Marketplace All-in-One

Workers at Raven Software, a subsidiary of Activision Blizzard (the makers of “Call of Duty”), have voted to unionize. This is the first union at a major gaming company, and it raises questions as to whether it is a sign of things to come as unionization efforts have sprung up at huge companies in other industries. President Biden is scheduled to meet with Fed chair Jerome Powell to discuss inflation, as well as economic conditions here and abroad. We look into why mortgage rates have been dropping.

There’s at least one natural resource out there that’s completely finite on Earth: helium. And once we use it up, it’s gone for good. The lighter-than-air gas is in especially short supply right now, thanks to the closure of a major domestic processing facility and disruptions at a couple of plants overseas. That’s not just a problem for birthday balloons — a number of industries compete for the limited supply of helium: health care, manufacturing, the tech sector and scientific research. But those researchers are often at the back of the helium line.

Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer — and summer travel. Today we take a dive into the financial dimension of the holiday. Gas for road trips? The price is up. Beef and propane for grilling? Also up. Still, that doesn’t mean pandemic-weary Americans are shying away from spending. Also on the program today: New, diverse leadership is changing the landscape of American theater, and recycling electronics proves a lucrative trade.

The job market remains very active, with employers looking for workers in an economy that has seen hundreds of thousands of job gains every month. Companies are making a more conscientious effort to hire people who have criminal records, a group which has been long overlooked. Marketplace senior economics contributor Chris Farrell helps us break down the data behind “second-chance hiring.” We take a look at the possible effects of the euro, which is moving toward parity with the U.S. dollar. And, with holiday weekends come holiday travel – and flight cancellations.

As we digest the travel figures over the holiday weekend in the face of high gas prices, the idea of going electric could look better and better. However, taking a road trip in an electric vehicle comes with its share of challenges, one of them being the availability of charging stations. Sticking with clean energy, we speak to Rice University professor Daniel Cohan, who argues in his new book that any significant movement toward clean power requires a three-pronged approach.

From the BBC World Service: European leaders are struggling to find agreement on just what a ban on Russian oil might look like, as they try to ratchet up the pressure on Moscow. Also, far-left success in Colombia’s elections, and the struggles for young people in South Africa desperately searching for work.

When looking for new music, it’s easy to let a streaming service’s algorithm recommend songs similar to music you already like. Those types of algorithms are the focus of new book from NBC News tech Correspondent Jacob Ward. In today’s show, Ward argues that those algorithms may have us in a feedback loop that dulls our critical thinking.

At the end of a long week, it’s Friday. We talk about what changed then-President Donald Trump’s mind following his call for gun control after a shooter killed 23 people at an El Paso, Texas, Walmart. Plus, baseball teams use their social media platforms to speak out about gun violence. Before we go, our hosts ponder sharks, farmyard pets and more in a game of This or That.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

Tell us what you think about today’s show. Email us at [email protected] or leave us a voice message at 508-827-6278, or 508-U-B-SMART.

We got a lot of data today about how people are spending money in this country. The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation measure slowed in April and spending rose. But as consumers stretch their dollars, they’re changing brands and dipping into savings. Today, we’ll examine how inflation is shaping the shopping experience. We’ll also look at trade complications in a post-Brexit Europe and the rising costs of hurricane season.

Has inflation possibly started to peak? The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge slowed to a 0.2% increase last month, which is far less than in March. Helping us to decipher the meaning and discuss more markets-wise is Christopher Low of FHN Financial. The Memorial Day weekend traditionally kicks off the summer driving season, and high gas prices are not expected to slow drivers. We look into how a part of Biden’s infrastructure plan targets the replacement of lead pipes, which entered the national spotlight during the Flint, Michigan water crisis.

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