Economy

Economy

Goodbye Jobs, Hello 'Gigs': How One Word Sums Up A New Economic Reality

9:56am January 12, 2016

by Geoff Nunberg

Once used by '50s hipsters to connote a no-strings-attached job, "gig" has been co-opted by venture capitalists hyping the new economic order. Linguist Geoff Nunberg reflects on the word's resurgence.

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NPR's Weekend in Washington session at the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 31, 2015.

Economy

Richard Thaler: Why Most Economists Might As Well Be Studying Unicorns

12:01am January 12, 2016

by NPR Staff

Shankar Vedantam talks to Richard Thaler — father of behavioral economics and author of Misbehaving -- about why we so often fail to act the way we should and how marshmallows can predict the future.

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State Of The Obama Economy: Far Better, But Still With Many Troubles

6:48pm January 11, 2016

by Marilyn Geewax

The economy has improved dramatically in the Obama era. But problems still abound because of the soaring national debt, a deformed tax code, shrunken paychecks and a growing skills gap.

More than 300,000 California teachers are represented by unions like the California Teachers Association, seen here protesting proposed budget cuts in 2011. Nine percent of those California teachers have not joined the union, but under state law, any unio

Is It Fair To Have To Pay Fees To A Union You Don't Agree With?

5:45pm January 11, 2016

by Nina Totenberg

At the Supreme Court on Monday, union opponents are seeking to reverse a 1977 decision that allows public employee unions to collect fees from those who don't join the union but are protected by it.

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Global Financial Markets Are Poised For Another Turbulent Week

5:18am January 11, 2016

by Jim Zarroli

After a volatile week in China last week, global markets are braced for more chaos with hopes that healthy U.S. employment numbers may improve the climate.

How $220M Changed A Lottery Winner

8:15am January 10, 2016

NPR's Rachel Martin spoke with Brad Duke a few years ago about his $220 million lottery win in 2005. We called him back this week because numbers for the biggest Powerball jackpot were drawn Saturday.

A Historic Start: Economic Ups And Downs

1:07pm January 09, 2016

by Chris Arnold

2016 so far has brought the worst first-week-of-the-year in stock market history. Fears over trouble in China caused worldwide mayhem in markets. But, the U.S. got an encouraging employment report.

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The Employment Outlook For 2016 Is Looking Much Brighter

6:13pm January 08, 2016

by Marilyn Geewax

The Labor Department's latest jobs report provided reassurance that the domestic economy is on track for 2016. That was welcome news, given all of the gloomy reports coming out of China.

Advocates For Unemployed Americans Hope Job Growth Reduces Poverty

5:28pm January 08, 2016

NPR's Kelly McEvers talks with president and CEO of the Center for Work Education and Employment Laurie Harvey, who hopes more jobs will pull people out of poverty.

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Amid Chinese Uncertainty, U.S. Economy Shows Strength With Jobs Report

4:31pm January 08, 2016

by John Ydstie

After a frightening week for global financial markets, the U.S. economy showed real strength on Friday when the Labor Department released the December jobs report. It showed employers added 292,000 jobs, which is a strong number.