W&L Professor On ‘Marketplace’ Podcast
Linda Hooks, professor of economics and head of the Economics Department at Washington and Lee University, was recently featured on “Marketplace,” a podcast produced by the Mar ke t pl a c e public media outlet.
Portions of Hooks’ interview were utilized by Marketplace reporter Kristin Schwab during a March 19 podcast titled “Fed Takes ‘Wait And See’ Approach With Tariffs.” Schwab’s segment of the podcast focuses on interest rates and their impact on business and consumer spending.
Schwab notes that after a decade of low interest rates, the current rates seem especially high by comparison despite being below historical averages. On the resulting business and consumer mindset, Hooks said, “I would anticipate that consumers and businesses will be stuck in that mode (mindset) for the near future.”
Regarding how that mindset affects business and consumer spending, Hooks said, “Businesses are less likely to get financing that they need to expand their business or invest in new technology or train employees.”
Hooks has been a member of the W&L faculty since 1993. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Louisiana State University and earned both master’s and doctorate degrees in economics from the University of California, Los Angeles. She has served as head of the Economics Department since 2017.
Founded in 1989, Marketplace produces broadcast shows, podcasts and digital reporting on business and the economy. Its broadcast portfolio is heard by more than 10 million listeners each week on more than 800 public radio stations nationwide, while its podcast reaches an additional 1.6 million listeners.
