Marketplace All-in-One

If the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, about half the states in the U.S. are expected to ban abortions entirely. It’s a human and political story, but it has economic implications too. Today, we’ll take a look at the companies moving to help their employees access abortion care and who those policies impact most. Plus, an in-depth conversation with U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai on tariffs, trade and globalization.

We have more about the leaked draft of a Supreme Court majority opinion that would allow states to outlaw abortion. Scholars and analysts have examined the possible economic effects of overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. One of them is Caitlin Knowles Myers, economics professor at Middlebury College, who joined others in submitting a briefing to the court with this data. She spoke with us this morning. Workers at an Amazon warehouse in New York City voted not to unionize, which is a step back for the newly formed Amazon Labor Union.

Poverty in New York City grew during the pandemic, and many of the government programs that helped many families endure through that period are coming to an end. We spoke with Rich Buery, CEO of nonprofit Robin Hood, about a new report that shows that even as much of NYC heads back to work for business as usual, the presence of poverty and multifaceted insecurity is still very strong. We have more details on the leaked draft majority opinion regarding where the Supreme Court could stand on Roe v. Wade. As we prepare for more data on job turnover, we look at wage increases for low-income workers.

From the BBC World Service: Energy giant BP took a $25.5-billion one-time charge for ending its Rosneft relationship, but high energy prices led to the biggest quarterly profit in more than a decade. Plus: Australia raises interest rates for the first time in 11 years as the cost of living bites into household budgets. And, a look at progress and pitfalls of China’s controversial Belt and Road Initiative.

Video games are more technologically sophisticated than ever these days — virtual reality headsets, augmented reality integration, and some of the most powerful and realistic graphics yet. At the end of the day, a good, innovative video game needs one important element. According to industry veteran Reggie Fils-Aimé, former President of Nintendo America, it’s simply to make the game good and fun. Fils-Aimé retired in 2019 but reflects on these ideas and his history of disrupting the gaming sector in his new autobiography, “Disrupting the Game: From the Bronx to the Top of Nintendo.” Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams spoke with him about where the innovation is happening in gaming right now. He says you just need to look at who’s creating those fun interactions.

In today’s show, we flag one economic benchmark investors are watching, then dive into some recent stories that highlight the unequal ways the U.S. grants immigrant and refugee status. Don’t forget, what happens at the border impacts our labor force. Speaking of work, employees nationwide are voting on unionization. Finally, a new study validates dog owners’ premonitions about their special pups and makes us smile.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

Have a question or comment about something you heard on the show? Email us at [email protected] or leave us a voice message at 508-827-6278, or 508-U-B-SMART.

Since Russia launched its war in Ukraine, the nation has been pummeled by sanctions, the freezing of assets and the exodus of multinational companies. Inflation is hitting ordinary Russians hard too. Now, with its role as Europe’s energy supplier in question, we do the numbers on Russia’s economy. (Hint: They aren’t pretty.) Plus, companies rethink their borrowing sprees amid rising interest rates and manufacturers look to set up shop in Mexico.

This week, the Federal Reserve is expected to raise interest rates to help tackle inflation. Thus far, mortgage rates have been responding to the Fed’s measures, which have risen to a decade-high level. We talk to Julia Coronado, founder and president of MacroPolicy Perspectives, for more on what this means for the economy and prospective homebuyers. Plus, workers at an Amazon warehouse in Staten Island, New York, voted to unionize last month, but Amazon has filed complaints in hopes over overturning the result. And, coin collecting is becoming a profitable venture thanks to social media.

More than half of Americans are facing financial hardship because of rising gas prices, according to a new Gallup survey. With the cost of other household goods like food also on the rise, some are saying spending more at the gas pump has become a huge source of stress. Also, the Federal Reserve meets this week to decide its next move in the fight against inflation, and it is expected to raise interest rates again. And, students of indigenous descent attending some public universities in California will soon be eligible for tuition assistance.

From the BBC World Service: EU energy ministers are this week discussing an embargo on Russian energy, but Germany’s economy minister says there’s not yet unanimity on a way forward. Meanwhile, India’s prime minister is on a diplomatic tour in Europe and the war in Ukraine is a central focus. Plus, how a $3 trillion cannabis industry left Jamaica’s smaller producers behind.