Marketplace Morning Report

(Markets Edition) Retail goliath Walmart enjoyed rising profits into the early part of summer, and it also reported a 40 percent boost in its online sales. But it’s also reporting rising costs, and Marketplace’s Dan Gorenstein lets us know if that means the prices at Walmart are going to go up as well. Also, economist Diane Swonk lets us know if the possibly cresting housing market is a good thing, depending on where you live. Also, if you’re internationally flying in or out of Orlando, you’ll notice how Orlando International Airport is requiring facial scans of passengers to cut down on wait times and increase security. Renata Sago tells us more. Today's show is sponsored by Battelle (Battelle.org/QI) and Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace). (08/16/2018)

(U.S. Edition) The Turkish lira rebounded again today, but there's been no cooldown in the ongoing feud between Turkey and the U.S. About a week after the U.S. raised tariffs on Turkish metals, Turkey followed suit with a tariff hike of its own on many items from the U.S. It's the latest move in this economic tug-of-war between the two countries, and we speak to the BBC's Turkey correspondent to hear about next steps. Also, we got a reading on retail sales that should be up, and we talk to Marketplace's Erika Beras for more. And, we've been discussing toxic workplaces in the past week, especially bullying bosses and harassment. Could diversity be a solution? We talk to a consultant who helps companies devise inclusion strategies to find some answers. Today's show is sponsored by Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace) and Michigan Economic Development Corporation (planetm.com). (08/15/2018)

(Markets Edition) The stock market experienced a down day today. In addition to drops in the Dow and S&P, Europe and Asia markets also fell. We talked with Susan Schmidt, senior portfolio manager at Westwood Holdings, who mentioned speculation that the downward trend in Asia might have been due to some unfortunate earnings reports. Also, the online job-finding company Indeed put together a list that outlines which cities have the ideal blend of higher pay and decent cost-of-living. And, there are apparently some brick-and-mortar retail stores that have become high-end destination experiences for shoppers. We talked to reporter Kassia St Clair in London to tell us more. Today's show is sponsored by Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace) and Michigan Economic Development Corporation (planetm.com). (08/15/2018)

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … A political and economic feud between the U.S. and Turkey escalated after Turkey doubled tariffs on American goods including passenger cars and alcohol. We’ll bring you the very latest details from Istanbul. Then, South Korea’s president said he’ll connect his roads and railways to North Korea by the end of the year – progress after the summit between the two nations earlier this year. Afterwards, Mongolia is rich in copper, coal, gold, and one pre-historic commodity that’s struggling to keep safe from smugglers. Dinosaur fossils are fetching monster prices at international auction these days, but the government now is making efforts to keep the fossils at home. Today's show is sponsored by Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace) and Michigan Economic Development Corporation (planetm.com). (08/15/2018)

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service…Turkey’s currency is seeing a pop higher today as the country’s president calls for a boycott on U.S. electronic goods – further straining economic relations with America. We’ll explore what that means for the ongoing financial problems in Turkey. Then, Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro said fuel prices in his country will rise to international levels, ending the government’s policy of gas subsidies – but what do higher prices mean for people who are already suffering from sky-high inflation and a troubled economic picture? Afterwards, while Australia’s GDP has clocked growth in the country at 3 percent, another gauge tells a different story about the economy. Today’s show is sponsored by Alliance For Lifetime Income (retireyourrisk.org/advisors) and Carbonite (www.carbonite.com/) (08/14/2018).

(U.S. Edition) The Turkish lira's precipitous drop has stopped, but that didn't stop the Turkish president from declaring that his country will boycott American smartphones. It's meant to be a message to the U.S., but no one's sure how this boycott is going to actually be enforced. Also, the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco has calculated that the financial crisis of a decade ago cost people tens of thousands of dollars right out of their pocket. And, con artists, scammers, and possibly even greedy family members and friends are setting their sights on the lump-sum retirement savings of an increasingly vulnerable population of seniors. We talk about ways people can start to protect themselves. Today’s show is sponsored by Alliance For Lifetime Income (retireyourrisk.org/advisors) and Carbonite (www.carbonite.com) (08/14/2018).

(Markets Edition) The Turkish lira actually stopped falling for a change, actually rising about 5 percent today. But, plenty of damage still remains as it's still lost a third of its value in the past month. Businesses and Turkish citizens are still reeling from the drop, and the country's economic model is under scrutiny. We talk to a global economist from Wells Fargo Securities to get a clearer picture. Then, we'll get an update on American debt when the Federal Reserve Bank of New York releases calculations for the spring to early summer quarter. Finally, we check in with the last Blockbuster store standing, and it has no plans of shutting down. Today’s show is sponsored by Alliance For Lifetime Income (retireyourrisk.org/advisors) and Carbonite (www.carbonite.com). (08/14/2018)

(U.S. Edition) Turkey’s economic crisis is even worse, with the lira having lost 39 percent of its value since the start of the month. An economics correspondent from the BBC  lets us know about other solutions that are being explored. Also, with heat waves putting pressure on power grids, we remember one of history’s biggest blackouts: In 2003,  a tussle between a power line and tree in Ohio eventually left about 50 million people in the Northeast powerless. Marketplace's Jed Kim takes a look at the reliability of the grid today. And a new analysis from the Associated Press finds that more jobs created this year were in counties that actually voted for Hillary Clinton, not Donald Trump, in 2016. Avast (avast.com), Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace) and Michigan Economic Development Corporation (planetm.com) (08/13/2018)

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … Turkey’s central bank announced measures early this morning aimed at alleviating pressure on its embattled currency, the lira, which has fallen more than 40 percent so far this year. But are the country’s efforts enough to reassure international investors? Then, many of the world’s mining companies call South Africa home – in Peru, environmental regulations for medium and large-size companies have been relaxed in order to attract more investment, but not everyone is happy about this. Today's show is sponsored by Avast (avast.com), Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace) and Michigan Economic Development Corporation (planetm.com) (08/13/2018)

(Markets Edition) The fall of the Turkish lira continues. The currency dropped another 7 percent today, bringing its total fall of value to about 40 percent for the month. This led the Turkish president to denounce those he called economic “traitors,” and we have an economist to talk to us about what happens next. Also, President Trump is expected to sign a $716 billion defense authorization bill, which will add thousands of personnel and even more debt to the federal budget. And, with the impact of the 2016 Wells Fargo “fake account” scandal still being felt, Los Angeles has passed an ordinance that states that any bank doing business with the city has to share its sales goals. We take a further look at that bill. Today's show is sponsored by Avast (avast.com), Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace) and Michigan Economic Development Corporation (planetm.com) (08/13/2018)