Marketplace

U.S. gross domestic product grew at a 3.2% annual rate in the fourth quarter of last year, demonstrating the persistent strength of the economy. America is an outlier — at least for now — among world economies that have hiked interest rates to quell inflation. Plus: Some New York office towers are being repurposed and repopulated as apartment buildings, airlines are expanding routes between smaller cities and analysts say consolidation could settle the streaming wars.

The U.S. saw a boom in “entry level” homes for young couples post-World War II. Today’s housing market, and first-time homeownership, may be unrecognizable from the vantage point of the 1950s. In this episode, a look at the origins of starter homes and how sales agents are reframing the homebuying timeline. Plus, Macy’s announces a major pivot, CEO turnover cranks up and durable goods orders reveal where businesses stand on expansion.

The Oxford English Dictionary’s word of 2023 is “rizz” — as in charming, skilled at wooing, cha-rizz-matic. Not a concept most people would apply to monetary policy. In this episode, economists weigh in on how the past 12 months have gone for the Federal Reserve’s mission, in just one word. Plus, car insurance costs more than it used to, solar and wind power may surpass the use of coal in the U.S. next year and a California startup fixes EV charging stations.

The theme of this year’s Federal Reserve symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is “Structural Shifts in the Global Economy.” Today, we ask a handful of economists who aren’t sitting around the campfire with Jay Powell to weigh in. Then: Just half of CEOs see climate change as a threat to their business. And later: Could teaching more women poker narrow the boardroom gender gap?

Jobs in office support (think custodians, security guards) grew just 2.6% in 2023, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report tracking employment in different sectors. That may reflect a sluggish return to in-person work more than growth in the sector. In this episode, the office support ecosystem. Plus, Baltimore will use blockchain tech to battle vacant homes, teen employment hits a 14-year high and importers struggle with price spikes.