Jun 21, 2023

Translating all that Fedspeak

Win McNamee/Getty Images

Kinda confused about if and when the Federal Reserve might up interest rates? We dive in. Then, why it'll take 131 years to close the gender pay gap.

Segments From this episode

What's Fed Chair Powell trying to tell us about future interest rate hikes?

by Mitchell Hartman

Jun 21, 2023

Jerome Powell has stuck to the same script on whether more interest rate increases are coming — but that script has a cliffhanger ending.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell testifies before the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday.

Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

LISTEN

EMBED

A muffin? That'll be $5.50. (Thank inflation.)

by Samantha Fields

Jun 21, 2023

Inflation is cooling, but food prices are still much higher than they were a year ago. Bakery products, in particular.

Blue Sky Bakery in Brooklyn, New York, has had to raise its prices to keep up with its costs.

Samantha Fields/Marketplace

LISTEN

EMBED

Global gender gap is closing, but parity is more than 100 years away, report says

by Lily Jamali

Jun 21, 2023

The World Economic Forum says in some countries, women's status is declining, and global gender parity is 131 years away.

The United States ranks 43rd in the world in gender parity, according to the World Economic Forum report.

Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

LISTEN

EMBED

A Warmer World

Carbon accountants help firms keep their climate pledges

by Daniel Ackerman

Jun 21, 2023

Before companies can cut emissions, they first have to measure their carbon footprint. The new service is in high demand.

“Electricity usage and refrigerant leakage ... are the two main sources of emissions,” says Cooper Elsworth of Watershed, Sweetgreen's carbon accountant. Sweetgreen plans to become carbon neutral this decade.

Scott Olson/Getty Images

LISTEN

EMBED

FedEx meets lowered demand for shipping with cost-cutting and layoffs

by Elizabeth Trovall

Jun 21, 2023

As consumers favor services over buying goods, FedEx and other shippers are feeling the pinch.

FedEx is spending more on wages and equipment while people are choosing experiences over goods.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

LISTEN

EMBED

Chinese investment in U.S. startups under scrutiny for espionage

by Sabri Ben-Achour

Jun 21, 2023

The difficult relationship between the U.S. and China has many economic contours to it. One of the complaints on the U.S. side for years has been about theft of intellectual property. That tension is now extending into the world of investment, particularly startups.

“Unlike American companies, Chinese-owned companies are required by their government to support the military," said Andy Weber, a senior fellow at the Council on Strategic Risks.

Ed Jones/AFP via Getty Images

LISTEN

EMBED

Music from the episode

Coffin Nails MF DOOM

Dynamite BTS

Can I Kick It? A Tribe Called Quest

Cómo Me Quieres Khruangbin

All Day Knowmadic

Lowrider Yussef Kamaal

Franklin's Tower Grateful Dead

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

8:26 AM PST