Marketplace

It’s an interesting time in the American capital markets. Specifically, for stocks. The major indexes have been at or near record highs after trending up for more than a decade. But as we’ve said before, and we’ll surely say again: The stock market is not the economy. For today’s installment of “Kai Explains,” we’ll dig into what it is and isn’t. Plus: Why the Trump administration would want to curb American investment in Chinese firms, and how Amazon’s HQ2 could reshape Arlington, Virginia’s economy.

We say it over and over: Keep an eye on the bond market. But it can be hard to know what the “10-year T-note” even is, much less what it tells us about the economy. So in today’s installment of our new series “Kai Explains,” we’re going to dig into bonds. Plus: Saudi Arabia opens up to tourists, and a conversation with Rakim.

New data from the U.S. Census Bureau says inequality is the highest it’s been since the measure began in the 1960s. Today, we dig into why. Plus: Health care spending is breaking records, too, and consumer confidence, explained.

Home fitness company Peloton is expected to go public tomorrow. It’ll be the latest in a series of high-profile tech IPOs, some of which haven’t gone so smoothly. Today, we’ll look at how companies are valued, how that process has changed and why markets haven’t quiet caught up. Plus: What a no-deal Brexit would do to Europe and what’s next for embattled e-cigarette maker Juul.

Americans owe $13.86 trillion in household debt. That’s slightly higher than the total amount right before the 2008 financial crisis, and it’s rising. Today, we’re gonna dig into debt a bit: Who owes whom, what it does to the economy and what we can do about it. Plus: What you need to know about new overtime rules, and, inspired by Greta Thunberg, what we talk about when we talk about “economic growth.”

Some might think that the best part of a taco is what’s inside. But Rick Ortega and Omar Ahmed, founders of Kernel of Truth Organics, disagree. They’re champions of soft corn tortillas and pride themselves on being the only known tortilleria in Los Angeles using certified organic corn. Plus: Americans are saving more money, and farmers aren’t keen on being bailed out.

General Motors workers have been striking since midnight on Sunday after contract negotiations broke down. The company’s use of temp workers is one of the main reasons for the strike. Temps make less money, don’t get benefits and can take very limited time off, unpaid. We hear from one GM worker who was a temp for four years before being hired full time. Plus: Why grad students might lose their ability to unionize, and what items will be exempt from tariffs.

Sometimes businesses make hard left turns. YouTube was a dating site. Shopify sold snowboard equipment. Then there’s Black Ridge: It recently got out of oil and gas and into the fast-growing world of competitive gaming. How’s a company go from fracking to “Fortnite”? Today, we look at the art of the pivot. Plus: Why central banks are predicting an economic slowdown and what Silicon Valley is (and isn’t) doing to combat climate change.

President Donald Trump plans to revoke California’s ability to set its own fuel efficiency standards. But what happens when many consumers want lower emissions? Plus: What you need to know about the rate cut and an update on the GM strike.

As the war of streaming TV services heats up, tech and media giants like Comcast, WarnerMedia and Disney are racing to build their libraries. That means dropping hundreds of millions of dollars for the rights to old shows like “Seinfeld” and “The Big Bang Theory.” Plus: We’ll walk you through the Federal Reserve’s toolkit and take a look at the way oil prices affect the larger economy.

With new reports of people getting sick and politicians vowing to crack down on electronic cigarettes, the industry leader, Juul, is looking for new research on the health effects of its products. But the vaping giant has had difficulty finding scientists to take on that research, and the few who have accepted Juul’s overtures face blowback. Plus: Nearly 50,000 members of the United Auto Workers went on strike against General Motors today, and oil prices jumped following an attack on Saudi oil facilities.

Forever 21 is expected to close 100 stores as part of a bankruptcy filing. Big anchor stores like Sears have been struggling for a long time, so what’s left? The American mall looks pretty different these days. Plus: The federal deficit has passed $1 trillion for the first time since 2012, and the latest in our “Adventures in Housing” series.

The European Central Bank cut interest rates to -0.5 percent. President Trump praised the decision, as he’s been pushing the Federal Reserve to do the same. Today, we compare the economic situation in the U.S. and abroad and explore how negative rates would work. Plus: California’s attempt to curb soaring rents and a new DIY clothing start-up.

A California bill that would reclassify many independent contract workers as employees is on track to becoming law. It would affect hundreds of thousands of people in the gig economy — not just those who deliver food and give rides, but also nail salon workers, truck drivers and more. Today, we talk with some of those independent contractors about how their lives would change and look at the broader economic implications. Plus: An update on the blocked offshore wind project.

There’s another Democratic presidential debate on Thursday, and hopefuls that reach the stage will have done so by meeting polling and donation requirements. It’s just one reason why candidates spend a lot of time and energy hitting you up for cash, and there are a lot of businesses facilitating that effort. Today, we follow the money. Plus: Why Moody’s says Ford is “junk,” and looking ahead to the holiday hiring season.