Economy

Teri Smith is one of over 130,000 workers who shop for and deliver groceries for Instacart. Smith, 46, has worked for Instacart in Arlington, Texas, since August 2018.

At The Mercy Of An App: Workers Feel The Instacart Squeeze

6:35pm November 25, 2019

by Alina Selyukh

The grocery-delivery app faces a new wave of discontent. Working for an algorithm means tweaks can upend a livelihood — and being a faster, nicer, more experienced worker doesn't guarantee better pay.

Queue Listen Now

Brokerage giant Charles Schwab said Monday it will acquire competitor TD Ameritrade in an all-stock transaction valued at $26 billion. A Schwab office in Oakland, Calif., is seen here.

Charles Schwab To Buy TD Ameritrade, Creating Brokerage Behemoth

2:35pm November 25, 2019

by Laurel Wamsley

Changes are rippling through the financial services market as trade fees drop to zero. The merger will likely attract antitrust scrutiny, as the combined firms will hold $5 trillion in client assets.

What Do Billionaires Owe The Rest Of Us?

12:56pm November 25, 2019

Questions like these come up as the public contemplates a wealth tax.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., are proposing to forgive student debt for most Americans. They greet each other at a Democratic primary debate in July.

Forgiving Student Debt Would Boost Economy, Economists Say

11:32am November 25, 2019

by Chris Arnold

Democratic presidential candidates want to obliterate student debt. Economists say that could help with income inequality, but it would come with a big price tag and risks.

Queue Listen Now

Why Cash Aid Distributions Have A Beneficial Ripple Effect

8:04am November 25, 2019

by Nurith Aizenman

Research suggests the most effective way to help poor people can be to give them no strings attached cash. A new study finds even neighbors who don't get the aid benefit from a big ripple effect.

Queue Listen Now

'Broke': How Detroit Residents Maneuvered The City's Bankruptcy

7:57am November 25, 2019

NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to bankruptcy expert Jodie Adams Kirshner about how Detroit residents have navigated life during and after the city's bankruptcy. Kirshner's new book is called Broke.

Queue Listen Now

Demographer Unpacks Why Fewer Americans Are Moving

5:02pm November 23, 2019

Americans are moving and relocating less than any time on record. NPR's Michel Martin speaks with demographer William Frey about the trend and what it says about the economy.

Economy

Democrats Talk Housing Affordability

7:54am November 23, 2019

House affordability was a topic in the last Democratic presidential debate. Economist Robert Shiller talks with NPR's Scott Simon about the affordability problem across the U.S.

It's unclear whether President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping can come to a trade deal. A new bill supporting Hong Kong protesters could complicate talks.

President Trump Waffles On Hong Kong Democracy Bill Amid China Trade Talks

6:04pm November 22, 2019

by Scott Horsley

President Trump says he stands with democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong. But he stopped short of pledging support for a pro-Hong Kong bill, saying it could complicate trade talks with China.

Queue Listen Now

Economy

Low Mobility Rate Has Consequences For Families And The Economy

7:39am November 22, 2019

by Scott Horsley

More Americans are staying put than ever before. The Census Bureau reported this week that the mobility rate has fallen to its lowest level on record — about half the rate of three decades ago.

Queue Listen Now