Marketplace All-in-One

One of our GOAT listeners called in with a question about cryptocurrency, and Ryan is psyched. Crypto is everywhere right now, but it can be kinda hard for kids (and grown-ups!) to know how it all works. We’ll head to the far reaches of the internet to learn about the promise and peril of crypto, and why any form of money only works if you believe it will … whoa.

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If you’re listening to this while driving, there’s a chance you’ve passed an automated license plate reader, or ALPR. Those are cameras mounted on police vehicles or streetlights that scan license plates and feed that information into databases. But with more surveillance comes larger questions about who should be using this technology and for what purpose. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams speaks with Rachel Levinson-Waldman, managing director of the Liberty & National Security program at the Brennan Center for Justice.

We probably don’t need to tell you groceries are more expensive lately. As the first shipment of grain leaves Ukraine since Russia invaded, we’ll take stock of the global factors driving costs at the store. Plus, how Taiwan became the center of semiconductor manufacturing and why oil companies aren’t drilling on those 9,000 new leases.

Julia Coronado joins us to discuss the markets, which reflected a short burst of positivity as July concluded. But, while corporations are feeling better about the economy’s future, lower-income consumers are not. Plus, the Biden administration has launched an online heat check in response to the summer’s extreme temperatures.

The trial over the proposed merger of two massive book publishing companies tells us something about how the Biden administration could enforce antitrust in the future. The head of the Pacific Institute clues us in about the role of business in the world’s water security situation.

From the BBC World Service: It’s hoped to be the first of many commercial sailings and is expected to arrive in Lebanon’s Tripoli Port in around six days. That’s because the Lebanese port of Beirut is largely not operating following a deadly explosion in 2020. Plus: China, South Korea, Taiwan and Japan have reported manufacturing slowdowns. And, previous success for Germany’s women’s soccer team hasn’t always translated into more support or money for the sport.

Apple has big ambitions for your car. The company recently unveiled the latest version of its automotive software, called Apple CarPlay. It’s what allows you to connect your phone with your car so you can hear route directions on the stereo and see your maps and music on the screen. The new version will let Apple’s operating system take over your entire dashboard, including the gas gauge and speedometer. Marketplace’s Matt Levin explains why this is a big deal for Apple and for carmakers.

The largest U.S. oil companies reported record revenue for the second quarter. We’re talking a LOT of money here, folks. Guest host Andy Uhler explains. Plus, why this month’s stock market rally means we might expect the Federal Reserve to “drop the hammer” this fall. And we’ve got a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Our hosts weigh in on robotic dead spiders, the CHIPS Act, Choco Tacos, Beyonce’s new album and office parties!

Here’s everything we talked about on the show today:

We’re off all next week, but we’d still love to hear from you! Send your questions, comments or thoughts on the show to us at [email protected] or leave us a voice message at (508) 827-6278 or (508) U-B-SMART.

Less than a year ago, the Supreme Court overturned a nationwide eviction moratorium. Now, with inflation at a multidecade high and rents rising, eviction filings have reached pre-pandemic levels. Today we explore the impact on the hardest-hit communities and the government’s role in addressing the crisis. Plus, Congress gets into the fight against inflation, and inflation enters salary negotiations.

The Federal Reserve’s preferred gauge for inflation went up 6.8% in the year that ended in June, reaching yet another 40-year high. It’s difficult to say, then, that we’ve hit peak inflation, and that’s stretching consumers even thinner, says Christopher Low, chief economist at FHN Financial. A look at what’s in the CHIPS Act, the semiconductor-boosting bill that’s expected to be signed into law soon. And we talked to APM Reports about their recent investigation into allegations against a popular COVID testing company.