Apr 15, 2024

Playing an economic guessing game

Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images

Is the economy still the most important predictor of election outcomes? Plus, the latest in retail sales and investment banking.

Segments From this episode

Tesla cuts more than 10% of global workforce as challenges mount

by Sabri Ben-Achour

Apr 15, 2024

The electric vehicle maker faces softening demand and intense competition on prices, and earlier price cuts have not sufficiently jolted sales.

Tesla’s deliveries dropped by 8.5% in the first quarter, making it the first decline in four years.

Brandon Bell/Getty Images

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Corporate dealmaking has picked up. That's good news for bankers — and the economy.

by Justin Ho

Apr 15, 2024

After a couple of years of uncertainty, there's pent-up demand for mergers, stock and bond sales and other complex transactions.

Goldman Sachs reported that investment-banking revenue increased 32% last quarter from the same time in 2023.

Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

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It's getting harder to predict the economy's effect on presidential elections

by Kimberly Adams

Apr 15, 2024

It's not the economy, stupid? With political polarization increasingly motivating voters, the economy may not be the predictor it once was.

Traditionally, there are two ways to predict the outcome of an election: polling and statistical modeling. The latter tends to emphasize economic factors.

Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images

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Why getting workers their schedules in advance is good for business

by Stephanie Hughes

Apr 15, 2024

Restaurants and other service sector businesses often give workers their schedules with little notice, but that's changing in some places.

Roughly two-thirds of hourly workers at large retail and food service employers get less than two weeks' notice for scheduling, according to researcher Kristen Harknett.

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

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While the secondhand market booms, thrifting is coming apart at the seams

by Kai Ryssdal and Aleezeh Hasan

Apr 15, 2024

If you've recently dug through the racks of a Goodwill and found a lot of lower-quality fast fashion, you're not alone, says Kelsey Vlamis of Business Insider.

"Needs-based shoppers are increasingly getting priced out, and it's getting harder to find those, like, special pieces at an affordable price," says Business Insider reporter Kelsey Vlamis.

Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images

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Music from the episode

"Last Fare" Little People

"Saint Ivy" Beach Fossils

"Low Season" Poolside

"Mystik" Tash Sultana

"Afternoon Soul" Gramatik

The team

Nancy Farghalli Executive Producer

Maria Hollenhorst Producer II

Andie Corban Producer I

Sarah Leeson Producer I

Sean McHenry Director & Associate Producer II

Sofia Terenzio Assistant Producer

Jordan Mangi Assistant Digital Producer

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