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Which economic stats matter most?

Jul 9, 2018
Our listener asks which economic statistics are the best predictors of future economic performance.
A financial professional loosk at his computer screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange at the end of the trading day Dec. 16, 2008 in New York City. 
Chris Hondros/Getty Images

Electronics giant Xiaomi heads for Hong Kong IPO

Jul 6, 2018
Xiaomi isn’t a household name in the U.S., but with a $54 billion valuation, its initial public offering is one of the biggest the world’s seen in years. Click the audio player above to hear the full story. 

Why the futures market is a way to gauge the economic effects of tariffs

Jun 18, 2018
The United States has imposed tariffs on products from China, Mexico, Canada and the European Union, and retaliatory duties are on the way. What will be the overall economic effect of these trade disputes? One way to gauge that is by looking to the futures market. Click the audio player above to hear the full […]
A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.
Andrew Burton/Getty Images

China touts its economic reforms amid U.S. tariff threats

Jun 7, 2018
But Chinese officials have not appeased the United States by opening strategic sectors, such as health care and the internet.
A 40th anniversary celebration of China's economic reforms in Shanghai.
Jennifer Pak/Marketplace

Italy gridlock shakes up global markets

May 29, 2018
New worries about the euro sent the currency to its lowest level against the dollar in nearly a year.
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on May 29, 2018 in New York City. 
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Macy’s parades an unexpectedly strong earnings report

May 16, 2018
The department store chain beat Wall Street’s estimates on a whole lot of fronts.

For public good, not for profit.

Big U.S. companies have a lot of cash. Here’s what they’re doing with it

Apr 24, 2018
When you’ve got a little extra money to work with — or a lot — what do you do with it? Maybe you stuff it under the mattress. Maybe you try to invest it and put it to work. Or maybe you spend it on yourself and some important people in your life. That last option […]

Stock buybacks are crazy right now. Here’s why.

Apr 18, 2018
Goldman Sachs reported sharply higher profit this week, and yet its shares fell after Goldman said it wouldn’t be buying back stocks in the second quarter. In this respect, Goldman is an outlier. After the corporate tax rate dropped this year, American companies have been using cash to repurchase their own shares in furious fashion. […]

5 things you need to know about IPOs

What you need to know before you decide to invest.
The opening numbers are displayed on the floor during the Spotify IPO at the Dow Industrial Average at the New York Stock Exchange on April 3, 2018 in New York.
BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP/Getty Images