Marketplace All-in-One

Apple shares are up 3.5% this morning in pre-market trading. That’s despite the chip shortage, which has hobbled a lot of other big companies, including automakers. The latest poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation details concerns American have about omicron, vaccination, and the economy. Global food prices are at their highest point in 10 years, and the BBC reports on how Asia is handling the impact.

From the BBC World Service: Economists see potential light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, as growth figures for the end of 2021 for much of Europe looked positive. But there were warnings that supply chain issues and tensions in Ukraine would remain concerns this year. Also today, the row over illegal strawberry farms draining water from one of Spain’s best loved national parks.

It’s been a particularly busy week for Google. Three state attorneys general, plus one from Washington, D.C., sued the tech giant, alleging it misled consumers about when they were being tracked. Google also announced this week it’s going to change the way it collects user data for advertising purposes. What’s been happening with the company this week is our focus for “Quality Assurance,” where we take a deeper look at a big tech story. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams speaks with Patience Haggin, who covers digital advertising and privacy for The Wall Street Journal.

Apple announced it had a great quarter, and GDP grew last year, too. But these numbers don’t tell the whole story. Gross domestic product has its limitations, and Kai talks about what he looks for when he wants to know how our economy is doing. Plus, our shells are feeling a little hollow following a grim reminder of the pandemic’s impact heading into year three. So to end the show, we’ve got a Make Me Smile that will hopefully make you dance!

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

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Spending and inflation? Up. GDP? Also up. Interest rates? Soon to be up. After the economic nosedive that was 2020 and the huge rebound of 2021, we dig into when the Federal Reserve’s tentative rate hike is likely to ripple out to the rest of the economy. We’ll also take a look at why it’s so hard to pass climate legislation in the U.S. and hear from a venture capital fund investing in Black-founded health startups.

That’s a real question that has emerged as more and more schools have either put college admissions tests on hold or have eliminated them altogether. Diane Swonk joins us for our markets discussion as data shows the economy bouncing back. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is going after the fees banks charge their customers, like overdraft fees for checking accounts and closing costs on mortgages.

Private insurers are required by the federal government to cover the cost of up to eight at-home rapid COVID tests per person per month, but the process of actually getting that reimbursement is a cumbersome one. The BBC reports on how the European Union is handling China’s strained business relationship with Lithuania. The Federal Reserve gave notice that rate hikes could be coming soon.

From the BBC World Service: The EU has accused China of “illegal” trade practices. The row was sparked when Lithuania allowed Taiwan to open a de facto embassy, angering Beijing, which sees Taiwan as part of its territory. Also, an Australia energy giant is the latest to quit Myanmar, and the troubling rise of food inflation in Asia.

There was a point last fall when school districts across the country were poised to finally fully return to in-person instruction. But as omicron cases surged among students and school staff, many of those plans had to change. Some districts decided to remain open, and, in others, teachers are bouncing between in-person and virtual instruction. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams has a story featuring several of these teachers. For some, virtual classes are an easier lift now compared to the start of the pandemic, but even as they struggled, some teachers have realized unexpected benefits of remote learning.

The Lunar New Year is next week, and one listener wonders whether the traditional break that Chinese workers take might help our supply chain struggles. Then, we’ll answer some of your questions about the Free Filing program from the IRS and explore the growing anti-work movement. And Marielle finally shares that cauliflower smoothie recipe!

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

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