Advertise on podcast: Marketplace All-in-One

Recession talks are receding and the the prospects of a soft landing are getting bigger, at least according to a new forecast by the National Association for Business Economics. But while the pros are betting the economy gets better and better this year, what about everyday folks? Then, we’ll pick up our discussion with model, entrepreneur and activist Bethann Hardison about the fits and starts of diversity in the fashion industry.

They say all politics is local. But what are voters to do to get reliable, fact-checked information about local issues and politics when they have few news coverage options? As part of this week’s “Democracy in the Desert” series, we travel to Val Verde County, Texas, to hear how voters get their news ahead of Super Tuesday. Plus, AT&T will give a $5 credit to customers most affected by last week’s network outage.

From the BBC World Service: Europe’s biggest low cost airline, Ryanair, is warning of a 10% rise in ticket prices this summer because delayed deliveries of new aircraft from Boeing could affect capacity. We’ll discuss. Plus, how is Russia’s economy faring after two years of sanctions? Then, we’ll discuss the death of Zong Qinghou, the billionaire beverage magnate who was China’s richest man.

The Supreme Court hears arguments on two state laws Monday — one in Texas and one in Florida — that seek to punish social media platforms over allegations they censor conservative speech. The legal force fighting these state laws is itself a group with conservative leanings called NetChoice, which has emerged as Big Tech’s top political lobbyist. And it’s going after social media crackdowns in blue states too, like the California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act, which required that platforms put in stronger default data privacy protections for younger users. Wherever a social media regulation pops up, NetChoice, it seems, is there. Isaiah Poritz of Bloomberg Law has been reporting on the organization.

It’s been two years since Russia invaded Ukraine, and the U.S. is imposing new sanctions on Russia in an attempt to weaken the Kremlin. But sanctions aren’t proving to be all that effective. We’ll get into some research weighing how well government sanctions work compared to consumer-driven boycotts. And, Instagram is a popular news destination, whether the social media operation likes it or not. Plus, we’ll play a round of Half Full / Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Instagram’s Uneasy Rise as a News Site” from The New York Times “2 Years Into Russia-Ukraine War, U.S. Campaign to Isolate Putin Shows Limits” from The New York Times “Biden announces over 500 new sanctions for Russia’s war in Ukraine and Navalny death” from NPR “A Theory of International Boycotts” from economist Abdoulaye Ndiaye “Google tests removing the News tab from search results” from Nieman Journalism Lab “Diners aren’t going to steakhouses just for the steak anymore” from Marketplace “25 leap year activities to celebrate February’s bonus day” from Today “Review: Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender delivers charm and style” from Vox “Amazon Wants You to Pay With Your Palm. It’s a Sneak Attack on Apple and Google.” from The Wall Street Journal “This economy is feeling like the ’90s” from Marketplace We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

The failures of Silicon Valley Bank and several other institutions rank among the largest bank collapses in U.S. history. Almost a year later, small banks still face aftershocks. Also in this episode, traditional sports journalism is disappearing. Will accountability in the sports industry follow? And one couple finds financial freedom with an unusual real estate purchase.

AI-tech juggernaut Nvidia’s stock hit $2 trillion in market cap in intraday trading; Biden Administration announces new sanctions against Russia; Reddit files for an IPO.

Stocks open higher, continuing yesterday’s rally; Reddit files paperwork with the Securities and Exchange Commission for initial public offering; the Biden administration issues more sanctions against Russia; AT&T says it’s restored service to all customers affected by yesterday’s outage.

A new AARP survey of women age 50 and up is out. They’re a large demographic — 62 million, according to AARP — and are more likely to vote than other cohorts. They’re also a swing voting bloc, and rising costs are dragging down their personal economies. We’ll also learn about new tribal gaming compacts aimed at protecting tribes’ interests and hear why one economist is watching productivity gains.

For our Econ Extra Credit series this month, we’re watching “Invisible Beauty,” an autobiographical film exploring the life and work of model and activist Bethann Hardison. Today, “Marketplace Morning Report” host David Brancaccio is in conversation with Hardison to discuss a major cultural moment — walking for designer Chester Weinberg in the ’70s — and how she helped inspire a shift in the world of modeling and fashion. But first, Reddit goes for the IPO. Sign up for our Econ Extra Credit newsletter now.

From the BBC World Service: As Ukraine prepares to mark two years since Russia’s invasion, the International Monetary Fund says the country’s economy is holding up — but funding from the U.S. and other international backers remains essential. In Ukraine, however, delays in international funding are weighing on confidence. Plus, could menopause be considered a disability? Then, a look at the link between trade deals and panda deals.

It was not that long ago that electric vehicle maker Rivian was drawing comparisons to Tesla. But flagging demand for EVs has not served the company well. Its earnings release this week made that much clear. Also, a look at why American venture capital firms appear to be pulling back from funding startups in China. But first, Amazon has come a long way since it was founded 30 years ago. Its next stop: the Dow Jones Industrial Average. It joins the market indicator Monday. Marketplace’s Lily Jamali is joined by Jewel Burks Solomon, managing director at Collab Capital, for her take on these stories.