Is that a productivity boom we see on the horizon? It’s too early to tell if that’s the case, but the economic mood has clearly improved. Our Weekly Wrap panel parses the changes. Also, labor shortages in home health care, a dip in domestic travel and the cultural and economic impact of hip-hop.

Instead of buying another Porsche, some of the mega-rich are dropping $100,000 on new citizenship. These citizenship by investment programs have gained popularity since the 2020 election and pandemic, especially among bitcoin investors. Today, we delve into “the ultimate hedge” for wealthy Americans. Plus, why an uptick in productivity is good news for the inflation fight, and what to make of a slowdown in manufacturing.

The economy seems pretty strong right now: Inflation is moderating and consumer sentiment is up. In other words, the vibes are good. So is it possible we’ve skirted a recession? Or that the “vibecession” is over? Also on today’s program: claims of a superconductor breakthrough, AI’s impact on voice assistants and calls to end “scholarship displacement.”

According to the Job Openings and Labor Turnover survey for June, fewer workers are quitting their jobs and employers are hiring less. But is it all rock ‘n’ roll for the Federal Reserve’s inflation fight, or will it just end up rocky, with a recession? Turns out, the economic anthem of the moment depends on how you read the data. Then: freight shipping woes, Uber’s first-time profit and a blame game over Britain’s cost-of-living crisis.

While extreme heat bakes much of the country, the first new nuclear reactor to be built from scratch in decades just came online in Georgia. But the project took much longer and cost much more than planned. As the planet continues to scorch, will nuclear power catch on? Then, the perks of being a legacy student and a boom in spam texts.

It’s the final tour of Dead & Company, the Grateful Dead’s offshoot band. But what’s to come of the vendors and Deadheads who’ve followed the band for decades? Today, we hear about what a long, strange trip it’s been and what happens now that the show’s over. We’ll also examine the double-edged sword of consumer spending and unpack whether inflation might threaten brand loyalty.

Call a customer service line and odds are you’ll hear that “unusually high call volume” is making you wait. But automated messages and long wait times seem to have become the norm. We won’t put you on hold to find out why. Plus, the economy just keeps on growing and businesses stock up on inventory again.

Sure, today the Federal Reserve hiked its key interest rate to the highest level since 2001. But consumers are feeling much rosier about the economy lately, thanks to cooling inflation and a strong labor market. Plus, higher interest rates spell trouble for businesses, and a lack of investment in women’s soccer has debilitating physical consequences.

The CoreLogic Case-Shiller index of existing home prices, which came out today, shows that values are down from the year before, but the price trends vary across the country. Today, we trace their rise and fall. Then, what’s a fair price for artificial intelligence? And what Milton Friedman’s “long and variable lag” means in 2023.

Popularized by Milton Friedman in the 1960s, the phrase “long and variable lag” refers to the idea that it takes time for monetary policy to be felt in the economy, and the Federal Reserve uses it a lot. How did it go from concept to conventional wisdom? Today, part one of our answer. We’ll also outline a big week ahead for the world’s central banks and the ripple effects of a potential UPS strike.