Business

John Combs is a "people greeter" at a Walmart in Vancouver, Wash. But he has been told that come April 25, his job is going away. And he is not alone.

National

Walmart Is Eliminating Greeters. Workers With Disabilities Feel Targeted

6:30pm February 25, 2019

by Alina Selyukh

NPR has found that Walmart is changing the job requirements for front-door greeters in a way that appears to disproportionately affect workers with disabilities.

Economy

Payday Loans And Debt Traps

4:51pm February 25, 2019

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced payday regulations would be delayed. We look at the business of payday loans, and what it's like to get into a debt cycle with payday lenders.

When Kelly O'Brien went to work at Fidelity Investments a year and a half ago, she was excited to learn the company would contribute to her student loan payments.

A New Benefit: Some Companies Help Workers Pay Down Student Loans

11:56am February 25, 2019

by Yuki Noguchi

Some employers are offering benefits that pay down student loans. They say it's a popular way to recruit younger workers who are struggling with college debt.

Queue Listen Now

U.S. and Chinese trade negotiators meeting in Washington, D.C. last week. Citing progress in the talks, President Trump said he would suspend a planning increase in tariffs on Chinese goods due to take effect on March 1.

Trump Suspends China Tariff Hike, Citing Progress In Trade Talks

6:51pm February 24, 2019

by Scott Horsley

President Trump has suspended a planned increase in tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars in Chinese imports, after what he called "very productive" trade talks in Washington this weekend.

Economy

Small Business Owner On Trump's Tariffs And Trade With China

10:53am February 24, 2019

NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks with Tiffany Williams about how President Trump's tariffs are affecting her business. She's the co-owner of a luggage shop in Lubbock, Texas.

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National

Hollywood Culture Post-Weinstein

5:27pm February 23, 2019

Just in time for Oscar weekend, NPR's Michel Martin speaks with Kim Masters, editor-at-large of The Hollywood Reporter, about the culture in Hollywood post-Harvey Weinstein.

Economy

Unsung Economists #1: Sadie Alexander

5:58pm February 22, 2019

Sadie Alexander was the first African-American to earn a PhD in economics. We think her contributions deserve another look.

Kraft Heinz Shares Down After Disappointing Fourth Quarter Results

5:51pm February 22, 2019

by Alina Selyukh

Kraft Heinz shares went down nearly 30 percent Friday after an announcement of disappointing fourth quarter results. The company did a $15 billion write down on the value of two marquee brands.

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President Trump Ends Another Round Of Trade Negotiations With China

5:20pm February 22, 2019

by Scott Horsley

President Trump met with the vice premier of China on Friday, capping another round of high-stakes trade negotiations. The countries face a self-imposed deadline next week to strike a deal.

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Sen. Estes Kefauver, D-Tenn., (left) and Sen. Everett Dirksen, R-Ill., (second from left) clashed at the reopening of a Senate drug investigation in 1960 over whether witnesses could be forced to reveal business secrets while testifying.

Health & Safety

Senate Inquiry On Drug Prices Echoes Landmark Hearings Held 60 Years Ago

4:42pm February 22, 2019

by Jay Hancock

A Senate hearing on Tuesday featuring pharmaceutical executives will tackle many issues raised in the historic Kefauver hearings, which led to tougher drug regulation. High prices remain a concern.