Latest from Jo Critcher

• Dec 21, 2022

  Europe’s car industry urges President Biden to keep its sales numbers safe

  

  From the BBC World Service: European car manufacturers are asking President Biden to make sure subsidies for U.S. made electric vehicles don’t end up harming their sales. UK ambulance workers go on strike over pay, with people being warned their emergency calls may not be answered. Plus the Australian foreign minister, Penny Wong, is in China for talks after several years of diplomatic tension.

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• Dec 20, 2022

  The creators of “Fortnite” agree to pay an epic price

  

  Epic Games will be paying more than $500 million to settle claims from the Federal Trade Commission that say the company violated the privacy protections of kids and fooled players into making in-game purchases. Michael Schumacher of Wells Fargo Securities talks rising interest rates and the bank of Japan. Also, female truckers have a bone to pick with Facebook.

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• Dec 20, 2022

  Teachable economic moments found in a holiday classic

  

  First, a $1.7 trillion spending bill could help avoid a partial government shutdown. The movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” carries a little of bit of economic history, which we dive into.

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• Dec 20, 2022

  Russia reacts to E.U. gas cap

  

  From the BBC World Service: Russia has described the European Union’s cap on the price of gas as “an unacceptable market attack”. The limit was agreed in response to soaring energy bills caused by Russia’s war on Ukraine. Plus North Korea has criticized Japan’s decision to double its defense spending. And European traders at the Christmas markets in northern England tell us about how they’re coping with the challenges of soaring inflation and Brexit regulations.

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• Dec 19, 2022

  Consumers still spending under the cloud of recession talk

  

  Despite economists’ speculation about a recession and some signs of caution from consumers, Julia Coronado of MacroPolicy Perspectives notes that the broad data still looks solid. Elsewhere, the market for single-family homes looks to be slowing. The BBC offers up a tale about the role of the transistor radio in regions of the world that aren’t covered by the blanket of internet and smartphones.

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• Dec 19, 2022

  Twitter users have spoken. Most of them want Elon Musk out.

  

  This is according to a poll from the billionaire … will he follow suit? Also, we tell you what things to look for if you’re worried about a recession. The BBC reports on a biodiversity summit in Canada.

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• Dec 19, 2022

  Brand Messi to go “stratospheric” after World Cup win

  

  From the BBC World Service: Argentina are soccer’s new world champions, and their star forward Lionel Messi’s marketing power is about to go through the roof, according to one of the industry’s biggest figures. Also today, a first trade visit by Australia’s foreign minister to China in three years, and the BBC World Service celebrates its 90th birthday.

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• Dec 16, 2022

  Special: The Transistor at 75

  

  The future began 75 years ago with the invention of something small that’s now considered the most manufactured item in human history and the biggest thing since fire. This is a Marketplace special report on the birth of the transistor, which happened in New Jersey on Dec. 16, 1947 at Bell Telephone Laboratories. Bell Labs was at that time the research arm of the telephone monopoly AT&T. But what were the other ingredients needed for this place to become a hotspot for innovation? Why did it take years for the transistor to find a home inside the first commercial pocket radio? How did the transistor contribute to the rise of Silicon Valley? Transistors defined the last half of the 20th century and nearly the first quarter of the century we live in now. We spent some time exploring the ecosystems of innovation that created this world.

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• Dec 16, 2022

  Could “Avatar: The Way of Water” show a way forward for the U.S. and China?

  

  Christopher Low pores over the markets with us. A recent study further illustrates how young adults are handling debt. Jennifer Pak discusses how the “Avatar” sequel could improve relations between the U.S. and China.

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• Dec 16, 2022

  Happy birthday to the transistor

  

  Congress is trying to get TikTok banned in the U.S. over cybersecurity concerns. The final part of our series on the transistor chronicles how two men – one from Egypt, the other from Korea – became key figures in its development. 

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