Planet Money : The Indicator from Planet Money : NPR

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Two markets are going through big changes right now. Today on the Indicator, we speak with consultant Adam Sharp on the cryptocurrency market and Forrester analyst Sucharita Kodali on the retail industry.

Right now Bitcoin is about 50% down from its all-time high. A key reason behind the dip is the declining mining activity in China, which accounts for almost two-thirds of global crypto mining. The government is cracking down on crypto activities, but Adam think these actions may point to a certain agenda.

There are many job opportunities for the retail sector, according to the latest data. Yet there is a labor shortage in the retail world. Sucharita thinks the labor crunch is related to the low wages, intense work, and the relatively generous government stimulus payments. As consumer demand changes, so will the market’s demand for labor.

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