Marketplace All-in-One

Amazon hosted its annual hardware event Tuesday, where it announced updates to some products, like its Ring home security system, and debuted some new ones, like a home security drone. Microsoft and Apple hosted similar events recently. You know the kind of event we’re talking about, right? The kind pioneered by Steve Jobs. Big screens, fancy visuals, open bar, fancy food — maybe they’ve got an omelet station going. That’s how they used to be in person. Marketplace’s Marielle Segarra speaks with Ian Sherr, an editor at large at CNET, who has been to a lot of these.

The food-and-beverage industry has one of the lowest unionization rates among the U.S. workforce, but that wasn’t always the case. Now, organizing momentum is building. And public support for unions coupled with the stresses of COVID-19 could provide a boost to those efforts. We’ll also examine the rise in Treasury bond yields, see how a neighborhood loan program is benefiting Chicago’s northwest side and hear from former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi on work-family balance.

The U.S. in the middle of resettling tens of thousands of Afghan citizens around the country. At the same time, it’s turning away Haitians and Central Americans at the U.S.-Mexico border. What gives?

“The reasons why they may be migrating are very similar, in terms of fleeing persecution, war, violence; the difference is where they seek that legal relief,” said Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, the president and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, a nonprofit organization that’s helped resettle refugees for decades.

On the show today, we’ll dig into the U.S. refugee system, how it got to be this way and how we can rebuild a system that is more just.

We’ll also talk about a major victory for garment workers in California and what that might mean for their counterparts nationwide. Plus, we’ll get an update on the debt troubles of China’s Evergrande and hear from listeners about their parent-child “Make Me Smart” listening teams.

When you’re done listening, tell your Echo device to “make me smart” for our daily explainers. This week we’ll explain why Costco hot dogs are so cheap, the fight over Apple’s app store and the economic consequences of hurricanes. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter! You can find the latest issue here.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

Read the transcript here.

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo is set to deliver her first big policy speech. The department casts a wide net over a variety of areas and roles, but Raimondo is pledging to turn the department’s focus inward. Kimberly Adams joins us to discuss what that means. Then, we discuss the markets with David Kelly, chief global strategist at JP Morgan Funds. We then looking into how health care workers are preparing for staff shortages as they face mandated vaccines.

From the BBC World Service: There aren’t enough truck drivers to deliver fuel to gas stations right now and some have run dry. The U.K. government says there is enough gas to go round, provided it can be delivered. Plus, the boss of the Islamic Bank of Afghanistan says the country’s financial system is on the brink of collapse. And, how “flood wine” is helping German winemakers who suffered huge losses after devastating floods this summer.

About 40% of people with credit card debt have more debt now than they did when the pandemic began, according to a new survey out today from Bankrate. However, within that group are people under the age of 40. We look into how they got there. We also discuss the resignations of the Boston and Dallas Fed chiefs and the trading controversy around them. Retailers are also gearing up for an unprecedented pandemic-era shopping season.

Facebook just announced that it’s pausing the rollout of Instagram Kids, a version of the platform for children under 13 years old, while it works to “demonstrate the value and need for this product.” The pause comes after a Wall Street Journal story a couple of weeks ago about the company’s research on how Instagram affects teens. One finding? A third of teen girls who have body image issues say Instagram makes them worse. Marketplace’s Marielle Segarra speaks with Jean Twenge, author of the book “iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy — and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood.” She said the effects could be even worse for younger kids.

You know it’s a big deal when people retire early from jobs where people never retire early. Two Federal Reserve presidents stepped down after making controversial trades in the financial markets the Fed was actively trying to stabilize in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. We’ll discuss why the resignations matter. Plus, a few other stories you might’ve missed over the weekend, including one about dentists fighting a plan to add dental coverage to Medicare. And a Make Me Smile moment from a fellow listener.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

Read the transcript here.

Our show needs your voice! Tell us what you think of the show or ask a question for our hosts to answer! Send a voice memo or give us a call at 508-82-SMART (508-827-6278).

If the debt ceiling is reached without being suspended or raised by Congress, the Treasury will have to choose between paying its bills and repaying money already borrowed. Results could be catastrophic. Also on the program: Facebook pauses the development of a “child-friendly” Instagram; a video game company tackles racism and sexism in its industry; and perks make it a great time to be a new hire.

Germany’s election for a new chancellor is over, and one of the larger talking points on the campaign trail had been climate change, especially after summer floods led to decimation and even deaths in some parts of the country. The BBC shares reports from its travels to those areas. Julia Coronado converses with us about deferred optimism in the markets. A new survey also reflects economists’ tempered expectations of growth.