logo
episode-header-image
May 2021
33m 16s

A Strange Moment for the U.S. Economy

The New York Times
About this episode
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 economy. Guest: Ben Casselman, an economics and business reporter for The New ... Show More
Up next
Yesterday
The Fight Tearing Apart Silicon Valley
For years, a debate has been simmering in Silicon Valley over the right way to build artificial intelligence. Should it be open and free for anyone to use, or should we tightly control how it’s made and who can access it? Mike Isaac, who covers technology for The New York Times, ... Show More
26m 51s
Jul 30
Europe Is Burning
This summer, wildfires have been raging across Europe. France and Spain have been hit particularly badly, with hundreds of thousands of acres incinerated and entire communities devastated. Chico Harlan, the global climate correspondent for The New York Times, and Mark Landler, th ... Show More
29m 49s
Jul 29
Israel, AIPAC and Difficult Questions for Democrats
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a pro-Israel lobbying group known as AIPAC, has spent a record amount of money in this year’s midterm elections to either oust or support candidates based on their support of Israel. Jonathan Mahler, a writer for The New York Times Ma ... Show More
39m 30s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2022
The Economy Is Weird Right Now
Unemployment in the United States is near record lows, wages are growing quickly, and spending in the service sector is increasing as the pandemic lulls.But there's also some worrying news: more job openings than people who want to fill them, global economic uncertainty stemming ... Show More
14m 25s
Jul 2023
A different way to understand the US economy
<p>Under “normal” circumstances, economists and analysts study a variety of specific indicators to understand what’s happening with the US economy. But lately, those indicators have been sending&nbsp;mixed signals. The FT’s US financial commentator Robert Armstrong explains why t ... Show More
22m 21s
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
Aug 2025
What's Really Happening with the US Economy?
While the White House claims the US economy is booming, recent data indicates otherwise, with one report in particular fueling concerns about a weak job market. In response, President Trump fired the person responsible for producing the numbers he claims were "rigged." So what's ... Show More
56m 13s
Mar 2025
The 'Uncertainty' Economy
“It feels like the economy is gagging on the uncertainty." That's what Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, told CNN’s Kate Bolduan earlier this week, referring to not just tariffs but taxes, immigration and federal budget cuts. And we're about to get a brand new rea ... Show More
46m 32s
Mar 2023
Yes, This Economy Is Confusing
The past few weeks have been head spinning: U.S. job numbers? Solid... except for those layoffs in the tech sector. Inflation? Slowly dropping... but still high. Not to mention the bank failures...   It all has made us wonder: Why was it so hard for economists to predict this? Wh ... Show More
26m 29s