Mar 23, 2023

Happy rate hike-iversary!

Julia Nikhinson/Getty Images

This month marks a year since the Federal Reserve started raising interest rates to curb inflation. Today we'll take stock of where we are.

Segments From this episode

It's been one year since the Fed started raising interest rates to curb inflation

by Kristin Schwab

Mar 23, 2023

Back then it seemed like inflation might be what economists call "transitory." But here we are.

Economist Laurence Ball said many people including Fed Chairman Jerome Powell dismissed the inflation issue initially.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

LISTEN

EMBED

Why some countries' central banks follow the Fed's lead

by Nancy Marshall-Genzer

Mar 23, 2023

The U.S. Federal Reserve coordinates some operations — sometimes even interest rates changes — with other central banks. Here's how that works.

The Federal Reserve sometimes coordinates interest rate changes with other countries because in a global economy, it can’t achieve low inflation and maximum employment alone.

Kevin Dietsch/Getty Image

LISTEN

EMBED

Ford on EVs: Think of us as a startup

by Samantha Fields

Mar 23, 2023

The company expects to lose another $3 billion this year in its transition from internal combustion cars to electric.

Ford expects its EV business to start turning a profit by 2026. Above, an electric F-150 charges.

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

LISTEN

EMBED

EVs are far from standardized. For mechanics, that's an issue.

by Kai Ryssdal and Sarah Leeson

Mar 23, 2023

When your EV is no longer under warranty, who fixes it?

EVs are getting more and more commonplace on the road, so they'll also be more and more common at your local garage.

Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images

LISTEN

EMBED

Banks in Turmoil

Bank failures have some small business owners re-thinking their own banking arrangements

by Justin Ho

Mar 23, 2023

The failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank have rattled some small business owners, even though contagion hasn’t spread to smaller banks.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen speaks at the American Bankers Association Washington Summit on March 21, 2023 in Washington, DC.

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

LISTEN

EMBED

With modern chatbots, AI weirdness reaches new heights

by Kai Ryssdal and Maria Hollenhorst

Mar 23, 2023

Artificial intelligence researcher and blogger Janelle Shane explains modern chatbot behavior.

AI researcher and blogger Janelle Shane tried to convince ChatGPT to impersonate a squirrel. The results revealed some bugs in AI chatbots.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

LISTEN

EMBED

The team

Nancy Farghalli Executive Producer

Maria Hollenhorst Producer II

Andie Corban Producer I

Sarah Leeson Producer I

Sean McHenry Director & Associate Producer II

Richard Cunningham Associate Producer I

Dylan Miettinen Associate Digital Producer

Latest Episodes From Our Shows

4:01 PM PST