Episodes
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Remember those Christmastime Coca-Cola ads from the ’90s and early aughts? A caravan of red trucks snakes through picturesque towns, delivering holiday cheer in the form of good old-fashioned Coke. The company just released a new version, meant to invoke nostalgia for the Yule of yesteryear. And in the true spirit of 2024, it’s AI-generated. Will all our ads be AI-made soon? Or is human creativity still key? Also in this episode: A dogecoin influencer weighs his options, a startup wants to put EV chargers in lampposts and unit labor costs may tell us where inflation is headed.
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Over the next five years, electric power demand in the U.S. will increase five times faster than we thought it would in 2022, a new report says. Can the grid take it? Probably — it won’t be the first time demand for electricity has made a major leap. Also in this episode: An influencer sues a “copycat,” consumers overestimate inflation but think it will fall eventually and ad industry evolution triggers a merger of rivals.
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It’s been a wonky year for the labor market. Unemployment is down and inflation has eased. But ask an average American, and they might not feel like everything is peachy keen. In this episode, we asked economists to sum up the complicated year … in a song. Plus, homebuilders worry incoming President Donald Trump’s immigration policy will leave them short-handed, and retail hiring plateaued in November — unusual for the holiday shopping season.
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Federal employment numbers come out Friday, so we’ve got a labor-packed episode. First up, job growth in evergreen or “secular” industries is strong (think health care) while cyclical jobs (think manufacturing) have been stagnant. Then, wage gains are outpacing inflation, but some workers aren’t feelin’ it. We’ll also hear from seasonal employees in Vermont and a mall manager in Montana who’s moving on.
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Many provisions of the Trump administration’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act are set to expire next year. That means the incoming Republican-controlled House and Senate will have the privilege of agonizing over which parts to renew and how to pay for them. Plus: Community colleges push up graduation rates, the advantages of owning your own small-business space, and are holiday shoppers buying the sale hype along with the goods?
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About 3.3 million people quit their jobs in October, slightly more than in September. More quits can signal a strong labor market, but quit rates vary across the country. In this episode, why job churn is strong out West and falling in the Northeast. Plus: TikTok Shop did over $100 million in sales on Black Friday weekend, renters want electric vehicle chargers and the restaurant industry struggles with debt and shifting preferences.
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Manufacturers have held back on big investments because of high interest rates and inflation. Those have eased, but companies are worried that potential tariffs and tax cuts could stoke them again. Also in this episode, more uncertainty: A customs broker isn’t sure what to expect if there’s another round of tariffs, and the number of “permanent job losers” climbed the highest its been since November 2021.
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Nearly half of Americans are still in debt from last year’s gift-giving season. That’s double the number of people who were paying off 2022 holiday debt in 2023. And carrying credit debt has only become more expensive. Also in this episode: If you drove to Thanksgiving festivities this week, you may be thankful for the multiyear low in gas prices. We’ve also got a snapshot of China’s economy and the history of college dorms.
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Permanent supportive housing programs are a preferred remedy for the homelessness crisis, experts say. Such apartments have more than doubled in the past decade. But lately, the organizations that run them are battling a new threat: property insurance charges, which have thrown some programs into dire financial straits. Also in this episode: Wage growth shows signs of cooling but remains ahead of inflation and analysts expect a record holiday season for buy now, pay later.
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It’s probably unsurprising that homeowners are typically wealthier than renters. But a new report from the Aspen Institute shows how wide that gap is: $400,000 median net worth, compared to $10,400, respectively. How do renters catch up? Also in this episode: Older Americans move south to be near family, companies spend more on intellectual property, and a chocolatier in Maine preps for the holiday season.
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The homebuilding industry is short over a quarter-million workers, according to the National Association of Home Builders. It’s one reason new home sales fell significantly in October — expensive materials and high home prices are others. Also in this episode: A Baltimore warehouse business navigates obstacles, Yelp celebrates 20 years of maybe-trustworthy reviews, and consumers replace tech purchased early in the pandemic.
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Adjusted for inflation, Medicare pays doctors almost 30% less than it did in 2001, the American Medical Association says. And unless Congress intervenes, physicians will take another 3% cut in January. That decline in payment rates has a ripple effect through the health care system. Also in this episode: Investors celebrate Trump’s treasury secretary pick, print magazines are making a comeback and not everyone is thrilled with the outcome of COP29.
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Seasonal hiring is in full swing and demand for temporary workers is back to pre-pandemic levels. But unemployment is down, so retailers are gonna have to be flexible to fill those jobs. A lot of those open spots are for warehouse jobs, not brick-and-mortar store positions. Also in this episode: After nearly two years of ChatGPT, who’s using it? And, we visit the only master’s-level nurse-midwife program in California.
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The Department of Justice has a proposal for breaking up Google: Force the firm to sell Chrome. In this episode, we’ll dig into why the DOJ wants the company to split from its web browser — the most popular one on the internet — and where AI fits into the antitrust case. Plus: Signs that Florida’s property insurance market is stabilizing, supply chain management is the secret to an NGO’s success, and automakers experience EV growing pains in the U.S. and abroad.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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