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Thursday

REI fostered a progressive reputation. Then its workers began to unionize

A pedestrian walks by REI's flagship store in New York, where last year workers formed the company's first union. Spencer Platt/Getty Images hide caption

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Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Business

REI fostered a progressive reputation. Then its workers began to unionize

REI, the shopping mecca for outdoor enthusiasts, has balked at recognizing its newly unionized workers. They accuse the retailer of breaking labor laws, which the company denies.

REI fostered a progressive reputation. Then its workers began to unionize

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Monday

Bed Bath & the great Beyond: How the home goods giant went bankrupt

Shoppers stand outside a Bed Bath & Beyond store in New Jersey. Julio Cortez/AP hide caption

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Julio Cortez/AP

Business

Bed Bath & the great Beyond: How the home goods giant went bankrupt

The retailer once triumphed over rivals as a "category killer" with its blue coupons. Now, it's become rudderless, turbulent and broke. Here's what happened.

Bed Bath & the great Beyond: How the home goods giant went bankrupt

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Sunday

Homeware giant Bed Bath & Beyond has filed for bankruptcy

Bed Bath & Beyond has lost shoppers and money after a series of ineffective or mistimed turnaround attempts. It has also exhausted numerous financial lifelines. Shown here is a Bed Bath & Beyond store in Westbury, New York. Bruce Bennett/Getty Images hide caption

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Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Business

Homeware giant Bed Bath & Beyond has filed for bankruptcy

The retailer, which also owns the BuyBuy Baby chain, has lost shoppers and money after a series of ineffective or mistimed turnarounds. It plans to close stores.

Saturday

Big stores see how we spend. Here are 4 things they say about the economy

People shop at a mall in Houston. Brandon Bell/Getty Images hide caption

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Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Business

Big stores see how we spend. Here are 4 things they say about the economy

Retailers have dropped a flurry of financial reports. They paint a messy and conflicting picture about our consumer economy.

Big stores see how we spend. Here are 4 things they say about the economy

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Friday

Recession, retail, retaliation

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 15: Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Director Phillip Swagel speaks during a news briefing on the release of new economic reports at Ford House Office Building on February 15, 2023 in Washington, DC. Alex Wong/Getty Images hide caption

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Alex Wong/Getty Images

The Indicator from Planet Money

Recession, retail, retaliation

Economic news of the week – from the government's new projections on unemployment and inflation to the latest retail spending numbers. Plus, what's the deal with companies retaliating against union organizers?

Recession, retail, retaliation

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Thursday

What tracking one Walmart store's prices for years taught us about the economy

People shop at Walmart on Black Friday 2022 in Dunwoody, Ga. Jessica McGowan/Getty Images hide caption

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Jessica McGowan/Getty Images

Analysis

Business

What tracking one Walmart store's prices for years taught us about the economy

Inside our shopping cart is a story of global trade, extreme weather, shrinking packages and rising prices.

What tracking one Walmart store's prices for years taught us about the economy

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Thursday

Thursday

These 7 charts show how life got pricier (and, yes, cheaper!) in 2022
Peter Dazeley/Getty Images

Your Money

These 7 charts show how life got pricier (and, yes, cheaper!) in 2022

Boy, have we talked a lot about inflation. It affected every part of our lives (and the economy) in 2022. Here are some of its highest highs and lowest lows. (It wasn't all bad news!)

These 7 charts show how life got pricier (and, yes, cheaper!) in 2022

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Thursday

Saturday

Here's how inflation is changing holiday deals and shopping

A shopper browses Black Friday sales at a Macy's store in Jersey City, N.J. Kena Betancur/Getty Images hide caption

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Kena Betancur/Getty Images

Business

Here's how inflation is changing holiday deals and shopping

Shoppers are expected to spend a record amount of money this year because nearly everything is more expensive. There are some relative bargains, if you know where to look.

Here's how inflation is changing holiday deals and shopping

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Friday

Thursday

Wednesday

Will Bed Bath & Beyond sink like Sears or rise like Best Buy?

Bed Bath & Beyond is working on yet another turnaround after a series of crises and missteps. Bruce Bennett/Getty Images hide caption

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Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Business

Will Bed Bath & Beyond sink like Sears or rise like Best Buy?

The company has been on a rollercoaster of crises, including a meme-stock rise and crash. Its latest financial report comes Thursday.

Will Bed Bath & Beyond sink like Sears or rise like Best Buy?

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Friday

A deal to avert a rail strike is on track, but it won't fix U.S. supply chain issues

A tentative deal announced Thursday would avert a strike on the nation's freight lines with the potential to throw supply chains into chaos. Above, a CSX freight train travels through Alexandria, Va. Kevin Wolf/AP hide caption

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Kevin Wolf/AP

National

A deal to avert a rail strike is on track, but it won't fix U.S. supply chain issues

Supply chain disruptions have eased since the height of the pandemic, but concern over a potential rail strike, which appears to have been narrowly averted, highlights how that system remains fragile.

Thursday