombine with Spirit Aerosystems; California law to take effect in effort to track gun purchases; major banks hike dividends after passing Fed stress tests

Markets, economics and elections outside the United States

3 days ago 8m 20s

This morning, we’re talking economics and global politics. First, the far-right saw major wins in the first round of France’s elections. Then, high housing costs are weighing on the minds of voters in the United Kingdom, who head to the polls o

Is online content moderation a form of free speech?

3 days ago 8m 8s

Or does it hinder free speech? That’s the thorny issue the Supreme Court is expected to decide in just a few hours, as it releases its final rulings in what’s been another highly consequential term. We’ll hear more on a case challenging how soc

The far-right wins big in France’s elections

3 days ago 7m 35s

From the BBC World Service: Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party has pulled off a victory in the first round of elections in France and could turn French politics on its head. Then, with only three days to go before the United Kingdom

Is San Francisco in a “doom loop” or a “boom loop”?

3 days ago 13m 26s

Cities across the country are still trying to recover after the COVID-19 pandemic changed how and where many of us work, leaving big holes in downtown office districts. San Francisco, once teeming with tech workers, is no exception. But few cit