Economy

An Iranian woman walks past the former U.S. Embassy in Tehran, which bears a mural depicting the Statue of Liberty with a dead face. With just days to go until the U.S. plans to snap more sanctions back into place, questions linger about what the move spe

U.S. Is About To Reinstate Iran Sanctions. Here's What That Means

8:33pm November 02, 2018

Come Monday, the Trump administration plans to restore the full measure of sanctions that were lifted with the Iran nuclear deal. You probably have questions about the situation. We have answers.

Economy

How Companies Cope (With A Tight Labor Market)

3:58pm November 02, 2018

Wage growth has (finally) been accelerating, but what else are companies doing to bid for workers?

Job seekers line up at a technology fair in Los Angeles in March. Analysts projected the unemployment rate stayed at a nearly 50-year low of 3.7 percent in October.

What To Look For In The Last Jobs Report Before The Elections

6:43pm November 01, 2018

by John Ydstie

The midterm elections are days away, and Friday's jobs report will give voters a final glimpse of the strength of the economy. A key recurring question: Is wage growth finally picking up?

Economy

Why Ecuador Uses The Dollar

4:35pm November 01, 2018

One of our youngest listeners asked us why Ecuador changed its currency to U.S. dollars, so we found out!

Chinese Yuan Continues To Tumble In Value Against U.S. Dollar

5:35pm October 31, 2018

by Jim Zarroli

This makes Chinese goods imported to the U.S. cheaper and offsets the impact of President Trump's tariffs. At the same time, the stronger dollar makes it harder for U.S. companies to export to China.

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Engraving from a series of images titled "The Great Yellow Fever Scourge — Incidents Of Its Horrors In The Most Fatal District Of The Southern States."

How Yellow Fever Turned New Orleans Into The 'City Of The Dead'

5:35pm October 31, 2018

by Leah Donnella

Some years the virus would wipe out a tenth of the population, earning New Orleans the nickname "Necropolis." The gruesome disease killed thousands, scapegoated immigrants and upheld white supremacy.

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Economy

Paranormal Profits

4:50pm October 31, 2018

Horror movies are good business. Scary good. They are more likely to be profitable than any other kind of movie. Today on the show, we look at why.

China Tests A 'Social Credit Score'

5:00am October 31, 2018

China is testing a new plan to make it easier for citizens do business, but also to help them trust each other more. It's called the social credit score.

Economy

The Best Day For Payday

4:02pm October 30, 2018

by Paddy Hirsch

Weekly, biweekly, or every month — which payday makes the most sense?

Economy

Is It Time For The Fed To Say Goodbye To The Phillips Curve Theory?

7:41pm October 29, 2018

by John Ydstie

The U.S. economy is in a sweet spot, with unemployment at a near 50-year low and an inflation rate that's low and stable. But that combination — low unemployment and low inflation — has economists at the Fed wondering if a theory they've had about how the economy works is still relevant.

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