Marketplace Morning Report

From the Rolling Stones to Bonnie Raitt and Dolly Parton, there are plenty of septuagenarians creating new, quality works. These performers are redefining “oldies but goodies,” but what can they teach us about prospects for an economy with an aging population? We rock out a bit, then discuss. Also on the show: Sweden’s Ericsson sees a win over Finland’s Nokia, and Moody’s issues a negative outlook for China’s government debt.

A tax case over $15,000 that could rewrite the U.S. tax code goes before the Supreme Court today. We’ll parse the arguments, politics and implications of it all, including what a ruling could mean for a potential wealth tax. Then, we’ll hear how Chinese property giant Evergrande avoided liquidation this week and what Mark Cuban’s sale of the Dallas Mavericks could mean for gambling in Texas.

From the BBC World Service: Moody’s, the rating agency, has changed China’s government credit outlook from stable to negative due to debt fears and lower growth forecasts. And, one year on, have sanctions from the European Union and G7 stop oil money flowing to Russia? Then, a former Tesla employee says he believes the company’s self-driving tech isn’t fit for public roads.

The use of buy now, pay later services hit an all-time high this past Cyber Monday. Consumers spent $940 million online using BNPL, which they’ve continued coming back to as high inflation and credit card interest rates strain budgets. We dig into the risks these services carry. Plus, we hear about the latest rounds of layoffs at Spotify and some of the hurdles to HIV-prevention medication uptake.

As the global climate change summit COP28 continues, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is calling for changes to how properties are insured in the face of climate change. Insurers are already pulling out in parts of California and Florida, but what exactly would reforms to the industry look like? Then, Venezuela votes to claim part of oil-rich Guyana, and self-driving cars face quite a number of roadblocks.

From the BBC World Service: In its third round of job layoffs this year, Swedish music-streaming giant Spotify says it’s cutting 1,500 jobs, or 17% of its workforce. Plus, we look at why the president of COP28 is in hot water over his comments on the science of reducing global heating. And in the United Kingdom, there’s a black market for so-called “skinny jabs” — knock-off versions of weight loss drugs.

The band Kiss will play what it’s calling its last ever show this weekend in New York City. Thing is, the band has said farewell before — on a tour more than 20 years ago. Turns out, saying (or kissing) goodbye is a big business. Also on the show: Meta’s lawsuit against the FTC, a big month for bonds and a fund for climate change impacts.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speaks later today, after other Fed officials have been particularly chatty. This is before a quiet period that precedes the next meeting on interest rates this month. What sort of economic portrait have they been painting? Then, OPEC+ essentially maintains the status quo and we look at some of the barriers to accessing and affording HIV-prevention medication PrEP.

From the BBC World Service: Germany is looking at an $18 billion gap in next year’s budget because of a court decision last week on a German fiscal rule known as the debt brake. Then, Brazil says it’s deploying military reinforcements to its northern border, as tensions rise between its neighbors Venezuela and Guyana over a disputed oil-rich region. And later: a look at the big business of advent calendars.

Consumer Reports is out with a survey finding that EV owners had roughly 80% more problems than owners of conventional vehicles. Key problems included issues with charging and batteries. To the start the show, we parse out findings of the report. Then, chief marketers worry about the prospects of a recession (yet again) and music service Mdundo eyes growth in Africa.

We’re in the thick of holiday shopping season. But as companies compete for consumer dollars and distinguish themselves through advertising, they’re taking inflation into account and trying to play to customer emotions. Plus, X’s Elon Musk has some choice words for boycotting advertisers, and celebrities face potential liabilities when promoting financial investments.

From the BBC World Service: The appointment of the COP28 summit’s president, Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber, has been controversial, as he’s also the CEO of Abu Dhabi’s state oil company. We take a closer examination. Then, the European Commissioner for Competition, who has taken on tech giants like Alphabet and Amazon, speaks to us about AI regulation. And as African music has gained global popularity in recent years, Kenya-based music service Mdundo aims to double its 25 million monthly users.

Charlie Munger, business partner to Warren Buffett and vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, died on Tuesday at the age of 99. Today, we look back at the wisdom and humor of the Oracle of Omaha’s right-hand man. Plus, the U.S. economy grew faster than we thought, and China makes a bet on green energy. Also: a refresher on campaign finances rules.

It’ll be one year this week since ChatGPT was released to the public. While there was handwringing about waves of jobs being replaced by bots, that hasn’t quite happened. We’ll take a look at how human workers are using generative AI (or not). We’ll also hear why home prices in Detroit have surged and how a Supreme Court case could upend how the Securities and Exchange Commission does business.

From the BBC World Service: Over 10 years ago, Uber shook up the United Kingdom’s taxi scene. Now, the company says it will open up its platform to London’s black cabs early next year. Plus, 41 Indian construction workers have been rescued from a collapsed tunnel in the Himalayas after being stuck for 17 days. Then, China is positioning itself to dominate the global supply of green technology.

The weeks around Thanksgiving and Christmas are often some of the busiest times of the year for food banks. And demand is up this year, as holiday expenses compound the stress that inflation and the end of pandemic-related federal benefits have placed on household budgets. Also on the program: a fast fashion IPO and a first for sustainable aviation.

If you couldn’t make it to some of the biggest concerts of the year, no problem. Beyoncé’s Renaissance film comes out this Friday, which follows Taylor Swift’s highly popular Eras Tour film. The flicks provide another boost to the artists but also give movie theaters the chance to profit off of ticket sales and themed food or merchandise. Also: hopes for Giving Tuesday and a preview of holiday toy sales.

From the BBC World Service: The first transatlantic flight powered only by what’s being called “sustainable aviation fuel” is due to take off from London today. Plus, a Swedish court has ruled that the country’s transport authority has to find a way to get license plates to Tesla, because postal workers are on strike. Then, TikTok’s owner ByteDance says it’s downsizing its gaming division.

Many of the world’s biggest economies have agreed to non-binding safety standards for artificial intelligence. While the joint guidelines address cybersecurity, they don’t extend to key issues like economic disruptions or potential threats to humanity. We dig into what this means as governments struggle to keep up with the pace of AI development. Plus, nothing like a U.N. climate summit for pitching expanded oil and gas deals.

The United Nations’ annual climate summit, COP28, will kick off in Dubai later this week. Government and private-sector leaders will convene to outline steps to curb emissions and limit the impacts of global warming. What are some of the things we’ll be looking for? But first, we’ll unpack Black Friday sales and give a preview of Cyber Monday spending. Also: more problems in China’s rocky financial sector.