logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2022
29m 38s

The US Middle Class Is Doing Fine. Why A...

Bloomberg and iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

Hello and welcome to The Big Take Podcast!

Today: The good news, and not so good news, about the US middle class. With inflation rising, the stock market ping-ponging and housing prices softening, that broad swath of Americans who form the backbone of the US economy are getting hit on all sides. Bloomberg reporters Shawn Donnan, Alex Tanzi, Claire Ballentine and Airielle Lowe teamed up to take a look at how middle-income Americans are doing. The answer: Not so badly, actually–at least on paper.

Even so, they’re worried about what’s next for them. And they have good reason to be.

Shawn sits down with Wes to share the results from their exclusive polling and what these precarious economic times mean for the fortunes of working Americans.

Learn more about this story here: https://bloom.bg/3faCxwM

Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://bloom.bg/3F3EJAK 

Have questions or comments for Wes and the team? Reach us at bigtake@bloomberg.net.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Yesterday
How a 10-Minute Video Call Changed the Oil Market
OPEC+, a coalition of some of the world’s top oil producers, surprised markets over the weekend with plans to boost production by more than half a million barrels a day. The increase comes at a time when investors are worried about oversupply. So what was behind the decision? Blo ... Show More
14m 28s
Jul 8
China's Plans to Make AI a Utility
In a remote part of China's northwestern Xinjiang region, dozens of data centers rise from the desert. A Bloomberg analysis of investor and tax documents and company filings found Chinese companies plan to buy more than 115,000 high-tech Nvidia chips — chips the US has banned fro ... Show More
16m 9s
Jul 7
The White House Wanted ‘90 Deals in 90 Days.’ There’s One Day Left
In late April, shortly after President Trump’s announcement of sweeping reciprocal tariffs sent markets reeling, the White House announced a 90-day pause on when those tariffs would go into effect.That pause is about to end and while the Trump administration has announced a few t ... Show More
15m 46s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2021
The Economy Is Good. So Why Do We Feel Terrible About It?
The U.S. economy is doing better than many had anticipated. Some 80 percent of jobs lost during the pandemic have been regained, and people are making, and spending, more.But Americans seem to feel terrible about the financial outlook.Why the gap between reality and perception?Gu ... Show More
25m 12s
Jan 2024
If the economy’s doing better, why are the ‘vibes’ still off?
The American economy appears to be making a miraculous recovery from inflation and the pandemic. So why the bad economic vibes? Consumer sentiment is low, and the Biden administration is struggling to gain credit for dodging recession. The lessons from that could soon be felt her ... Show More
25m 52s
Apr 2024
Economists’ Expectations for the U.S. Economy
P.M. Edition for April 17. Economists raised their expectations for U.S. growth, inflation and the level of future interest rates in the latest WSJ quarterly survey. Markets and economics reporter Sam Goldfarb has more. Plus, Boeing’s quality issues take center stage at a congres ... Show More
12m 51s
May 2023
Money Talks: Why house prices are so stubbornly high
Housing in America has never been this unaffordable. The pandemic set off skyrocketing prices; then the Fed began to rapidly increase interest rates, pushing up borrowing costs. Many predicted this might result in a crash. But after dropping 10% from all-time highs, home prices i ... Show More
40m 3s
May 2023
Money Talks: Why house prices are so stubbornly high
Housing in America has never been this unaffordable. The pandemic set off skyrocketing prices; then the Fed began to rapidly increase interest rates, pushing up borrowing costs. Many predicted this might result in a crash. But after dropping 10% from all-time highs, home prices i ... Show More
40m 3s
Dec 2022
Checks and Balance: Broad stripes, bright stars
Less than a fifth of Americans are satisfied with the way things are going in the country. Poverty rates are rising and life expectancy is falling.  A majority think the economy is getting worse and that the world sees America unfavourably.  But amid the bleak metrics, there have ... Show More
44m 34s
Aug 2023
If The Economy Is So Good, Why Are People So Mad?
Inflation is way down, the U.S. is faring better than other major economies, and people broadly say their own personal financial situation is good. So why are people so down on the economy? This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, White House correspondent Tamara Keith, an ... Show More
10m 20s
May 2021
A Strange Moment for the U.S. Economy
Why is the economic recovery from the pandemic so uneven? Why are companies finding it hard to hire? And why are the prices of used cars surging?Recent economic reports have commentators scratching their heads. We dig into the theories behind this strange moment for the American ... Show More
33m 16s
Feb 2022
Did Democrats Make Inflation Worse?
Inflation in the United States has been getting worse. In December, prices were up 7 percent from the previous year — the fastest rise in 40 years. Americans feel terrible about the economy, imperiling the Democratic Party’s chances of holding on to power in Washington in this ye ... Show More
26m 19s
Jun 2022
Why Is It So Hard to Buy a House in America Right Now?
This episode contains strong language.When Drew Mena and Amena Sengal decided to relocate their young family from New York to Austin, Texas, they figured they’d have no problem.What they hadn’t realized was that, across the country, home prices — and competition to secure propert ... Show More
30m 52s