Marketplace

The World Economic Forum is warning of a “polycrisis,” with major geopolitical and economic threats compounding one another. Talk about a gloomy picture, huh? On today’s show, we’ll unpack the predictions. Also, a tale of two state budgets, an experiment in virtual nursing and a big bank backs away from the mortgage biz.

This week, we’ll get Q4 earning reports for big banks, like JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo. Economists will be eyeing those balance sheets for hints of where the economy is and where it may be headed. Then, what a proposed noncompete ban would mean for lower-wage workers, what’s behind a right-to-repair win for farmers, and what goes into elevating homes to protect them from flooding.

Amazon and Salesforce are among the companies to recently announce major staff cuts. Layoffs are often one of the first ways employers curb costs, but they can jeopardize a company’s public image and employee goodwill. Today, we’ll look at how firms choose who stays and who goes. We’ll also check in on faltering import and export trade, an uptick in corporate borrowing and the whiplash effect of China’s “zero-COVID” policy.

On New Year’s Day, 23 states raised their minimum wage, benefiting an estimated 8 million workers. But pay scales have already been rising in a tight labor market. Today, a look at where minimum wages stand in a job market that economists expect to weaken. Also on the show: Small business layoffs tick up, social media shifts how we spend and a Louisiana town elevates homes to evade flooding.

A tight labor market is always a positive thing, right? While it can be good for wages, those unfilled jobs can limit productivity and economic growth. Today, a look at the risks of an economy with missing parts. Then, what’s in store for Big Oil after a profitable year, why demand for cars is softening and what’s behind Gen Z’s proudly pro-union stance.

Yesterday, California expanded a privacy law requiring companies to disclose the data they collect from consumers, how it’s used and who it’s shared with. Those requirements now apply to employers too. Today, a look at what it means for companies in the state and beyond. Also on the program: a discussion of the Federal Communications Commission’s new broadband availability map and a look at treatment for substance abuse disorder and its  impact on the workforce.

The housing market is ending 2022 on a pretty sour note. Mortgage rates are still high and the threat of a recession looms. Today, we’ll outline what to expect for the housing market in the coming year. Plus, the federal student aid office has a lengthy 2023 to-do list, the U.K. is rocked by strikes during the holidays, and bakeries around the world grapple with rising supply costs.

The National Labor Relations Board is tasked with overseeing union activity, but its resources have been stretched over the past decade or so. Today, a look at what a funding increase means during an important moment in labor organizing. Plus, the race to spend remaining flexible spending account dollars, the priorities and programs in the 2023 Farm Bill and the costs of running migrant rescue operations in the Mediterranean.

Prominent economist Mohamed El-Erian was among the early critics of the Federal Reserve for its failure to raise interest rates in 2021. Today, he joins the program to discuss where he thinks the Fed should go from here, what it’ll take to regain credibility and how realistic the 2% inflation target is. Plus, a potential consumer spending pullback, a look at electric vehicle subsidies and a trip to a particularly festive block in Baltimore.

Inventory management is a problem that has plagued many businesses recently, and retail inventories are up 17% since last year. On today’s program, why businesses just can’t seem to get it right and what it means for consumers. Also, homebuilder confidence continues to slide, businesses in the U.K. trial a four-day workweek and preppy-style clothing has trend-defying staying power.