Economy Apr 12 Why corporations are reaping record profits with inflation on the rise Despite rising inflation, major U.S. corporations are reporting record profits, as companies pass rising supply-chain costs onto consumers. Economics correspondent Paul Solman explores whether concentrated market power is contributing to inflation.
Economy Apr 08 Conventional economists sound alarm over cryptocurrency’s volatility There are now thousands of cryptocurrencies, and every day it seems a new non-fungible token, or NFT, is marketed. But is “digital mania” just another historic bubble bound to burst? Our economics correspondent Paul Solman explores the digital asset boom.
Arts Apr 03 Legendary musician Daryl Hall brings ‘timeless quality’ back to the stage Daryl Hall, a giant of the music industry who is best known for being one-half of the iconic group Hall & Oates, is now 75 and still trying to make his fans' "dreams come true." And with a new tour…
Economy Feb 09 How rising prices are squeezing Americans who were already on a tight budget Many economists believe the spike in prices is going to be quite high compared to a year ago, while inflation's bite has been particularly pronounced on some groups of Americans. That includes seniors living on fixed incomes and millennials who…
Nation Jan 10 Political polarization prompts efforts to bridge the gap through shared experiences PBS NewsHour spent much of last week trying to examine what still divides our country and the deep polarization that preceded the Jan. 6 riots. Now, Paul Solman looks at multiple efforts to bridge those major political and cultural fissures…
Economy Dec 28 Why lumber costs fluctuated drastically during the pandemic, and how it affects inflation Home prices and rents have gone up this year. That’s in part because of the increase in the cost of lumber. Could the wild swings in the price of wood over the past two years be a sign of inflation…
Economy Nov 11 Trump-era Opportunity Zones meant to help low-income communities exploited by investors Former President Donald Trump's 2017 tax plan created Opportunity Zones — a program of tax incentives to encourage investment in low-income communities. But as Paul Solman reports, that program has not necessarily spurred economic growth and jobs in distressed communities…
Education Oct 26 Jobs requiring college degrees disqualify most U.S. workers — especially workers of color It has long been a given that a four-year college degree is a prerequisite for moving up the economic ladder in the U.S. But for others, that requirement is having unintended consequences, including negatively affecting their mental health. Paul Solman…
Economy Sep 27 Why trade jobs are unpopular, and how low-wage workers can get better opportunities As the American economy recovers from the worst impacts of the pandemic, questions remain about the labor force and the problems that plagued the economy even prior to the start of COVID-19. In the eighth and final installment of our…
Nation Jul 15 How the pandemic drove rents higher and made housing inequality worse The pandemic uprooted thousands of people, leaving a glut of luxury apartments available in cities at the same time it undercut the earning potential of renters in the middle class. Due to the economic pressure of eviction moratoriums coupled with…