Marketplace All-in-One – Details, episodes & analysis

The issuance of corporate bonds has slowed to a crawl, thanks to all that uncertainty in the economy. And without raising money in the bond market, firms may pull back on long-term investments. Also in this episode: The Democratic Republic of the Congo extends its ban on cobalt exports to raise prices, strains in the bar and restaurant business lead to closures and we answer listener questions on trade policy.

You may be wondering whether the prices of your go-to products, from avocados to smartphones, will be raised by tariffs in the coming weeks. We hear you! On the show today, Martha Gimbel, executive director of the Budget Lab at Yale, gives us a broad view of the tariff landscape, how the prices of certain consumer goods could change, and how Trump’s trade agenda could impact the American economy in the long run. Plus, why a trade deficit isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Then, we’ll smile about the joy of listening to kids learn to talk. And, Carrie Lane, author of “More Than Pretty Boxes: How the Rise of Professional Organizing Shows Us the Way We Work Isn’t Working,” answers the Make Me Smart question.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Tariffs on China set to rise to at least 104% on Wednesday, White House says" from CNN Business




• "Stock Market Today: Dow, S&P 500 Swing Wildly; Trump Threatens More China Tariffs" from The Wall Street Journal




• "What is the status of the Trump administration's tariffs?" from Marketplace




• "Where We Stand: The Fiscal, Economic, and Distributional Effects of All U.S. Tariffs Enacted in 2025 Through April 2" from The Budget Lab at Yale




• "Trump Tariff Tracker" from the Atlantic Council

Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

From the BBC World Service: Stock markets across Asia, Europe and Australia have continued to plummet as the shockwaves from President Donald Trump’s tariffs reverberate around the world. Markets were in the red, and no sectors were spared in Asia’s major sell-off. Plus, European trade ministers are meeting to work out a response to the new duties imposed by the U.S. Will they opt for retaliatory tariffs?

On today’s episode, Kai Ryssdal and Kimberly Adams discuss the Donald Trump administration’s disregard for the courts. The White House has ignored a judge’s order to turn around a pair of deportation flights and failed to rehire federal workers. A constitutional crisis has arrived. Plus, get ready for a three-bleep Kai rant. And how anime helps explain the GOP’s attempt to get around the real cost of its $4 trillion tax cut.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Black War Hero’s Medal of Honor Page Deleted by Pentagon” from Newsweek




• “Donald Trump Is Itching for a Legal Showdown Over Deportations” by Vanity Fair




• “What court orders? Trump’s moving full steam ahead to slash more federal workers” from Politico




• “Exclusive: How the White House ignored a judge’s order to turn back deportation flights” from Axios




• “Trump admin live updates: Border czar says ‘I don’t care what the judges think’” by ABC News




• “Crematory horrors spur Maryland lawmakers to push for reform” by The Washington Post




• “A Congresswoman with Dementia Stopped Coming to Work. The DC Press Corps Never Noticed.” by Politico




• “The Budget Trick the G.O.P. Might Use to Make a $4 Trillion Tax Cut Look Free” by The New York Times




• @bbkogan.bsky.social on Bluesky




• “Republicans press for change in how CBO tallies cost of legislation” from Marketplace

Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

About 8.9 million. That’s how many U.S. workers worked more than one job in February — an all-time high, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. We spoke with some workers holding multiple job about why this economy necessitates a second (or third) gig. Plus, economist Mohamed El-Erian on DOGE and recession odds, and we break down why the U.S. energy mix probably won’t change much under President Donald Trump.

The S&P 500 index briefly went into correction territory last week. Investors are concerned about the Trump administration’s economic policies, but Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent argues that corrections are “healthy.” But is this a healthy correction-to-be? We’ll hear more from Julia Coronado, president and founder of MacroPolicy Perspectives. Also on the program: why investors are turning to gold and how Nissan’s self-driving technology is navigating Britain’s twisty, medieval roads.

For decades, importers and exporters have leaned into what’s called “just-in-time” logistics — only order what you need only when you need it. But the ongoing trade war has upended that model, forcing businesses to stock up in case tariffs make the global supply chain increasingly unpredictable. Plus, companies offering child care may have a leg up over the competition. What are some of the benefits and drawbacks?

From the BBC World Service: China’s leaders have announced a “special action plan” to try and offset the impact of U.S. trade tariffs and boost domestic spending. And a city in northern China is offering families with two children massive financial incentives to have a third over concerns about the country’s rapidly aging population. Also, carmaker Nissan has finished the latest stage of an eight-year project to develop technology for self-driving cars.

Back when the pandemic first hit, many students received tablets or laptops from their schools. Schools also wanted to know what students were doing on those devices, so demand for AI-powered software to monitor students’ digital activities also grew. That surveillance software is the subject of a new investigation from the Associated Press andTthe Seattle Times, whic Claire Bryan coauthored. Marketplace’s Stephanie Hughes asked her what sort of things this surveillance software might flag.

A Republican-written spending bill is being backed by some Senate Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, to avoid a government shutdown. Other Democrats — and much of the voter base — aren’t happy. We’ll get into it. Then, we’ll close out the week with a round of Half Full/Half Empty, weighing in on Southwest Airlines’ new checked bag policy and $19 strawberries. Plus, in the wake of a certain duchess’ foray into television, what are your thoughts on celeb cooking shows?

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “The Siberian Bone Hunters Diving for Ice Age Mammoth Fossils” from The New York Times




• “Dr. Oz, with a TV host’s flair, promises simple solutions for America’s health care ills” by Politico




• “Schumer Under Fire as Pelosi and Other Democrats Criticize Shutdown Retreat” from The New York Times




• “Half-Past Four is the New Five O’Clock in More Efficient Workday” from Bloomberg




• “5 Takeaways From Meghan Markle’s Netflix Show ‘With Love, Meghan’” from The New York Times




• “Why does the viral Erewhon strawberry cost $19?” from Marketplace




• “Southwest Airlines is charging for checked bags. Will loyal flyers stick around?” from USA Today

Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.