Marketplace All-in-One

Nearly two-thirds of Americans say they’re living paycheck to paycheck, including a third of people making $250,000 a year, according to a new survey out from Pymnts.com and LendingClub Corp. We take a peek behind some of the data. Ray Dalio, founder and co-chief investment officer of Bridgewater Associates, joined us to discuss how the U.S. is entering a period of “stagflation” in one part of an extensive interview. The massive fire in New Mexico actually started out as a series of prescribed burns. The loss of control could have ripple effects on the practice.

From the BBC World Service: The group of major oil producing nations, including the likes of Saudi Arabia, agreed to cautiously increase production. They didn’t, however, throw oil out of the group, and oil markets today seem little moved by the news. We ask why. Also, as Jubilee celebrations continue in Britain – we’ll take you out to the world of cake, bunting and fizz at the U.K.’s street parties.

This week, Meta Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg announced she will leave the company after 14 years in leadership. Sandberg joined Facebook, Meta’s parent, in the early years of the company, and she’s credited with helping to build it into the behemoth it is today by converting consumer data into ad revenue. So, what does her exit mean for Meta and its trajectory? Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams discussed that topic with Cecilia Kang, a tech policy reporter for The New York Times and co-author of the book “An Ugly Truth: Inside Facebook’s Battle for Domination.”

We’re not huge celebrity news watchers, but we just couldn’t avoid the coverage of the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard defamation trial. This week, a jury sided with Depp and awarded him $15 million in damages. Today, we’ll unpack how the case played out on social media platforms and what it could mean for the future of the #MeToo movement. Plus, the baby formula shortage is still really bad. And Ukraine might be headed to the World Cup. Gooooal!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

What cultural norms have you become smart about? Email us [email protected] or call us at 508-827-6278 or 508-U-B-SMART.

We’ve talked a lot about the impact of rising interest rates recently, but the Fed has other tools to fulfill its dual mandate. Today, we’ll look at why the central bank owns mortgage bonds in the first place, and what it hopes to achieve by reducing its stockpile. Plus, the winners and losers of the OPEC+ meeting and what happens when you become your parent’s retirement plan.

Growing up, Chris was bullied. He was always the heaviest kid in the class, and his peers relentlessly made fun of him and his body. But Chris had a secret — something he wanted to do with his body that he never told a soul. This week, he revisits what it took for him to finally answer his secret calling.

If you like this episode, share it with a friend. And to get even more Uncomfortable, subscribe to our newsletter. Each Friday, you’ll get a note from Reema and some recs from the Uncomfortable team. If you missed it, here’s the latest issue.

The group of oil producing nations known as OPEC+ have reportedly agreed to supply more oil to the global market than previously expected. This would be to make up for at least some of the Russian oil embargoed by Western sanctions. There are hints that the record labor shortage could be starting to let up. We check in with the BBC’s Victoria Craig as Britain enters its four-day celebration of Queen Elizabeth II and her 70th year on the throne.

A quarter of Americans said they will need to delay retirement because of rising costs, according to a new survey from BMO Harris Bank and Ipsos. Also, in such a volatile market, people are saving much less. There’s been a surge in demand for robot assistance from businesses. For today’s Economic Pulse, we explore the concept of a central digital bank currency for the Fed, and why it might not be a good thing.

From the BBC World Service: Britain begins four days of celebrations to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s 70th year on the throne. Hospitality industry bodies believe $2.5 billion will be spent over the jubilee weekend, but we hear why that might not be quite be the economic boost you’d expect. And just what is a royal warrant – and why do companies big and small want one?

Workers at game developer Activision Blizzard have voted to unionize. That’s the company behind games like Call of Duty, World of Warcraft and Candy Crush, and which has faced lawsuits and federal investigation for accusations of discrimination and sexual harassment. The new union, The Game Workers Alliance, comprises fewer than two dozen employees in one division of Raven Software, a subsidiary of Activision. But it’s the first union at a major company in the $180 billion gaming industry and could be a sign of things to come. Marketplace’s Marielle Segarra has the story.