Marketplace

The Federal Reserve is widely expected to cut interest rates for the first time since 2008. Does that mean a recession’s on the horizon? Plus: the fight over who gets to sell cancer drugs and the uncomfortable feelings that can happen when your parents control your money.

In presidential tweets to corporate earnings reports, the U.S. dollar has gotten a lot of chatter lately. Today, we take some time to explain why people are looking at the strength of the dollar and why that matters. Plus: Elvis in Vegas and the quest for carbon-neutral utilities.

The governor of Puerto Rico announced his resignation last night, but even as the protests against Ricardo Rosselló die down, serious economic challenges remain. Plus: How companies gain trust and the business of urban paleontology.

The Department of Justice is launching an antitrust investigation into Big Tech companies like Facebook, Google and Amazon. Today, we break down what that means for consumers and Silicon Valley. Plus: new players in local news and changes to the investor visa.

The White House and Congress have reached a bipartisan deal by raising the debt ceiling and increasing spending by nearly $50 billion for the upcoming year. Today, we look at whether either party really cares about the national debt — and whether it matters. Then: Boris Johnson will be the United Kingdom’s new prime minister, raising concerns over a no-deal Brexit.

Workplace messaging platform Slack has gone public, and now boasts 10 million daily users. But is it any closer to replacing email? We talked with CEO Stewart Butterfield about how his company has evolved as big competitors like Microsoft and Cisco are ramping up their efforts. Plus: Marvel’s plan to follow “Endgame,” and why people choose #vanlife.

On July 20, 1969, the world watched as man set foot on the moon. But 50 years later, you can see the legacy of the Apollo missions in today’s tech. In fact, the mission to put a man on the moon was deeply tied to the birth of Silicon Valley. Today, we chart that path. Plus: “The Office” reruns as a cure for burnout and a conversation with the head of the Boston Fed.

Lawmakers have just days to pass a budget deal before they leave for the August recess. Today we look at what’s in the deal, and what’s holding it up. Plus: How cities are dealing with the heat wave, and how Netflix lost American subscribers for the first time.

The Chinese government claims low inflation, but people in the financial hub of Shanghai complain that the cost of living is rising much faster. Last available figures put the average monthly wage in the city at 7,200 yuan or $1,047. Today, we look at what it’s like to live on that. Plus: the Fed and business leaders are puzzled by the economy, but consumers don’t seem to mind.

Facebook, Amazon, Google and Apple were on the defensive in Washington today, as Congress held hearings touching on cryptocurrency, election interference, antitrust concerns and more. It was a lot to take in, so we’ll spend sometime at the top of the show getting you up to speed. Plus: Why Nestlé’s launching a premium Kit-Kat, and the numbers behind the new camping economy.

Professionals keep losing to Pluribus, an AI poker player that’s learned a new strategy for a bot: bluffing. Today, we look at what this kind of breakthrough could mean for artificial intelligence overall. Plus: the business of Prime Day and a new strategy to fight the affordable housing crisis.

More than half of American workers don’t use all their paid vacation days, and when they do, it’s with a fair amount of guilt. Plus: Alexander Acosta’s legacy at the labor department and a woman who found a career in counting cards.

You hear it all the time: White House officials, pundits and lawmakers will claim a piece of legislation will “pay for itself.” President Donald Trump’s economic adviser Larry Kudlow said just this week that big 2017 cuts were two-thirds of the way there. But what’s that really mean, anyway? We’ll take some time today to define some terms. Plus: How Europe’s heat wave is affecting its economy and why Amazon is investing.

How about “Rate cut coming in July”? The Federal Reserve is sending strong, consistent signals that it’s gonna happen. Today, we’ll break down everything you need to know. Then: A new report shows most immigrants who entered the country legally are highly skilled and educated, ahead of President Donald Trump’s policy changes set to emphasize those attributes. Plus: A new combatant has entered the streaming war, and it brought “Friends.”

A proposal from House Democrats to raise the federal minimum wage received a mixed report from the Congressional Budget Office. Today, we look at how data and politics are shaping the debate. Plus: Ross Perot’s legacy and the big business of posting song lyrics online.