Latest from Jo Critcher

• Feb 20, 2023

  How could federal dollars transform American manufacturing?

  

  The American manufacturing sector is set to receive a huge deluge of funding in the coming years, thanks in large part to two major laws: the CHIPS Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. We spoke with Charlotte Howard, Executive Editor and New York Bureau Chief at The Economist, about what the laws could portend for the sector. President Biden is in Ukraine for a surprise visit, where he met with his counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky and announced new military aid. And, a view from Moldova, where Pro-Russian protests are causing instability for the country’s Western-aligned government. 

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• Feb 20, 2023

  The dark cost of tea farming in Kenya

  

  From the BBC World Service: A BBC investigation has uncovered widespread sexual abuse on tea farms which supply some of the world’s biggest international tea brands. Plus, the brewer Brewdog is expanding into China in a tie-up with Budweiser. And, we take a look at the economic implications of war in Ukraine on the eve of the first anniversary. Please be advised content featured in this podcast includes a story about sexual abuse that listeners may find difficult to hear or inappropriate for younger audiences.

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• Feb 17, 2023

  Consumers are really, really indebted

  

  A new report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York says credit card debt reached all-time highs at the end of 2022, around $986 billion in total. A look into why that matters, and what it says about the economy. As Turkey recovers from a devastating set of earthquakes that rocked the country’s southern region this month, questions are arising about a so-called “earthquake tax” that’s been in place since 2004. And, while revenue from online ads shrinks for giants like Meta and Alphabet, small businesses are keeping up their advertising campaigns.  

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• Feb 17, 2023

  The job market is sending mixed signals

  

  There have been some contradictory signs coming out of the job market in the past month — some big tech companies are announcing layoffs, but other places say they’re hiring lots of workers. We look into what to make of the wider labor market picture. It’s time for the renewal of the Farm Bill, the massive agricultural spending law, and Congressional Republicans are aiming to trim SNAP benefits, formerly known as food stamps. And, we talked to the head of a Pennsylvania department store that’s been open for 118 years. 

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• Feb 17, 2023

  How much will it cost to rebuild in Turkey and Syria?

  

  From the BBC World Service: After the United Nations launched a $1bn appeal to help those affected by the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria we speak to our reporter to find how much it will cost to rebuild the affected areas. We hear about a major Chinese businessman who has been reported missing, and we ask Manchester United fans who they want to buy their club with a deadline looming.

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• Feb 16, 2023

  Theatre jobs are still recovering from pandemic shocks

  

  Theatres were one set of businesses that were hit hardest by pandemic shutdowns, which forced many workers to be cut or furloughed. We check in with the Minneapolis-based Children’s Theatre Company to see how things are going. Today’s Producer Price Index data confirms what other recent inflation data is showing: rising prices aren’t slowing down nearly fast enough. And, a new report from the Congressional Budget Office says that the U.S. could default on its debt as soon as July should Congress fail to agree to raise the debt limit. 

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• Feb 16, 2023

  U.S. and China trade tit-for-tat sanctions amid balloon blowup

  

  China announced this morning that defense giant Lockheed Martin and a unit of Raytheon would go on a blacklist, which follows similar American moves last week. It’s the latest incident in the Chinese balloon saga that has seen the U.S.-China relationship sour further. The White House’s new standards for electric vehicle chargers could bring about new business opportunities. And, we check in with an egg farmer about how the industry is doing amid its recovery from a severe avian flu outbreak.

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• Feb 16, 2023

  In Nigeria, more money means more problems

  

  From the BBC World Service: Nigeria allows the use of old notes to ease new problems – for now. A plan to replace notes has been beset by problems with a scarcity of cash leading to riots in some cities. Our reporter explains the backdrop and we hear from those affected in Lagos. Plus, one of the world’s biggest chip companies says its intellectual property has been stolen. And, why New Zealand is struggling with a shortage of eggs.

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• Feb 15, 2023

  Consumers just keep on buying stuff

  

  The latest number on consumer spending are out this morning, and they indicate that people are continuing to buy stuff despite economic anxiety and inflation. Susan Schmidt walks us through what that could mean for rising prices. Meanwhile, at the Fed, central bankers are signaling that further interest rate hikes are needed after yesterday’s less-than-great inflation data. The EU is looking into using seized Russian assets to fund the rebuilding of Ukraine. And, the economic point of view from Rockwell Automation, a company that specializes in being a sort of “manufacturer for manufacturers.”

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• Feb 15, 2023

  There’s a new Space Race, and it’s private this time

  

  There’s a new race to the moon underway between private firms offering cargo-carrying services. This is just the beginning of a new age of space commercialization, says The Economist’s Tom Standage. The Securities and Exchange Commission is issuing new rules that tighten the window companies have to execute stock trades, which comes in response to the 2021 GameStop trading fiasco. And, natural gas firms, flush with profits, cut back hedging last year. 

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