Trumponomics

You may have heard of a gender-pay gap in America, but here's a statistic that's really eye-opening: Workers at men's apparel stores earn 56 percent more than employees at womenswear retailers. It's a huge gap, and yet it can be explained in part by supply and demand -- and could even be a sign that worker pay will finally pick up more broadly across the U.S. Bloomberg reporters Katia Dmitrieva and Lindsey Rupp join Benchmark to discuss the topic with Scott Lanman of Bloomberg News and Daniel Moss of Bloomberg View. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens to someone's land when the owner dies? In Japan, no one knows. In fact, no one knows who owns more than 10 percent of the nation's landmass -- about 16,000 square miles, equivalent to the size of Denmark. Without knowing who owns the land, it can't be sold or redeveloped -- and that limits economic growth or prevents the government from collecting taxes, at a time when Japan is already suffering from severe depopulation outside of major cities. Bloomberg reporter Yoshi Nohara discusses the issue with Scott Lanman of Bloomberg News and Daniel Moss of Bloomberg View.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An online discussion board where women are frequent subjects of vitriolic attacks. A lack of diversity in top positions. Strong evidence of discrimination against females. These are all issues that the economics profession is grappling with as part of a broader reckoning with sexual harassment and misconduct in American society. Economist Heidi Hartmann discusses these issues and her petition drive to address misogyny in the field, while Bloomberg reporter Jeanna Smialek talks about her recent coverage of this topic with Daniel Moss of Bloomberg View and Scott Lanman of Bloomberg News.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The American South will keep rising and Dallas will eclipse New York. The city that never sleeps has had its obituary written plenty of times, but it may just have met its match in native son Donald Trump. His tax-cut law is more than just a deficit-busting giveaway to the rich; it affirms the economic and political rise of the South. Even New York's famed cultural and intellectual scene is in jeopardy along with financial primacy. Jared Dillian, publisher of the `Daily Dirtnap' and a Bloomberg View contributor explains how to Dan and Scott.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether the U.S. tips into recession this year or not, chances are you won't hear about it until well after it happens. That's because the decision on whether the economy is in a serious slump or merely having a bad day rests with a little-known group of academics who deliberate behind the scenes. Ten years after the economy entered the worst downturn since the Great Depression, the group's chair, Stanford University professor Robert Hall, gives Dan and Scott an inside look into how the panel makes its calls -- and shares his thoughts on whether another recession could be in store soon.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What will be the most surprising economic development of 2018? Who will be the most influential people that you haven't heard of? What kind of non-economic developments will have biggest impact? Benchmark delivers answers from around the world in part two of our year-end special. Joining Dan and Scott to give their picks are three members of Bloomberg's global economy team: European editor Jana Randow, Latin America editor Vivianne Rodrigues and Asia correspondent Enda Curran.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What was the year's most surprising economic development? Who were the most influential people that you haven't heard of? What were the non-economic developments that had the biggest impact? Benchmark goes around the world to deliver the answers in part one of our year-end special. Joining Dan and Scott to give their picks are three members of Bloomberg's global economy team: European editor Jana Randow, Latin America editor Vivianne Rodrigues and Asia correspondent Enda Curran.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

America's GDP is growing at an amazing 3 percent! Unemployment is at the lowest level in 16 years! The stock market is reaching a new record high every day! The U.S. economy is just going to keep on booming, right? Well, not so fast. The stock market might be surging, but the bond market is painting a more nuanced picture. David Ader, chief macro strategist at Informa Financial Intelligence, joins Dan and Scott for a tutorial on Treasuries. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wait! There wasn't a trade war this year. Wasn't Donald Trump's election supposed to mean a rejection of open commerce between nations? Bloomberg's Andrew Mayeda explains the surprise increase in goods and services exchanged across national boundaries. Don't think the protectionist bullet's necessarily been dodged; there's more going on than just Trump. Arancha Gonzalez, executive director of the International Trade Center tells Dan and Scott what more needs to be done. Gonzalez shares her perspective on China's expanding role in the international system and opines on Xi Jinping's big speeches in Davos and Geneva.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For many women and an increasing number of men, it's been hard to get a job again if you take some time off for family reasons and have a long gap on your resume. But that's starting to change in the U.S., where the unemployment rate is at the lowest in almost 17 years. With the labor market getting tighter, companies are looking at potential workers they previously might not have considered. Carol Fishman Cohen, a consultant who helps companies develop programs for returning workers, shares her story of returning to work after having four children and talks about how she is getting companies to take a look at more workers like her. Bloomberg reporter Craig Torres also joins to explain the trend to Dan and Scott. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.