Category: 4-FrequentNewsStreams

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments this morning in Trump v. Slaughter, a case that has broad implications for consumers and workers. The justices are considering whether the president has the power to fire the leaders of independent federal agencies — in this case, the Federal Trade Commission. Plus, we hear about data on consumers' AI use during holiday shopping and visit a Michigan wood factory that hires and houses employees in addiction recovery.

From the BBC World Service: The latest economic data from China shows that while exports to the U.S. crashed over the past year, China's towering annual trade surplus surpassed $1 trillion for the first time last month. The data reveals what economists and Chinese officials have said for a while now: Chinese manufacturers can find other buyers. Then, lawmakers in France's divided parliament have been at odds for weeks over the country's budget.

A new report from Stanford and Common Sense Media finds that more than half of U.S. teens use AI chatbots for companionship. But, according to Dr. Darja Djordjevic, an adolescent and adult psychiatrist who co-authored the research, the bots aren't equipped to provide the kind of emotional support young people need when dealing with a mental health issue.

Dr. Djordjevic and her team simulated conversations involving various mental health concerns with four of the most popular consumer chatbots and identified several risks; chiefly, their tendency to be sycophantic. A note, this conversation mentions suicide and self-harm.

White House envoys met again with Ukrainian officials on Saturday to discuss Trump’s proposed path to peace. The administration’s national security strategy released this week says ending the war in Ukraine is a “core” U.S. interest, reflecting a shift from the stance of previous administrations, including Trump’s first term. John Yang speaks with the Atlantic Council’s Matthew Kroenig for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Saturday, Arab leaders gathering in Qatar said it’s time to move forward on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire, newly released 911 calls shed light on the desperation felt during July’s flash floods in Texas, the family of a National Guard member shot near the White House said they’re optimistic about his recovery, and the countdown to the Winter Olympics in Italy has begun. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Small business owners know affordability is top-of-mind for their customers. But as margins grow narrower, keeping prices as-is isn’t always possible. In this episode, we hear from a few small business owners about how they’re balancing cash-strapped shoppers and rising costs. Plus: The potential Netflix-Warner Bros deal could mean less variety for viewers, Midwestern farmers hope to carve out a market for local oats, and a discussion of the week’s economic headlines.

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As another holiday season kicked off on Black Friday, finding the perfect gift is top of mind for many. But how much will weary American consumers be willing to spend this year? Based on early data … it’s a lot! Marketplace’s Kristin Schwab joins Kimberly to explain why the K-shaped economy may explain the contradiction and why AI is making its way into Americans’ shopping habits. Plus, we’ll play a round of Half Full/Half Empty!

Here’s what we talked about on the show today:

• ”September retail sales fail to impress” from Marketplace
• ”Black Friday, Cyber Monday spending expected to top records” from Marketplace
• ”Black Friday Sales Spike Despite Economic Uncertainty, Study Shows—Here’s Why” from Forbes
• “‘Tis the season for credit card debt” from Marketplace
• ”How are retailers benefiting from the "buy now, pay later" boom?” from Marketplace
• ”What is your Spotify listening age?” from Marketplace
• ”More than 8 in 10 Americans are more likely to purchase secondhand gifts this year” from Retail Brew
• ”Target Launches New AI-Powered Features to Make Holiday Shopping Easier, Smarter and More Fun” from PR Newswire

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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson battles alders over a competing budget proposal. Northwestern agrees to pay $75 million in a deal with the federal government. A new independent candidate enters the race for retiring Congressman Chuy Garcia’s seat. Gov. Pritzker signs legislation allowing Illinois to set its own vaccination guidelines. In the Loop breaks down those stories and more with Axios Chicago reporter Carrie Shepherd, WTTW Chicago politics reporter Heather Cherone and Chicago Sun-Times politics reporter Mitchell Armentrout. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

How wired into your brain are tech companies? Spotify offers us a clue. The streaming company runs its Spotify Wrapped marketing campaign every December, taking user data and AI to create a personalized year-in-review for every listener — and it's an incredibly effective marketing move that consumers want to be a part of. Also: a preview of the last Fed meeting of the year and a manufacturing CEO's thoughts on tariffs and factory activity.

Following a fierce bidding war, Netflix announced this morning that it’s buying Warner Bros. Discovery in a deal worth more than $82 billion. The deal still has to be approved by regulators, and some lawmakers are already raising antitrust concerns. We learn more. Then, as part of our lunar economy mini-series, we hear what a lack of private interest oversight could mean for an economy beyond the clouds.

Note: This morning’s podcast has been updated following the official announcement of a Netflix-Warner Bros. deal.