Economy

How the housing crisis collides with public health

4:54pm October 20, 2021

by Selena Simmons-Duffin

Did the eviction moratorium work to slow COVID? When people can't afford rent, they often end up in closer quarters. During a pandemic, that increases the risk of viral transmission.

Why people in Houston struggle to pay bills more than people in other major cities

6:07am October 20, 2021

by Sara Ernst

Paying bills during the pandemic can be difficult. A survey by NPR, Harvard and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found of the four largest U.S. cities, Houston feels the crunch the worst.

Jackson, the capital of Mississippi, is a city with 2 identities — that often clash

5:36pm October 19, 2021

by Stephen Bisaha

Jackson, Miss., is a city with two identities. There's the part which is more than 80% Black, led by a mayor who wants to make it "the most radical city on the planet." Then there's the state capital.

Dollar stores have boomed during the pandemic, which concerns some communities

5:36pm October 19, 2021

NPR's Sarah McCammon talks with Brian Vines, a reporter for Consumer Reports, about the current popularity in dollar stores and why it has some communities worried.

Black and Latino families are bearing the weight of the pandemic's economic toll

4:43pm October 19, 2021

by Laurel Wamsley

Even with government assistance and other efforts, more than 55% of Black and Latino households reported serious financial problems, compared with 29% of white households.

Why are so many Americans quitting their jobs?

9:59am October 19, 2021

by Greg Rosalsky

Americans are exiting their employers' doors and Zoom meetings in droves. In fact, 2.9% of the entire workforce quit their jobs in August, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell testifies during a House Financial Services Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 30. Powell's term expires early next year, and President Biden must decide whether to reappoint him.

What's at stake as Biden decides whether to stick with Jerome Powell as Fed chief

11:29am October 18, 2021

by Scott Horsley

President Biden has a big decision to make: Whether to reappoint Jerome Powell to a second term as Federal Reserve chairman or choose someone else for one of the world's most powerful economic jobs.

Economy

Behind-the-scenes workers in Hollywood avert a strike

7:16am October 18, 2021

Crew members in the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees have reached a deal. A strike would have shut down much of the film and TV production across the country.

Students at Patterson High School in Patterson, Calif., are participating in the one of the first truck-driving programs for students at a non-vocational high school in the country.

High schoolers are training to drive 18-wheelers amid a shortage of truck drivers

8:20pm October 16, 2021

by Jonathan Franklin

The trucking industry is short 68,000 drivers. By 2028, industry officials fear the number could jump to more than 100,000. A California high school allows seniors to learn trucking skills.

Why the U.S. is so unique in how it handles its debt

4:37pm October 15, 2021

Showdowns over the debt ceiling are basically an American tradition. But it wasn't always this way. The debt limit was originally supposed to make it easier for the government to spend money.