Today we’ll preview a story we think we’ll be talking about more soon, including on next week’s evening broadcast at “Marketplace.” There’s been increasing tumult in multiple commodity markets since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The markets for wheat, oil and various metals are being stretched to their limits as officials try to navigate both the war and prolonged supply chain issues. For Economics on Tap, our hosts discuss why getting things under control won’t be an easy fix. Then, the government is running out of the funding it uses to cover COVID costs, including tests, vaccines and treatments — the tools we need to bring life back to normal. And we’ll highlight another example of our totally skewed housing market and its implications. It’s a heavy news day, but we’ll finish things off with a round of Half Full/Half Empty!

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Since the beginning of the year, lawmakers in over 20 states have proposed bills limiting access to abortion pills by mail. The Food and Drug Administration had, in December, nixed a rule requiring that patients pick up their pills in person. There’s also an update on the continued detention of basketball star Brittney Griner in Russia and an insider look at how the Senate’s daylight saving time vote came to pass. After we wrap up the news, our hosts share a couple of technological marvels as Make Me Smiles!

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Corporate consolidation has been getting a lot of attention lately. But it isn’t a new phenomenon. It’s been on the rise since the ’80s, and it’s led to just a handful of companies controlling entire industries and fewer companies out there to deliver goods and services.

“One really good example would be health care — this is a pretty concentrated sector in the U.S. economy,” said Kate Bahn, director of labor market policy and chief economist at the Washington Center for Equitable Growth. “[Consolidation] is when there’s hospital mergers … maybe one big management company overarching a whole sort of sector in one location.”

But it means a lot more than companies just getting bigger. Corporate consolidation has a big impact on the way our economy is shaped.

On today’s show: How corporate consolidation influences wages and consumer prices — and why it calls into question the success of capitalism.

In the News Fix, we’ll discuss how a spike in global food prices could trigger unrest around the world and the fate of Sarah Bloom Raskin’s nomination to the Federal Reserve board. (We taped today’s episode before she withdrew her nomination.)

Also, listeners celebrate Kimberly’s official spot in the host chair and a debate over who is more introverted!

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With everything else going on in the world, it can start to feel like the pandemic is pretty much over. But for What’d We Miss Monday, our hosts highlight new data that suggests COVID-19 could be back on the rise. We’ll have more on that, plus what kind of an announcement we can expect from the Federal Reserve this week. There are also updates on NASA’s latest mission, how the battle over the 2020 election altered local election offices around the country, and what we can learn from key moments throughout the pandemic. Finally, we’ll share a couple of Make Me Smiles from our audience to brighten up the day!

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Kimberly Adams is officially a co-host, and it’s only right we pour a glass and celebrate with some Economics on Tap! First, we discuss businesses joining the political battle against anti-LGBTQ moves in Florida and Texas. But is it too little too late? Then, Stoli Vodka sets the record straight. And, it wouldn’t be Friday if we didn’t end the show with a round of Half Full/Half Empty!

This week, we’ve got a special edition of the Make Me Smart question: What is something you thought you knew that you later found out you were wrong about regarding the pandemic? Send your answers or anything else on that’s on your mind at [email protected]! Or leave us a voicemail at 508-UB-SMART (508-827-6278)!

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There’s a lot of news to cover today, so pull up a seat. We’ll talk about some of the recent state legislation in Florida and Texas targeting LGBTQ families and the European Union’s plan to end its reliance on Russian gas. Also, inflation is coming for your bag of chips, but not the way you might think. And dear listener, make sure you listen to today’s Make Me Smile for a big announcement we’re excited to share!

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Today we’re answering questions that get at those knock-on economic effects of Russia’s war with Ukraine we’ve been talking about recently on the show. One listener wonders about gas tax revenue. Another wants to know: What is an oligarch, and why should I care? We’ll tell you that, plus dig into some specifics about the bond market and provide clarification about Fed chief Jay Powell’s magic keyboard.

If you’ve got a question you want us to answer next time, send a voice memo or give us a call at 508-82-SMART (508-827-6278).

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There are no winners in the war in Ukraine. Civilian casualties are mounting as Ukrainians resist Russian invaders. But on social media, things are playing out differently. Laura Edelson, a misinformation researcher and co-director of the Cybersecurity for Democracy project at NYU, says Ukraine is winning the information war. On today’s show, she makes us smart on why that is, where platforms have fallen short in protecting users and what regular folks can do to protect themselves instead. Plus: rising gas prices, eggcorns and a festive answer to the Make Me Smart question.

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It’s Monday, and we’re getting caught up on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, COVID-19 here at home and more. As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine reaches its second week, political pressure is mounting in the United States to stop the purchase of Russian oil. Another Russia-related story about a WNBA player detained in that country highlights pay disparities in the U.S. Plus, another round of COVID tests are available for home delivery, and a White House report on how consolidation has affected wages. Finally, before we let you go, we’ve got a Make Me Smile that’s simply eel-ectric!

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It’s the end of the week, and we’re settling in for Economics on Tap! We’ll close the loop on some questions we raised earlier about the Federal Reserve and swap lines and explore a story on a group of hospitals teaming up to bring affordable insulin to patients. And of course, a round of the game we’re all here for — Half Full/Half Empty! Our hosts offer their thoughts on the State of the Union speech, dynamic pricing for “The Batman,” Hollywood’s silver screen obsession with Uber and Theranos, and a “Reading Rainbow” reboot!

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