Marketplace All-in-One

From the BBC World Service: Pascal Soriot, chief executive of the British-Swedish pharmaceutical giant, recently sat down with the BBC to talk about the decision to sell vaccines at-cost during the height of the pandemic, and the impact of COVID-19 on the business. Sri Lanka’s new prime minister says the country will need at least $5 billion over the next six months just to maintain basic functions. And British singer Kate Bush has made a global chart comeback, thanks to the Netflix show “Stranger Things.”

Tech companies make a lot of promises about the metaverse, specifically about how we’ll watch movies, hold work meetings, buy virtual real estate and more in these immersive online spaces. Meta — formerly Facebook — and others are investing heavily to create their own territory in the metaverse, which, we’d like to remind you, still doesn’t exist in a complete form. But companies are developing proto-metaverse platforms, and our own Kai Ryssdal, host of “Marketplace” and co-host of “Make Me Smart,” explored one of the more business-oriented spaces, fashioned by a company called Engage. He was guided by Michigan State University professor Rabindra “Robby” Ratan. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams spoke with Kai about his experience.

There’s a lot competing for our attention these days, from the Jan. 6 committee hearings that get underway this week to the aftermath of the massacre in Uvalde, Texas. On the show today, we discuss whether our ability to turn away from seeing horrific images and witnessing history has a price. Plus, the Elon Musk-Twitter saga continues.

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Let us know what you think about today’s show. Email us at [email protected] or call us at (508) 827-6278 or (508) U-B- SMART.

What’s worse than putting all that time and effort into a job interview, only to be lowballed by your prospective employer? In a tight job market, applicants and new state laws are demanding greater transparency around pay, but some employers are still cagey. Today, we look at how expectations for the interview process are changing. Plus, some companies lower their earnings forecasts, and Shanghai residents spin up DIY supply chains during COVID lockdowns.

What a difference two years makes for people graduating from college. A survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers found that employers plan to hire 32% more graduates from the class of 2022 than from the year before. We speak with one college president about what he’s seeing on his campus. And, China is reopening more after COVID-related lockdowns. That’s giving investors some optimism about inflation, with potential eases to the ongoing headache that is global supply chain frictions.

The good news is that a major baby formula manufacturing plant in Michigan is restarting production after being closed for months. That could help ease the shortage. But it’s going to take weeks for new product to hit the shelf. And the bad news is that the shortage has only gotten worse in recent weeks. Also, the U.S. considers lifting tariffs to flight inflation. And, half of NBA teams now have Black head coaches, including the Boston Celtics who are playing for a championship in the NBA Finals. But the league is still behind on equity when it comes to other hiring.

From the BBC World Service: In Singapore, Chinese tech giant Ant Group has launched a new digital wholesale bank called ANEXT. In Bangladesh, an explosion at a depot containing garments ready for export to Western retailers, has killed dozens of people. And, what’s thought to be the world’s biggest trial of a four-day work week starts today in the U.K.

Forecasters from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, predict yet another season of “above-normal” hurricane activity. To track and predict these storms, scientists rely on data from satellites, radar and planes. This year, on top of that technology, staff at NOAA will also be using a fleet of autonomous vehicles in the air and at sea to reveal new data about what happens during the worst of a storm. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams speaks with Jason Dunion, NOAA’s hurricane field program director.

Move over, NRA. There’s a new gun rights group that’s spending more money on lobbying Congress. On the show today, we’re talking about the National Shooting Sports Foundation and its surprising connection to Kimberly’s neighborhood bar. Plus, more crypto scams, and a Texas teen wins the national spelling bee. C-o-n-g-r-a-t-u-l-a-t-i-o-n-s-!

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When you’re done listening to the show, tell us what’s on your mind. Send us an email at [email protected] or leave us a voice message at (508) 827-6278 or (508) U-B-SMART.

More people are working, but labor force participation is still trailing pre-pandemic levels. Meanwhile, wages are up, but inflation is still eating up gains. On today’s program, we’ll look at what’s going on in an economy that’s simultaneously cooling down and  still recovering. Plus, a bump in applications to historically Black colleges, and a train line fit for a queen.