All Economy
FocusA union at Amazon? Why workers in Alabama hold the key.Amazon聽faces a unionization drive in what may seem an unlikely place. Yet this Deep South area also has a history of worker activism.
鈥業t鈥檚 people being resourceful鈥�: Why business startups are boomingIn 2020, American entrepreneurs applied to start a record nearly 4.5 million new businesses, almost a quarter more applications than a year earlier.
First LookGen Z looks to amateur investing to soothe economic anxietyFor lots of young people, the economy seems more uncertain than ever. Some have turned to the stock market with fee-free, easy-to-use investment applications and are learning firsthand about reward 鈥� and risk.聽
FocusRemote work is here to stay 鈥� and it鈥檚 changing our livesWhat happens 鈥� to our jobs, organizations, communities 鈥� if the pandemic鈥檚 biggest business lesson is to convince us that working from home is聽normal?
California housing crunch: Is the answer to end single-family zoning?Berkeley, Sacramento, and other cities seek to eliminate exclusionary zoning to address an affordable housing shortage and racial segregation.
First LookUS hiring jumped last month. Will the trend continue?The U.S. gained 379,000 jobs in February, lowering the unemployment rate from 6.3% to 6.2%, the Labor Department said Friday. Economists are hopeful that hiring will pick up speed in the coming months as Americans return to pre-pandemic activities.聽
First LookFood waste: New UN report tries to measure what we throw awayFood waste is difficult to measure, but one U.N. report estimates it amounts to聽17% of all food produced globally. By improving measurements, researchers hope to find solutions.聽鈥淚mproved measurement can lead to improved management,鈥� says one expert.
Focus鈥楨xhausted.鈥� A year into pandemic, working moms see help on horizon.For a year millions of working parents, especially moms, have been stretched to the limits by a stay-home swirl of kids and work.
First LookFor Black-owned businesses, venture capital still elusiveWhile opportunities are improving for Black business owners, securing venture capital funding is still difficult. Not only might they face discrimination, but their ideas might not resonate with the largely white venture capital community.
From Amazon to Google, tech workers seek unions 鈥� and a voiceAmazon workers in Alabama are voting on whether to unionize. Google workers recently banded together to air concerns. How far will the trend go?
First LookWorkers organize biggest union push in Amazon's historyAmazon workers in Bessemer, Alabama are organizing the largest unionization push since the company was founded.聽A successful effort could motivate other workers around the country to organize, but it鈥檚 an uphill battle.
First LookNew boost for businesses of color in the Deep SouthMinority-owned businesses in the U.S. have been hit especially hard by the pandemic. One company is partnering with seven cities and nine historically Black colleges and universities to ease the pain in a region characterized by poverty and racial economic disparities.聽
First LookWhy the Lunar New Year matters for Maine lobster shippersMore than a year after the first COVID-19 case surfaced, international business and trade logistics are still being upended. As Lunar New Year restrictions put a damper on celebrations in China, lobster exporters as far away as Maine are feeling the pinch.
GameStop drama a win for the little guys? Yes and no.GameStop appeared to be a David and Goliath story. Underneath is a more complicated tale of Wall Street, morality, and who鈥檚 able to profit.
First LookIn the thick of COVID-19, small businesses hesitate to staff upOwners of small businesses are slow to hire because they鈥檙e unsure if they鈥檒l pull in enough revenue to keep employees. The Small Business Administration recently approved more than 891,000 loans, totaling nearly $73 billion.聽
First LookHow Bezos will continue to guide Amazon after stepping downAmazon founder Jeff Bezos has announced he is resigning as CEO and will transition into the role of聽鈥漞xecutive chairman.鈥� Long-time Amazon executive Andy Jassy will take over the reins but Mr. Bezos is still expected to have a hand in key operational decisions.
First LookWhat's going on with GameStop's stock?Professional investors and hedge funds bet that GameStop鈥檚 stock would keep falling. When it started to go up, small investors rallied behind it, resulting in billions in losses for the financial elite.聽
First LookWhy some top brands won't run Super Bowl ads this yearSeveral large corporations 鈥� including Pepsi, Coke, Audi, Budweiser 鈥� have decided it鈥檚 not worth running Super Bowl ads this year. For many, it鈥檚 an economic decision. In one case, it鈥檚 an opportunity to contribute to vaccine awareness campaigns.聽
CEOs spurn Trump and his allies: How big a blow?Corporations are spurning politicians who challenged 2020 election results. The moves impose a financial penalty 鈥� not least on Donald Trump.
First LookUS unemployment applications spike to highest since AugustLayoffs are coinciding with an economy that has faltered as consumers avoid traveling, shopping, and dining out as confirmed COVID-19 cases rise. And the consumer slowdown only adds to layoffs caused by business restrictions and shutdowns.
