ECONOMY

How Trump's Immigration Plans Affect The Economy

7:41am March 04, 2017

Parts of the stock market have reached record highs since Donald Trump took office. NPR's Scott Simon talks to Bloomberg View's Joe Nocera about how immigration restrictions could affect the economy.

Farmer Georges Kouamé Koffi holding two cocoa pods. Chocolate is made from the almond-sized cocoa beans contained in the pods.

A Dip In Global Prices Creates Cocoa Crisis For Ivory Coast's Farmers

4:46pm March 03, 2017

by Alex Duval Smith

Ivory coast is the world's largest cocoa producer. But a bumper crop combined with a fall in the global demand for chocolate and a dip in cocoa prices are hurting the country's cocoa farmers.

Trader Richard Cohen wears a "Dow 21,000" cap as he works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday.

The Soaring Stock Market And Your Nest Egg

4:46pm March 03, 2017

by Chris Arnold

Stocks continue to be on an absolute tear lately, with the Dow topping 21,000. Investors wonder if the bulls will keep running. Experts offer tips on what to keep in mind and whose advice to trust.

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Republicans Plan To Roll Back Dodd-Frank Financial Regulations

5:22pm March 02, 2017

by Charles Lane

Republicans in Congress plan to roll back parts of Dodd-Frank, the legislation Congress passed after the financial crisis. They say doing so would ease regulatory burdens on small banks. But the plan also eases rules on big banks — the ones that caused the financial crisis.

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Tyler Cowen argues, in his new book The Complacent Class, that Americans are in a period of stagnation because we are doing less and less of what made us successful in the past: embracing change, moving to different parts of the country and associating wi

America's 'Complacent Class': How Self-Segregation Is Leading To Stagnation

1:15pm March 02, 2017

by Heidi Glenn

Economist and author Tyler Cowen worries that Americans' desire to keep changing has gone away. "The forward march of progress," he says, "is not the main story today."

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A campaign sign for President Trump and Vice President Pence hangs on a desk while traders work before the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange the day after the 2016 election.

While Trump Touts Stock Market, Many Americans Are Left Out Of The Conversation

7:14pm March 01, 2017

by Danielle Kurtzleben

About half of Americans own stock, though most stocks are owned by the wealthiest. For many, a booming stock market does not offer direct benefits.

Eduardo Cortes (right) and Jose Martinez Cruzado examining one of the cocoa trees that Cruzado is growing for Cortes's company.

Reviving Puerto Rico's Cocoa Farms, Centuries After Hurricanes Destroyed Them

5:30pm March 01, 2017

by Dan Charles

Cocoa plantations in Puerto Rico were wiped out centuries ago. Now, local pride and the sheer love of chocolate are bringing back local cocoa.

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Ray Meyer, Annica Trotter and Brian and Jennifer Barfield all were looking for work in 2011. Six years later, they are in different places and have different opinions on what they hope President Trump will say during Tuesday night's address.

What 4 Voters Want To Hear From President Trump In His Address

5:34pm February 28, 2017

by Tamara Keith

Three voted for Trump, one did not. The St. Louis residents all battled to come back from job losses in the wake of the Great Recession, and that experience shaped their view of the new president.

Vegetables were rationed at supermarkets in the U.K. due to poor weather conditions in Europe. Here, lettuce, broccoli and zucchini were rationed at a Tesco store in London.

In U.K., A Veggie Shortage Inspires Funny Headlines And Serious Thoughts

3:10pm February 28, 2017

by Maanvi Singh

Bad weather in southern Europe caused a brief shortage of veggies in the U.K. Prices went up and people panicked. Now they are thinking harder about where their food comes from.

What 4 Voters Want To Hear From President Trump In His Address

2:05pm February 28, 2017

by Tamara Keith

Three voted for Trump, one did not. The St. Louis residents all battled to come back from job losses in the wake of the Great Recession, and that experience shaped their view of the new president.