News From the Control Tower - 3/25/2021

News from the Control Tower: Our weekly curated list of news stories affecting you and your finances.

This week’s reads include:

1. New Realtors Pile Into Hot Housing Market. Most Find It Tough Going

In January, there were more real-estate agents than homes for sale in the U.S.

2. FCC fines telemarketers a record $225 million for making 1 billion robocalls in 5 months

Although robocalling slowed down for much of the pandemic, it's back to pre-pandemic levels, according to data from spam-blocking service YouMail. Americans received roughly 4.6 billion robocalls in February, the most since February 2020.

3. The Years of Work Behind Washington’s Best-Liked Man

The Fed chair, Jerome Powell, has become a popular Main Street champion. Here’s a history of the advocacy that made this possible.

4. Yellen: 'Global race to the bottom' in corporate tax

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has said the US wants to stop a "global race" to lower taxes on corporations.

5. A $15 minimum wage would cost jobs, right? Probably not, economists say

Research led by Berkeley economists and alumni shows that significant increases in the minimum wage have little impact on employers’ hiring decisions. However, opinions based on the old conventional wisdom die hard, says Berkeley economics Prof. David Card.

Bonus: Reddit investors use GameStop proceeds to help protect gorillas

WallStreetBets members spend gains on donations for endangered animals also including elephants and turtles