Marketplace

Though many early and mid-career workers have enjoyed the work-from-home model, the same can’t be said for all managers. Research shows that those who work at the office are more likely to be promoted. This out-of-sight, out-of-mind mentality when it comes to promotions can further inhibit career climbing for parents, women and people color. But first on the show: examining July’s unchanged labor force participation, a boon for secondary markets and how homeownership can bring out the worst in people.

President Joe Biden signed an executive order Thursday calling for half of new cars sold in the U.S. to be electric by 2030. It’s a lofty goal, given that EVs make up 2% to 3% of all cars on the road. Though carmakers seem to be on board, a lot of necessary infrastructure, like charging stations, would need to be built first. Also on today’s show: California textile mills face drought-induced setbacks, lobbyists want a slice of the infrastructure bill pie and how raising kids can be like running a small business.

PepsiCo is preparing to sell Tropicana and other juices to a private equity firm for $3.3 billion. Molson Coors is going to phase out 11 of its “economy” brands. Increasingly, beverage companies are looking for the next trendy drink of choice — which means ditching investments in sugary drinks and frat party favorites in favor of seltzer, kombucha and prebiotic soda. We also discuss the very slow recovery of business travel, how California’s drought could translate into higher costs for tomato products and how businesses decide to increase prices.

The $1 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, if passed, could create anywhere from 650,000 to 1 million new jobs, economists predict. Though the bill has substantial bipartisan support, the U.S. labor force is short on construction workers, and the government may have to invest in citizen training or issue more visas for temporary, foreign workers to fill the positions. Later in the show, we’ll also examine the business of journalism, discuss how “buy now pay later” platforms work and talk about the implications of Walmart’s (partial) employee vaccine mandate.

With infections by the delta coronavirus on the rise, companies including Google, Lyft, Indeed and Apple are delaying their back-to-the-office plans. That worries commercial real estate pros and businesses that depend on office workers. Also on today’s show: consumer sensitivity to price hikes, long lines in Cape Cod and how chaos in the shipping business impacts a customs broker.

Prices are high, inventory is low — if you’re in the market for a new home, you know this has been the reality for a while now. Something else to add to house hunters’ chagrin? According to the research firm Zonda, 85% of homebuilders are purposely building fewer houses, given shortages of land, materials and workers. But first: the year of lost GDP. Later in the show: Bars grapple with the booze supply chain, and the Crocs CEO talks about the shoe many love to hate.

More than 15 million people live in households that are behind on their rent, according to a new report from the Aspen Institute. And while Congress allocated $46 billion in federal assistance for renters during the pandemic, access to technology, language barriers and lack of information are proving to be hurdles for tenants behind on their rents. Also on today’s show: How London’s financial center is faring after Brexit, hints at a potential American hunger crisis and a resurgence in Alaska’s salmon industry.

Sallie Krawcheck, CEO and co-founder of Ellevest, a digital financial company for women, discusses how COVID-19 exacerbated existing inequities between men and women. She also talks about why money causes stress and the future of her company. Also on today’s show: the continuing struggles of the travel industry, shifting language in home appraisals and what washing machine sales can teach us about consumer confidence.

Towns like Augusta, Maine; Bemidji, Minnesota; and Savannah, Georgia, are among the more than 40 communities in the U.S. incentivizing people to move there. They dangle perks like housing assistance, camping equipment or up to $20,000 in cash. The incentives are aimed at convincing remote workers to make a move, which can boost the economies of struggling locales. Also on the show: shipping bottlenecks in Chicago, the good some economists think inflation can bring and engineering restaurant menus for a QR code-friendly world.

Over 60,000 businesses reopened during the second quarter, which is the highest volume of reopenings in the last year, according to data from Yelp. But there’s a distinct correlation between consumer interest and vaccination rates, meaning more Yelp searches, pictures and reviews for places like Maine, Vermont, Connecticut and New York than Arizona, Alabama and Mississippi. Also on the show: when masks are on the back-to-school shopping list, one chocolate store’s hiring struggles and why parking spots may continue to be hard to find.