Stacey Vanek Smith

Most states in the U.S. have a sales tax on menstrual products. Some states have repealed this so-called Tampon Tax, on the grounds that it's unfair to women. But the repeals come at a cost.

Trade negotiators from China and the U.S. seem to be closing in on a deal. But it's not clear what the terms will be.

"Neoliberalism" has become a loaded term.

Tomorrow is the day the U.S. hits its debt limit. What happens if Congress doesn't raise the debt ceiling?

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced it will roll back Obama-era restrictions on payday loans, which can trap consumers in a debt cycle.

Both video games and television have radically improved in the past two decades. Have they also changed the way Americans spend their time?

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced payday regulations would be delayed. We look at the business of payday loans, and what it's like to get into a debt cycle with payday lenders.

Sadie Alexander was the first African-American to earn a PhD in economics. We think her contributions deserve another look.

Personal finance specialist, author and former trader Jill Schlesinger explains market timing--that is, trying to figure out when to buy and sell stock--and why it's a fool's errand.

Tipping is ingrained in America's retail culture. And there's not much we can do to stop that.

A wannabe rapper named Backpack Kid is suing game maker of Fortnite for stealing a dance he claims he created called The Floss.

Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman told us last year that Super Bowl weekend is one of the most accurate indicators of the health of the housing market for the year ahead. Well, what happened with housing?

President Trump asked Congress for funds to build an extension of the wall on the border with Mexico. Congress refused, so Trump declared a national emergency. But what does that mean?

Today we answer listener questions about age discrimination; how work hours are counted; and whether the economy is running out of people to take jobs.

Governments all over the world use bonds to raise money. We examine how the the first bond came to be, and how it transformed the way governments borrow money.

The 1937 agreement between GM and the United Auto Workers union ushered in a period of strength for organized labor. Today, labor is nowhere near as powerful as it used to be. What happened?

An Instagram celebrity and a video game company are battling over who gets to own a dance move once it goes viral.

The dedicated officers of the epidemic intelligence service are foot soldiers in a relentless battle against infectious disease.

India's government has proposed a plan to pay some of the country's poorest farmers a guaranteed income. What would this mean for the country's economy?

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell says inflation isn't a problem right now, and that the short term interest rate, at 2.5 percent, is right where it should be.