Marketplace

Clothing retailers were foiled by unpredictable weather this fall: October was the second warmest on record, and now stores are sitting on a lot of extra cold-weather inventory. What will they do about it? Plus: Comcast spins off most of its cable network channels, a violin maker talks tariffs, and an author tells us about “The Nvidia Way,” the chip designer’s unique workplace culture.

Blackstone just bought a majority stake in Jersey Mike’s, a sub shop with 3,000 locations. Surprised? Don’t be. Since the pandemic started, private equity has been gobbling up restaurants, especially fast-casual ones. But struggling chains and sit-down establishments can also be attractive investments. We’ll chew on why. Also in this episode: Homebuilders are cautiously optimistic and central banks around the globe are nervous about a flare-up of inflation.

There are various ways to measure economic inequality. Sure, pandemic-era aid programs helped low-income Americans grow their wealth. And overall, wages have gone up since COVID hit. But did the gap between the wealthiest and poorest shrink? We’ll get into it. Also in this episode: Walmart is expected to report a robust third quarter tomorrow, boosted by e-commerce and affordable prices. Plus, retailers fret over a holiday shopping slowdown and the U.S. dollar grows stronger.

We may be two weeks out from Thanksgiving, but online retailers are already locked in on holiday shopping season. While brick-and-mortar stores might not have flashy displays up yet, online shops decked the virtual halls over a month ago. Also in this episode: Houses of worship go all-in on solar energy tech and some small banks are in desperate need of technology updates.

The incoming administration may follow the mantra “Drill, baby, drill,” but demand hasn’t been vigorous and the International Energy Agency predicts an oil surplus next year. In this episode, what too much product could mean for the domestic oil market. Plus, retirees feel financially stretched, North Carolina’s tourist industry navigates disaster recovery and Disney turns a profit on its streaming platforms.

The national inflation rate doesn’t give a full picture of rising prices. Some places have it better than others. In this episode, housing costs have driven inflation down in some places, and kept rates above the average in others. Plus: Will China have to pay its fair share in the clean energy transition? Are Americans in better shape to pay off debt than before the pandemic? And, does anyone really need an AI shopping assistant?

Financial data from three industry-leading firms tells three very different stories. Concert promoter Live Nation had a scorching-hot summer season, while car rental company Hertz fumbled an electric vehicle investment. Home Depot fell somewhere in between. Also in this episode, housing construction. Are townhouses a solution to the shortage of homes? And why does HUD take years to fund rebuilding after natural disasters?

Cryptocurrency firms are thrilled with last week’s election outcome. For them, a second Trump term means a friendly face in the White House. What do they want this time around? Surprisingly, some rules. Also in this episode: Beef futures are up, inflation stalls just above the Federal Reserve’s target, and we dig into how the National Institutes of Health spent $1.6 billion in federal funding for long COVID research.

he U.S. is somewhere between 3 million and 7 million units short of meeting the nation’s housing needs. What can be done to build up the supply of homes? We asked five experts for their solutions. Also in this episode: A new program to cool down electric grid demand comes to Texas and an Iowa soybean farmer stays optimistic in the face of a bad harvest and a potential upcoming trade war.

If President-elect Donald Trump gets his way, importers are about to pay a ton more in tariffs. Some businesses are scrambling to bring as much stuff as possible into the country before his inauguration — and that’s not exactly easy. Also in this episode: Streaming platforms gain more international subscribers, hybrid workers Lyft to the office and the Fed cuts its key interest rate.