Marketplace All-in-One

The latest report from the Logistics Managers Index shows that for the month of November, the cost of shipping freight has spiked. We look into the factors behind that rise. Susan Schmidt of Aviva Investors discusses the markets’ reaction to omicron as well as China’s support of the economy, with tech stocks also looking solid. Stephan Richter, editor and publisher of The Globalist, talks about the host of economic challenges that await Germany’s new chancellor.

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

From the BBC World Service: With thousands of Russian troops believed to have gathered near Ukraine’s borders, what could further U.S. sanctions against Russia look like? Plus, why dozens of Rohingya refugees in the United States and the U.K. are suing Facebook for $150 billion. And, after the boss of better.com fired 900 employees on a video call, are there better ways to announce layoffs or restructuring?

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

The Treasury Department is planning more oversight of all-cash real estate deals in an attempt to target money laundering, and it wants public input on it. It’s part of President Biden’s overall plan to fight corruption. In keeping with the theme of government oversight, we talk to the University of Michigan’s Erik Gordon about the federal scrutiny following the Trump social media deal.

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

It’s the holiday shopping season, as if you needed to be reminded of that little stress bomb. If you need ideas for what to get the kids in your life, you can probably figure it out based on what they like to watch. Maybe they’re into “The Mandalorian” or the “He-Man” reboot. Maybe they just want to watch the same episode of “PAW Patrol” over and over and over again. Marketplace’s Jed Kim speaks with Madeleine Buckley, who covers the industry for The Toy Book, and she says it’s true that TV has always been fodder for selling toys to kids, but with streaming platforms shifting how we watch, the toy business model keeps evolving.

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

On the show today, Marielle Segarra joins the pod from New York to discuss a few NYC-centric stories. First, the mayor there, Bill de Blasio, announced a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all private-sector employees following the emergence of the omicron variant. Plus, bagel lovers are going bananas over a cream cheese shortage. Then, Plowy McPlowface? Jennifer Snowpez? Kids got creative naming snowplows, and it’s making us smile.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

Also, it’s Investors Week! If you haven’t donated to Marketplace’s “Make Me Smart” before, we’re offering a dollar-for-dollar match to all new and rejoining investors. If you’re in a position to give, please consider making a donation here. And, as always, thank you for listening and supporting the show.

If the U.S. economy had a Facebook profile, its relationship status with jobs would be set to … well … “It’s complicated.” The Bureau of Labor Statistics released a muddled job report last week, with a little over 200,000 jobs added to the economy. Data from other sources also shows a tumultuous recovery: Wages are up, though they’re not keeping up with inflation; upper-income professionals feel strong job security, but the service sector tells a different story. We’ll also hear how restaurants are prepping for a winter with omicron, see how hybrid and remote work could hold women back, and discuss why home equity lines of credit could be making a return.

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!

The tens of billions of dollars set aside to help people pay their rent during the pandemic are almost gone, as nearly two thirds of the funding is expected to be spent or allocated by the end of the year. Renters have been relying on the money, but so have their landlords, who say they have had to deal with a variety of obstacles as well. Julia Coronado discusses the concept of full employment, and why many economists believe it is within reach in 2022.

Last month, a federal appeals court halted what would have been mandated COVID-19 vaccine and testing requirements for businesses. President Biden asked businesses to “voluntarily”go ahead with those requirements, and it appears most of them are doing so. From the BBC, Professor Sarah Gilbert helped developed one of the COVID vaccines, and now she’s calling for greater investment in pandemic preparedness. A coalition of Native tribes and tribal organization is focusing on farm bill priorities.

From the BBC World Service: Professor Sarah Gilbert, who helped develop the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, says more investment is needed now to help prevent future pandemics. Plus: A new gadget dubbed “Earth’s black box” can record 50 years worth of climate data. And, a look at whether green hydrogen could help future-proof climate goals.

If you’ve ever switched computers brands or cellphones, chances are you needed a new charger. That’s because certain plug shapes haven’t been standardized from company to company or country to country. But sometimes companies agree to a common strategy. In fact, companies can set the standard for new technology just by being first or by being the most dominant. While American firms have been the main standard-setters in the past, Chinese businesses are picking up speed. Kimberly Adams speaks with Marketplace’s China correspondent Jennifer Pak about this. And Pak says without international standards, switching between brands or locations can be a headache.

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.