Marketplace Morning Report

Earlier this week, we took a look at the economies of Gaza and the West Bank before and during the current conflict. On today’s show, we’ll examine how Israel’s economy was doing before Oct. 7. (To hear how Israel’s economy has been altered by war, check out this episode.) Plus, inflation is stuck at a rate higher than the Federal Reserve would like to see.

Starting next year, more people will be able to file their taxes directly and electronically with the IRS without a middleman. This past tax season, the IRS ran a small trial run in a few states and says it went well, so the agency’s making its free direct file program permanent. It’s expanding eligibility for the program too. Also: the Israeli economy and how it’s changed as a result of war.

From the BBC World Service: The U.S. needs to stop interfering in the affairs of Taiwan — that was the verdict of China’s defense minister, Admiral Dong Jun, who made the comments during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at a security conference in Singapore. Then, parts of India are experiencing an extreme heat wave, and Mexico’s citizens go to the polls on Sunday in a historic election.

Thursday marks the end of the 90-day period the FAA gave Boeing to come up with a plan to improve its safety and quality-control practices, something prompted by a fuselage panel blowout on an Alaska Airlines flight in January. Boeing has already announced a number of changes since then. What more do we expect to learn today? Also on the program: the number of wholesale goods sitting on shelves a dramatic decline in foreclosures.

In the months since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, Palestine’s economy has been radically altered. Today, we hear about the conflict’s impact on the West Bank, Palestinian tax revenue and what recovery from such destruction and devastation in Gaza could potentially look like. Plus, the rise in artificial intelligence requires lots of data computing centers to power that AI. And all those data centers use lots of electricity.

From the BBC World Service: Iceland is once again witnessing the raw power of nature as a volcano erupts about 30 miles southwest of Reykjavik, impacting trade.Then, more than two years into the war with Russia, Ukraine is auctioning off the Hotel Ukraina. The proceeds will go toward the war effort. Also: a conversation with one of Latin America’s only female leaders, Laura Chinchilla, the president of Costa Rica.

When you buy a stock, your brokerage has to go out and buy it for you. It sometimes doesn’t happen immediately and can take up to two days. As part of a push to reduce risk in the stock market, a new Securities and Exchange Commission rule says it needs to happen faster. Plus, why consumers are feeling better than expected and how pricey child care is holding back women in the workforce.

Despite cooling inflation, many Americans still say higher prices make it difficult to make ends meet. That’s especially the case for parents. The cost of child care has far outpaced overall inflation for the past few decades, to the point that it’s affecting the labor force. We discuss. But first: Tensions between Exxon-Mobil and some of its shareholders may well boil over this morning when the company holds its annual shareholder meeting.

From the BBC World Service: Australian mining giant BHP wants to buy rival Anglo American, but it’s had two bids turned down and was recently denied an extension for takeover talks. Then, the union representing Samsung Electronics in South Korea has threatened to go on strike over demands for higher wages. And South Africa heads to the polls and the leading ANC party may lose its parliamentary majority.

Hurricane season officially begins this week, and forecasters are predicting a record number of storms to barrel through the Atlantic Ocean this year. While that means potential destruction to homes, businesses and infrastructure, one industry is particularly at risk: oil and natural gas. We’ll unpack. Plus, “there is no economic solution for a political problem”: Trinity College professor of economics Ibrahim Shikaki reflects on Gaza’s economy at time of war.

Beneath the tremendous human suffering wrought by war in Gaza is a harsh economic reality. Today, we’re examining the state of the Palestinian economy before, during and potentially after the war, and will hear more about the Palestinian territories’ entrenched dependency on Israel’s economy. But first: The White House is introducing a set of carbon credit standards to help figure out if carbon offsets are achieving what they purport to.

From the BBC World Service: Soccer superstar David Beckham has signed a deal to be a global ambassador for AliExpress, an online retail platform owned by Chinese technology giant Alibaba. The announcement comes as the Euros soccer tournament is due to kick off in Germany next month. Plus, billions of dollars are being poured into AI despite lack of uptake, and the FBI is investigating the sale of stolen British Museum goods.

Higher fares, crowded airports, cancellations and delays have done little to dampen the appetite for air travel going into the summer months. Airlines say they’ve done a lot to ramp up for the strong demand but are being hampered by a shortage of air traffic controllers. Plus, a pulse check on Houston’s clothing resale market and a new device in Australia to help farmers save livestock during drought.

In this election cycle, campaigns are looking to get your votes — and political contributions — any way they can. The Donald Trump campaign recently announced it will accept campaign contributions in cryptocurrencies, joining independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. But there are nuances and transparency issues that come with such donations. Also on the show: a preview of the economic data-heavy week ahead and an investment in hurricane forecasting.

From the BBC World Service: Paula Vennells was CEO of the government-owned Post Office business from 2012 to 2019, when forensic accountants looked into claims that sub-postmasters had been wrongly prosecuted for errors caused by software. We hear some takeaways from her testimony. Then, the leaders of China, South Korea and Japan have vowed to speed up negotiations to reach a free trade deal. Also: What would persuade more of us to take up electric vehicles?

The Justice Department is suing Live Nation, the parent company of Ticketmaster, saying that it violated antitrust law. Live Nation controls at least 80% of box office sales at major concert venues, and owns or controls more than 60% of large amphitheaters in the U.S. Yet we may not know the upshot of the lawsuit for consumers for quite some time. Also: a look inside the wide world of indie video games. Our May fundraiser ends Friday, and we need your help to reach our goal. Give today and help fund public service journalism for all!

The NCAA, the governing body for college sports, and the five biggest athletic conferences have agreed to a landmark $2.8 billion settlement of a class-action suit. If approved by a judge, it’ll means that schools would be allowed to share revenues with student athletes going forward. Then, we’ll have a conversation about capitalism and activism in college athletics. And later: Will you be “quiet vacationing” this holiday weekend? Our May fundraiser ends Friday, and we need your help to reach our goal. Give today and help fund public service journalism for all!

From the BBC World Service: Google is expanding its network infrastructure, with an aim of enhancing internet connectivity and competing in the cloud computing market. Then, days after President Biden imposed higher tariffs on EVs from China, Elon Musk says he doesn’t support them — contradicting a warning he made back in January that Chinese carmakers would “demolish” global competitors if there were no trade barriers. Our May fundraiser ends Friday, and we need your help to reach our goal. Give today and help fund public service journalism for all!

A recent poll conducted for the Guardian newspaper asked people how they felt about the economy. It finds nearly three in five Americans (wrongly) believe the U.S. is in a recession. About half think the stock market is down for the year. (It’s not.) What’s behind the disconnect? Plus, tariffs designed to create higher-paying jobs stateside may fail to do that. And we’ll hear the history behind the Ticketmaster antitrust lawsuit. Our May fundraiser ends Friday, and we need your help to reach our goal. Give today and help fund public service journalism for all!

Writer Andrew Lipstein embarked on a quest to freak himself out about passive investments: Things like buying index funds, for instance all the companies in the S&P 500, setting it and forgetting it. Lipstein spent time with a professional investor who argues index funds play a dangerous role in the market that may not end well. We hear that story. But first, chipmaker Nvidia reports a seven-fold increase in profits. Our May fundraiser ends Friday, and we need your help to reach our goal. Give today and help fund public service journalism for all!