Marketplace

As new college students across the country start moving in, we're taking a look at the booming dorm-in-a-bag business. Turns out there's a lot of money in making a 170-square-foot cinder-block box feel like home. But first: It's been a wild week for political news, but the economic news was no slouch either. We'll break it all down in the Weekly Wrap. Plus, how more intense and frequent wildfires are changing firefighters' jobs.  

In a week that's seen the looming threat of impeachment and the longest bull market ever, President Donald Trump has said the former would crash the latter. We'll kick off today's show by examining whether presidential scandals can really affect markets. Then, a conversation with Jo-Ann Stores CEO Jill Soltau, who's rallying customers to speak out against tariffs. Plus, what it's like to be black in the fashion industry and why "The Big Bang Theory" will likely be a big moneymaker for years after it goes off air.

A year ago this week, a storm named Harvey left Houston underwater for days. A year on, many neighborhoods are just beginning to rebuild, and residents face a tough decision: take any insurance or FEMA money and rebuild, or cut their losses and leave. We're on the ground there. But first, let's do the numbers on today's Federal Reserve meeting minutes, which mentioned trade 21 times, up from seven last month, and expressed unease about inflation. We'll go inside the talks happening right now with China, the European Union and Japan. Plus, we'll do the numbers on the longest bull market in history.

The Environmental Protection Agency released details today of its plan to replace the Obama-era rules governing carbon emissions from power plants. This proposal gives a lot of concessions to the coal industry and is a step toward ending what the president calls the "war on coal." But even if this plan makes it through the long, dirty fight to become law, how much difference can regulatory changes make to the coal industry in the face of rapidly evolving market forces? Also on today's show: You guessed it, tariffs. We get insight on steel tariffs from industry insiders. Later in the show, we talk about immigration south of the border. Many migrants cross through Mexico hoping to enter the United States, but Mexico’s incoming president has a plan to curb the flow. 

This morning, the U.S. Trade Representative opened six — yup, six — days of public hearings into President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs on Chinese imports. The hearings are to let companies and trade groups affected by those tariffs weigh in, and we talk to two experts who are testifying. Today in Elon Musk news: JPMorgan Chase lowered the target price on Tesla’s stock. But what exactly is a target price, and what happens when analysts change them? We have answers. Also on the show, we talk to actress and director Regina King about her career in Hollywood. (08/20/18)

No judgement if you did. Verbally promised promotions can go up in a poof of smoke and proving a boss or co-worker is abusive is a lot easier when you have solid proof. But there are a few things you should think about before you hit that record button. Then: Public transportation doesn't cost a lot of money, but for people who rely on it to get to work, transit can cost a lot of time. We'll look at "time poverty" and how it affects American workers. Plus, we do the numbers on the streaming TV arms race.

Republicans are betting on the strong economy to sway voters in November’s elections, but will that work? This time around, maybe not. Also on today's show: A dispatch from Turkey, where Syrian refugees-turned-entrepreneurs are working to stay afloat in their new country. Plus, we talk with author and journalist Thomas Page McBee about navigating the power of voice as a trans man in the workplace. (08/16/18)

It's been a year since the United States started NAFTA renegotiations with Canada and Mexico. Since then, Mexico has elected a new president and the U.S. has engaged in several controversial trade maneuvers. So are we any closer to signing a new deal? We'll catch you up. Also on today's show: We're hearing a lot from Elon Musk these days but what’s happening with Tesla and its board? Plus, another installment of our series Corner Office. This time we talk to Colin Hunter, co-founder and CEO of Alton Lane, about the future of men’s fashion retail.

The Greek government is declaring the end of its financial crisis and will celebrate Bailout Exit Day on Aug. 20. But how do the Greek people really feel about their economy? We went to Greece to find out. Meanwhile, in America, banks have been warned by the FBI that ATM hacks are on rise. We tell you what you need to know. Also on today's show: Slavery is an ugly part of America’s business history, one often ignored. A new book, “Accounting for Slavery: Masters and Management,” examines this and the connections between slavery and capitalism. Author Caitlin Rosenthal walks us through her findings. (08/14/18)

Fax machines, once the height of telecommunications tech, have mostly gone the way of the beeper. Some offices still fax occasionally, via those big industrial copiers, which new research shows are very vulnerable to hacking. We'll talk through today's cybersecurity and yesterday's tech, but first: What you need to know about Zimbabwe's election and Turkey's currency crisis. Plus: A new book explores what it's like growing up in a company town when the company is the U.S. government.