Marketplace All-in-One

From the BBC World Service: The U.S. House of Representatives votes through a bill banning all imports from China’s Xinjiang region over concerns about human rights abuses and the use of forced labour. Tens of thousands of farm birds have been culled across the UK due to rising levels of avian flu. A BBC investigation finds the U.K. and other European countries to be illegally dumping waste in Romania, and New Zealand looks to complete phase out smoking among its young people.

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One of the biggest supply chain stories of the pandemic is the shortage of semiconductors of all kinds. The vast majority of chips are made outside the U.S. Some lawmakers want the White House to invoke the Defense Production Act, which could force companies to prioritize what the government says it needs to ease the shortage. In the meantime, the White House is pushing for more funding to boost domestic chip production. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams speaks with the official leading that charge: Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. She is encouraging Congress to fund the CHIPS for America Act, which provides incentives for semiconductor manufacturing and research in the United States.

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It’s the holiday season, and Americans are focused on shopping. One listener wonders what consumer spending looks like after a year of supply chain issues. We’ll also answer your questions about inflation and what qualifies as “made in America” on our last Whaddya Wanna Know Wednesday of the year!

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

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If you’ve set foot inside any chain or big-box store in the past couple of months, odds are you’ve spotted an empty shelf or two. While it’s been difficult for lots of major retailers to get the products and supplies they’ve ordered, smaller businesses have found themselves nimble enough to fill those gaps. Today, we’ll hear from three small businesses about how they’ve been able to maneuver and flourish. Plus: the Great Resignation is still in full swing; COVID gives rise to a more lively freelance economy; and why inflation can benefit borrowers (complete with a history lesson).

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The U.S. is experiencing a serious shortage of truck drivers, and the effects are being seen through the eyes of people like Tra Williams, CEO of the truck driving school FleetForce based in Florida. We talked to Williams about the seriousness of the shortage and some possible solutions. Jeffery Cleveland steps in for our markets discussion as data from the JOLTS survey emerges.

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A recent survey has shown that many people leaving their jobs are doing so for mental health reasons. Visa is launching a new advisory service to help financial institutions navigate the digital currency world. This is on the same day crypto regulation is the focus of a Congressional hearing. The omicron variant, just like delta before it, has delayed the back-to-office plans of several large employers.

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From the BBC World Service: As Angela Merkel’s 16 years as German chancellor draw to a close, we hear what companies in Europe’s biggest economy want from the incoming coalition government. Plus, Britain wants America to lift tariffs on steel and aluminum exports. And, why does the world’s biggest vaccine maker in India have a large stockpile of COVID-19 shots?

There are lots of ways to make websites and apps more accessible for people with disabilities. Yet, when many people go online, features like sign-ups, check out forms and interactives simply don’t work with assistive technology. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams speaks with Joe Devon, the co-founder of Diamond, a digital design company that builds accessible websites. Diamond, for the last few years, has reviewed the top 100 websites (according to Alexa) to check how accessible they are. Devon says accessibility starts with the basics.

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We are approaching our second winter of the COVID-19 pandemic, and we have a lot more awareness about how our mental health affects our work and how we function in society.

In the spring of 2020, adults in the U.S. were three times as likely to suffer depression or anxiety as they were the year before. While getting treatment can be expensive, the costs of untreated mental illness are often higher.

“Untreated or undertreated mental health conditions related to increased absenteeism in the workplace, what they call presenteeism, which is being present, but lower productivity, and also higher turnover rates — business should be concerned about this because it does affect their bottom line,” said Judy Bass, associate professor in the department of mental health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Bass said that pre-pandemic, those costs were pegged at $2 billion annually.

On the show today, we’ll discuss the economic costs of mental illness and the benefits of investing more in mental health care.

In the News Fix, we highlight a new report that warns of an emerging mental health crisis among young people in America.

Then we’ll hear from a listener who makes us smart about the pronunciation of “omicron,” and YouTube’s CEO answers the “Make Me Smart” question.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7 at 1-800-237-8255.

In February, Glauber Contessoto invested his life savings in dogecoin, a cryptocurrency that started as a joke. But his gains are for real. He now owns more than $800,000 in dogecoin. Marketplace’s Matt Levin chats with Contessoto about the HODL — or “hold on for dear life” — mentality that keeps him and other investors in the crypto game despite incredible volatility. Also on today’s program: Why exports surged in October, what’s behind the battle for speedy grocery deliveries and the transition away from fossil fuels takes center stage at the World Petroleum Congress.

New Investors Week: Your first donation to Marketplace goes TWICE as far with a dollar-for-dollar match from the Investors Challenge Fund! Give Now!