May 21, 2021

The Federal Reserve is thinking about a digital dollar

Alex Wong/Getty Image

Plus, what shoe sales are telling us about the economic recovery, President Joe Biden is asking federal agencies to gauge the financial risk of climate change and the cash-free model might be here to stay.

Segments From this episode

How digital currencies work

by Sabri Ben-Achour

May 21, 2021

The Federal Reserve is thinking about a central bank digital currency for the U.S., which would be less volatile than Bitcoin.

The value of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin fluctuates, but a central bank-backed digital dollar would be worth ... a dollar.

Karen Bleier/AFP via Getty Images

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An economic indicator suited to the pandemic: dress shoes

by Marielle Segarra

May 21, 2021

Dress shoe could give us a sense of how the economy is recovering.

The thing about dress shoes: You don’t really wear them around the house. They’re meant to be seen by other people.

Fox Photos/Getty Images

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Biden asks federal agencies to gauge financial risk of climate change. Many businesses are already there.

by Nancy Marshall-Genzer

May 21, 2021

The federal government is likely to start by following major businesses' lead, one analyst told us.

President Biden told federal agencies to report back on steps they’re taking to regulate the financial risk of climate change.

Lukas Schulze/Getty Images

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TV upfronts went virtual this year. Is that all that changed?

by Kai Ryssdal and Sean McHenry

May 21, 2021

The answer might depend on how much advertisers spend, and where they spend it.

Mindy Kaling speaks onstage at Hulu's Upfront Presentation in 2014. Since last year, upfront presentations have gone virtual.

Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Hulu

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Back to Business

Many businesses may keep the cash-free model they started in the pandemic

by Benjamin Gottlieb

May 21, 2021

The pandemic has accelerated the cashless trend, according to the electronic payments company Square.

According to one expert, we were headed towards cashless businesses anyways. The pandemic got us there three years quicker.

Isaac Brekken/Getty Images for VISA Inc)

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Music from the episode

20 Grand Palace RJD2

Confessions Sudan Archives

Walk, Don't Run - Stereo The Ventures

Black Sands Bonobo

Tinseltown Swimming in Blood Destroyer

Sundress Butcher Brown

Soft Stud Black Belt Eagle Scout

The team

Nancy Farghalli Executive Producer

Maria Hollenhorst Producer II

Sean McHenry Director & Associate Producer II

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