Explore every episode of the podcast Marketplace

Inflation that resulted from the U.S. war with Iran had just begun to cool when President Trump called off a shaky ceasefire. Now, as the world turns their attention back to conflict in the Middle East, economists turn their attention to the Federal Reserve. Will the central bank act to tamp down a second round of inflation? Also in this episode, PepsiCo sees tempered sales in North America, women in finance pivot to social media influencing, and taxpayers foot the bill for wild horse management

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• Return to U.S.-Iran war is likely to change inflation expectations
• PepsiCo had a great quarter — except in North America
• The women leaving Wall Street for content creation
• When wild horses get rounded up, the taxpayer’s bill grows
• Baby boomers are un-tying the knot — and it's complicating inheritances
• What it takes to transform a 600-year-old fixer-upper into a forever home

President Trump called off the a ceasefire with Iran Wednesday morning, sending the U.S. back into a military conflict — and sending oil prices back up after weeks of steady cooling. In this episode, Kai calls up economist Robin Brooks at Brookings to explain how a reignited war will affect global oil markets and prices at the pump. Plus: Retailers stock up early for the 2026 holiday season, businesses surpass homes’ energy use for the first time on record, and corporations issue more shares to raise capital.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• Trump calls off Iran ceasefire, a move that "obviously will push oil prices up"
• Some business owners are stocking up early for the holidays
• Why public companies have been on a tear issuing new shares
• Businesses are using more electricity than homes for the first time on record
• What the energy shock means for the decarbonization industry

Inflation was up 4.1% in May, according to the BEA’s personal consumption expenditures index. We know hot energy prices, resulting from the war in Iran, were part of that spike. But cut out energy and food, and inflation still hit a three-year high, at 3.4%. So what else is driving the increase? Also in this episode: Q1 GDP is revised up, Wyoming navigates the consequences of property tax cuts, and Great Lakes cargo ships make up a vital branch of U.S. supply chains.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories from today’s episode:

• It's not just food and energy — "core" inflation is up as well
• GDP grew 2.1% in the first quarter of 2026. What does that tell us?
• What do we need property taxes for? Wyoming is finding out
• Need a burger? A car? Winter road salt? Thank cargo ships on the Great Lakes
• Gen Z trades in date-flation for "solo-maxxing"

When the U.S. launched a war against Iran, some Wall Street traders bet the ensuing energy shortages would push inflation up. Now that a ceasefire has brought down gas prices, the narrative has shifted: What if cheaper gas fires up the economy too much? In this episode, the markets are betting on inflation, whichever way you slice it. Plus: Prospective buyers struggle to secure mortgages on homes worth less than $100,000, local getaways anticipate healthy summer vacation demand, and direct-to-consumer brands reframe their environmental commitments.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• Whether oil prices are high or low, Wall Street is betting on inflation
• The housing bill that might make small mortgages easier
• With summer travelers facing higher costs, local vacation spots are thriving
• Why one direct-to-consumer brand is shifting its messaging
• Beekeeper turned business owner is growing into newer, bigger spaces

A typical starter home in nearly 250 U.S. cities is now worth $1 million or more, according to Zillow. Is that even a starter home anymore? In this episode, how rapid housing inflation has changed the game for first-time homebuyers and why more Americans are opting for a starter home in the suburbs. Plus: Manufacturing data reflects strong sector growth, U.S. trading partners bear the economic brunt of Trump’s war with Iran, and the 1973 oil crisis provides lessons for dealing with chaotic fuel costs today.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories from today’s episode:

• A key index shows the U.S. economy is expanding. Elsewhere, not so much
• Strong manufacturing numbers mask a sector hedging against war and tariff uncertainty
• For this London honey seller, Brexit has been "a chaotic 10 years"
• When the "starter home" price tag hits $1 million
• What can the oil crisis of 1973 teach us about today?
• A fixer-upper became a forever home for this Massachusetts couple

The last time Austan Goolsbee voted in an FOMC meeting, he was one of two policymakers opposed to cutting interest rates. Six months later, he doesn’t regret that dissent. In this episode, Kai catches up with the Chicago Fed president to discuss the central bank’s communication style, persistent inflation concerns, and former Fed Chair Alan Greenspan’s legacy. Plus: Beef prices are likely to keep climbing this year, it could take months to rebuild depleted oil reserves, and economists make a case that AI could drive more inflation.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories from today’s episode:

• Chicago Fed President: Inflation is "well above the target and has been going the wrong way"
• As the oil crisis eases, the global scramble to replenish reserves begins
• Why beef prices keep climbing
• Many economists believe that AI will lead to more inflation. Why?
• How We Survive: A Carbon Burial at Sea

As high interest rates tamp down homebuying demand, more homebuilders are offering free appliances or upgraded hardware to sweeten the deal. Throwing in a free dishwasher is one thing, but how are they able to offer lower mortgage interest rates? In this episode, we check on the homebuilding sector. Plus: Hotel housekeepers say AI-driven app makes work more difficult, scientists design sunshades built for space, and a “talking book” nonprofit brings news and books to blind people.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories from today’s episode:

• Builders offer incentives to attract homebuyers as high interest rates persist
• Nebraska nonprofit brings local news and opportunities to blind and low-vision listeners
• More stress, fewer breaks: Hotel housekeepers reveal what it’s like working for an app
• A climate change solution from science fiction

Kevin Warsh held his first press conference as Fed chair on Wednesday, and — unlike his precedessor — did not say what the central bank plans to do next. Despite his tight lips, markets read between the lines and predict a rate hike is coming soon. In this episode, why Warsh is rewriting the Fed’s communication style, and how it could alter the economy. Plus: Jobless claims tick down a bit, GPS shapes global infrastructure, and RV owners struggle to sell their vintage digs.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read today’s stories:

• Unemployment is still low, but so is hiring
• Fed Chair Kevin Warsh is trying to keep his options open. Investors are parsing his words anyway
• GPS is a pillar of the global economy, and it's also pretty vulnerable
• Used RV sales are up, but many large, older rigs are sitting on lots for months

Retail sales were up 0.9% in May, which is a generally positive economic sign. But it doesn’t square with our reality, in which price inflation outpaces wage growth. That is, until you look at that pesky personal savings rate. In this episode, YOLO consumers in a grim economy. Plus: Fed Chair Warsh holds rates steady, the rate of new households is falling, and what would happen if the U.S. lost its global reserve currency status.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Nvidia just joined the likes of Amazon and Alphabet in selling off billions of dollars in bonds. What do these tech giants need help financing? Data centers, of course, to support the buildout of artificial intelligence infrastructure. For now, the cash is flowing, but when will these firms need to show some returns on those investments? Also in this episode: Commercial solar energy projects approach a deadline for federal tax credits, Fox enters the streaming wars by acquiring Roku, and Kai breaks down the history of post-FOMC press conferences.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Nuclear energy can lower one cost that has seen rapid inflation in recent years: electricity bills. But nuclear power plants aren’t cheap to build. In one state, legislators wade into a debate over whether taxpayers or utility companies should shoulder the burden. Also in this episode: Kevin Warsh faces war-driven inflation ahead of his first FOMC meeting as Fed chair, MAHA movement drives up cotton demand, and advertisers leverage the World Cup to reach Latino consumers.

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Today, we’re featuring an episode from the new season of “How We Survive.”

Could dimming the sun be the key to cooling things down before the climate crisis worsens? Some scientists say yes, that we can cool the earth by launching tons of sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere. It’s a type of solar geoengineering that was once seen as preposterous, meant to exist only in the pages of a sci-fi novel. But now, it’s a reality.

To find out for ourselves, we travel to Northern California where two entrepreneurs are launching sulfur-filled balloons from the top of stacked shipping containers. Later, we talk with scientists on both sides of this issue to find out if solar geoengineering could help prevent catastrophic tipping points or introduce a whole new slew of cascading consequences.

Samsung just reported a whopping 1,800% profit increase for the second quarter of this year. But its stock price fell nearly 7% in response to the news. What gives? In short, high expectations got in the way of actual growth. Also in this episode: Baby boomers begin to transfer family businesses to the next generation, buy now, pay later giant Klarna applies for a U.S. banking license, and the telehealth boom is more than super-fast prescriptions from your couch.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• Why analysts predict a robust second quarter earnings season
• Samsung posted 1800% profit growth. Its stock fell anyway.
• The baby boomer business transfer is coming
• The era of drive-thru healthcare is here
• Fintechs harbor banking dreams

SpaceX went public Friday, with much pomp and circumstance. Investors are already buying and selling the company’s stock — well, some investors. Employees, early investors, and Elon Musk all held SpaceX stock pre-IPO. Now, the company will supervise when and how they can sell it off. In this episode, we explain why. Plus: An unlikely city tops list of best metro areas for recent college grads, an AI chatbot helps one reporter sell his house, and we break down the week’s economic headlines.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but all three economists we asked say gas prices are due for another hike this summer. The war in Iran continues to drain oil reserves in the U.S. and abroad, and eventually prices will have to match growing supply-demand tension. (Yes, that’s even if the war ends today.) Also in this episode: Bond investors expect inflation to stick around for a while, a trio of upcoming IPOs will barely put a dent in total market cap, and Kansas City short-term rental demand disappoints as World Cup kicks off.

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The May CPI report dropped Wednesday and it’s a doozy: Inflation rose 4.2% over the last 12 months. This means wallet pressure is bearing down on consumers, as wage growth lags behind price growth. On the other hand, the CPI report includes signals that inflation may have reached its peak. In this episode, an optimist’s and pessimist’s reading of the latest inflation data. Plus: Slowing immigration will have long-term effects on the U.S. economy, and summer camps shift to accommodate anxious teens.

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Bank of America advised investors late last week that too many red flags pointed to a market peak, and that it was time to “take profits.” In plain English? The stock market could see a downward turn soon, so it may be time to sell. In this episode, why tell investors to sell? Plus: Ongoing war in Iran strengthens oil and gas outlooks, we check in on foreign trade zones operating under new Trump-era rules, and packaged food brands face myriad potential headwinds.

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U.S. families expect to spend more than $900 on back-to-school shopping this year, according to one PwC survey. Big box retailers have taken advantage of anxiety about higher costs by pushing school supplies earlier than ever. In this episode, how consumer mood correlates to consumer spending. Plus: Holiday weekend heat strains electric grids, Boeing and Airbus aircraft demand persists, and algae can make or break Great Lakes summer tourism.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• Anxiety is driving some of our early back-to-school shopping
• Chicago Fed launches a new consumer sentiment composite index
• Weekend heat wave tests the country's power grid
• What's behind the massive appetite for new Boeing and Airbus planes
• How the algae in Lake Erie can make or break the Great Lakes economy
• How homeownership turned an HR professional into a plant entrepreneur

Careers in the trades — a path that’s largely more AI-proof, less expensive, and more dependable — are attracting more attention. We visit Hope Renovations, a program in North Carolina focused on getting more women and non-binary people into the trades. Also, we look at a decline in the labor force participation rate, country stores in New England, and a tailoring business in Utah.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

The Labor Department’s June jobs report came in with just 57,000 new jobs added. Economists expected double that, and while the unemployment rate ticked down, we consider why job growth may be middling. Also in this episode, we look at stagnant wage growth, a start-up that’s looking to de-extinct the woolly mammoth, the “lump of labor” fallacy, Saudi Aramco’s World Cup sponsorship, and a social worker who leads tours to supplement retirement.

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It’s unclear what Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh will do regarding interest rates, but would a “Fed put” actually help promote stability in financial markets? Also in this episode, we look at why fewer teens are getting paid jobs, a decline in single-family homebuilding, prediction markets for natural disasters, traffic expanding way beyond rush hour, and the booming cowboy boot market.

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Fresh data on consumer confidence shows a lot of mixed signals — Americans are feeling better about the economy and where inflation is headed, but worse about job prospects and family finances. Also in this episode, we look at the widening gender wage gap, a small business owner dealing with tariffs, how remote work is giving families more options, and growing natural gas infrastructure.

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The Supreme Court’s ruling Monday expanded presidential power over agencies that would traditionally be viewed as independent, with the Federal Reserve as an exception. What does that mean going forward? Also in this episode, we look at rising transportation costs, infrastructure projects, Comcast’s spinoff of NBCUniversal, and the business of estate sales in Los Angeles.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Economists are forecasting that AI is likely to cause prices to rise over the course of the next year. On Thursday, both Microsoft and Apple said they’re raising prices some of their flagship products thanks to skyrocketing memory and storage costs. But AI could end up making a whole lot of things cheaper — eventually. Also in this episode: how one union negotiated huge savings on healthcare prices, a look at the garage sale culture in Alaska, and the return of the restaurant matchbook.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

As high gas costs pile up for drivers, Big Oil is getting jumpy. That’s because one way to bring prices down, at least temporarily, is an oil export ban. The Trump administration hasn’t signaled support for such a ban, but oil firms are being proactive, by lobbying the White House to find alternatives. Also in this episode: CEOs are sour on this economy, a major university invests big in artificial intelligence, and we analyze the difference between Fed Chair Warsh and former Fed Chair Powell’s public statements.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• Big oil is not up for another export ban
• Can you spot the difference between Warsh and Powell's FOMC statements?
• Why you should care about CEOs' confidence in the economy
• The FIRE movement: How soon can I quit?
• USC pushes to expand AI research with $200 million gift

You know how wages have, on average, stagnated when you account for inflation? Well there’s one group that saw some actual wage growth last month: Job changers. Pay growth for people who switched jobs was 7% in July, according to ADP. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean the entire labor market is heating up — some in-demand labor sectors might be accounting for most of that bump. Also in this episode: Gen Z bucks the K-shaped economy trend, insurance billing errors can add up for employers, and Kai visits a used EV auction.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• Job-changers are seeing their highest wage increases in nearly a year
• Gen Z is spending more across all income brackets
• In healthcare, catching errors from insurers is a growing industry
• The entrepreneur building a marketplace for used EVs

Sounds rosy, right? Not if you’re long-term unemployed, underemployed, or a new grad. In this episode, the labor market’s low-hire, low-fire status quo reaches a new extreme. Plus: States sue over new Medicaid work requirement protocols, Uber lays off a tenth of its customer service workers with plans to replace them with AI chatbots, and a family travel boom reshapes luxury resorts.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• It's still a tight job market, despite record-low initial unemployment claims
• As yields on Treasury notes rise, the bond market is changing
• States sound alarm over new Medicaid work requirement rule
• An AI customer service agent will take your call now
• The life of a Hollywood freelancer
• Families are crashing honeymoon hot spots

The yield on a 30-year Treasury bond has been hovering above 5% for a couple weeks — the longest stretch since the Great Recession. One reason is Treasury bonds are competing with Big Tech debt. We’ll explain, with help from one reporter’s shady gym membership deal. Also in this episode: AT&T attributes strong earnings to service bundles, a customs broker updates us on shipping logistics amid tariff changes, and Kai explains why Fed economists want to keep inflation expectations "anchored."

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• 30-year Treasury yields stick above 5%
• China's consumer economy is losing steam
• AT&T's service bundles make for an earnings boon
• Inside the "tariff whirlpool" with a brokerage manager
• What “anchored inflation expectations” mean for the Fed

Anthropic settled a copyright case Monday, agreeing to pay out $1.5 billion to authors whose material had been scraped to train its AI chatbot. It comes out to roughly $3,000 per work used after legal fees and other costs. But the outcome isn’t as decisive as it seems. In this episode, what Anthropic’s decision to settle means for future AI copyright cases. Plus: What we lose when we rely on digital downloads, why Jersey Mike’s is soaring while Subway slumps, and how small business owners are handling higher trucking costs.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• How business owners are grappling with higher trucking costs
• Jersey Mike's filed to go public. What advantages does it have over other sandwich chains?
• A GM vehicle will set you back around $52,000. Here's why that's higher than average.
• In the digital era, what media do we still own?
• Anthropic pays $1.5 billion to settle a copyright case
• Breckenridge's dark night skies are dreamy — but they come at a cost
  

Blink and you’d miss it — gas prices cooled earlier this summer as the Iran war reached a ceasefire, but the national average is back up to $4 a gallon, according to AAA. In this episode, will U.S.-Iran negotiations drive fuel prices even higher? Plus: Starter home supply eases in some parts of the country, regional bank earnings reveal what’s going on in the consumer economy, and Kai discusses changes to the Fed under Chair Kevin Warsh.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• Gas prices hit $4 a gallon again
• Regional bank earnings will tell us a lot about the health of the economy
• All engines go as U.S. shipping speeds up
• Starter home supply is starting to pick up, particularly in the South
• For this Texas park worker, home is about the location — not the house

The short answer is no, the Chevron-Iraq deal won’t solve the problem. So why did the U.S.-based energy company sign a vague, preliminary deal to negotiate a pipeline that circumvents the Strait of Hormuz? It’s another sign that energy firms expect the war with Iran to drag on. Also in this episode: Talent managers represent more social media influencers as sponsored content spending grows, a food critic delivers the history of iconic Las Vegas buffets, and the U.S. experiences a fun shortage.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• Inflation is softening. Can it last with war and tariffs?
• Chevron seeks new route to transport oil from Iraq
• The professionals behind that sponcon on your feed
• The economics behind America’s fun shortage
• The Las Vegas buffet, from 1946 to today

The White House has proposed new tariffs on 60 countries that allegedly aren’t doing enough to ban forced labor. Domestic businesses, already burned from last year’s trade war, are bracing for more hurt. In this episode, companies weigh early orders against rising costs. Plus: Recent positive inflation data could convince the Fed to hold interest rates steady, Kroger buys Giant Eagle in ongoing effort to unseat Walmart as the supermarket market-share king, and parents sacrifice to put their kids through youth sports.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories from today’s episode:

• Retailers map out tariff strategies
• The Fed digests an optimistic week for economic data
• Traditional supermarkets are struggling. Kroger hopes its Giant Eagle merger will help
• Business Botox: What it takes to sell a luxury home
• Youth sports have turned into a five-figure-a-year commitment for many parents

Though the latest inflation reports show price growth cooled a bit in June, U.S. inflation remains higher than its peer nations, which include the U.K., Canada, France, and Japan. President Trump’s tariffs are partially to blame. But so is hefty capital expenditure by AI giants. Can anything counterbalance all that spending? After that: Kai explains the utility of Beige Book “soft” data, IBM posts mediocre earnings, farmers fret over fertilizer prices, and student borrowers weather five years of policy whiplash.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• Why is inflation in the U.S. worse than other developed countries?
• IBM and other old-school tech companies feel the AI pinch
• Fertilizer costs worry farmers as Iran conflict continues
• Student loan policy changes give borrowers whiplash
• For these entrepreneurs, it's all in the details

We got a better-than-expected June CPI report: Inflation slowed in both the goods and services sectors. But it’s hard to say whether that trend will continue and how it might affect the Fed’s next inflation rate decision. Also in this episode, Fed Chair Kevin Warsh testifies before Congress, so we break down his approach to central bank communication and the Humphrey-Hawkins Act. Plus, an egg price-fixing scheme, the hog lobby, and credit cards.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories from today’s episode:

• Inflation slowed in June. What does that mean for interest rates?
• Can the hog lobby — and falling prices — get Americans to eat more pork?
• Cracking open the price-fixing scandal behind rising egg prices
• What higher credit card spending means for the economy
• Why Kevin Warsh is on Capitol Hill today

Five major banks report earnings Tuesday morning, and analysts expect them to be rosy. Despite a volatile energy market and uncertain geopolitical climate, U.S. banks are turning strong profits. They’ve got AI investment and a booming stock market to thank. Plus, the inflation beat: Steep producer inflation could soon show up in consumer prices, economists aren’t sure how long overall inflation will stick around, and we check in with three small business owners ahead of the June CPI.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories from today’s episode:

• Rapidly rising producer prices could spell trouble for the economy
• Why are big banks doing so well in this economy?
• Prices may remain elevated well into next year
• Private jets and fake phone notifications are all part of the "hustlebro" scam

Energy prices are up, and we’ve got a war to thank. Two wars, actually. While all eyes have been on Trump’s on-again, off-again conflict with Iran, Ukraine has ramped up attacks on Russian oil refineries — and the effects are rippling through the global energy market. Also in this episode: Data centers ease electricity bills in some places (for now), travelers turn to buses as airfares rise, and Kai discusses the week’s economic headlines.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• As inflation roils, what will Fed Chair Warsh do next?
• The war driving up refined fuel prices might not be the one you're thinking of
• Data centers lowered electric bills in some places — for now
• As airfares skyrocket, summer travelers take the bus
• What does it take to “grow a dress” in your backyard?

In July, the manufacturing sector grew at its fastest month-to-month rate in four years. A new tax law likely boosted company spending to some degree, but AI investment packed the biggest punch — demand is strong and the money is flowing. Also in this episode: McDonald’s suffers a sales slump, the latest JOLTS data points to a steadily improving labor market, and Kai talks to one economist behind a Trump administration investment tracker.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• Manufacturing sector benefits from continued AI demand
• Tracking down the Trump administration's $27.6 billion in investments
• Why job openings have been rising slowly this year
• McDonald's sales soften as diners spend cautiously
• Where did China's oil imports go?

Permian Basin oil companies are reporting strong quarterly earnings, as the Iran war keeps prices up and supply restricted. West Texas, formerly in a slump, has seen an uptick in hiring and new rigs. But oil companies are moving cautiously — they want to avoid a bust after the boom. Also in this episode, more caution: Small businesses carefully weigh workforce expansion, the U.S. invests billions to prop up the Japanese yen, and a Colorado peach farmer preps for a water shortage.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• Why did the U.S. just spend billions to prop up the Japanese yen?
• What the bond market is trying to tell us
• How small- and medium-sized firms are navigating this labor market moment
• Becoming a freelance court reporter helped this mom find herself
• High oil prices lift all boats in the Permian Basin, but companies remain cautious
• Peaches pay the bills for Western Colorado farmers, but drought makes their future uncertain

Amazon’s autonomous vehicle company, Zoox, can now roll out 2,500 of its vehicles annually in the next two years. Are more robotic cars coming, or will there be more speed bumps? But first, we’ll look at the market impact of the Fed’s decision to keep interest rates steady in our Weekly Wrap. Plus, the effect of rising health insurance costs for employers, a retiree returning to the workforce for a family business, and a look at how Boulder, Colorado is making room for the Sundance Film Festival.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• Weekly Wrap: Kevin Warsh's dilemma on interest rates
• Rising health insurance costs may take a bite out of your paycheck
• Leaving retirement for a new family business
• Amazon's self-driving Zoox taxis are about to hit the roads
• When a legendary film festival comes to Colorado, will homeowners open their doors?

Since 2020, the cost of groceries has risen 26%. But contrary to what you might think, cash-strapped consumers aren’t necessarily staying away from pricier options. In this episode, why Americans are doubling down on organic — even as the cost of their overall grocery haul rises. Plus: Why more customers are choosing chargebacks, what economists predict about inflation two years from now, and how a Maine nonprofit is bringing lobstering to the next generation.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• The Fed doesn't have an inflation crystal ball, but it does have "sticky-price CPI"
• In spite of price hike fatigue, consumers are still snapping up organic foods
• Credit card chargebacks are on the rise — part of the reason is fraud
• Multiple wars drive up the price of diesel
• "Never would have expected to be here": Young Mainers consider the lobster

The Trump administration’s war in the Middle East has driven up fuel prices globally. As drivers pay more at the pump, some oil-rich states like New Mexico and Alaska are experiencing a tax revenue windfall. In this episode, one man’s gas spend becomes another man’s state budget booster. Plus: The Fed holds rates steady despite internal disagreement, “kidulting” and collectibles fuel growth in the toy retail space, and a line dancing resurgence driven by social media launches one instructor’s boot scootin’ career.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• Oil-producing states benefit from war-driven windfall
• Adults are spending big on toys
• What happens if the AI bubble pops?
• How one entrepreneur is riding a wave in popularity for line dancing

President Trump insists his economic policies have supported a reshoring of manufacturing jobs. At a rally held at a Michigan GM facility on Monday, he doubled down. In reality, the U.S. has lost 75,000 manufacturing jobs since Trump took office in 2025. In this episode, we fact check the President’s claims, and consider the future of Michigan’s auto industry. Plus: Companies begin to offer insurance for AI mistakes, the U.S. trade deficit shrank a bit in June, and UPS winds down its Amazon delivery fulfilment partnership.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• Trump says his aggressive trade policy is bringing back factory jobs. Is it?
• No really, what is Kevin Warsh thinking?
• New insurance products cover damages caused by AI
• UPS and FedEx are moving from higher volumes to higher margins
• The trade deficit fell in June, but remains high
• As mortgage rates stay high, this lender is seeing buyers accept the new normal

More than 330,000 Haitians lost their ability to legally live and work in the U.S. this week. A recent Supreme Court ruling allowed the Trump administration to end Temporary Protected Status for refugees from certain countries. In this episode, why the policy change will deliver a swift blow to the healthcare sector. Plus: Economists weigh the Fed’s next interest rate move, businesses report cautious optimism in new survey, and a Baltimore club redistributes wealth to neighbors in need.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• Economists share their Fed expectations
• Businesses report optimism, despite all the economic uncertainty
• A new kind of club wants people to share the wealth
• What the end of TPS for Haitians could mean for the labor force
• To reduce their climate impact, airlines target contrails
• Circus school balances world-class programs with small town values

Intel’s sales jumped by 25% last quarter, the largest increase in over a decade — making the U.S. government’s stake in the company around $40 billion after the administration invested last year. In this episode: Was Trump’s Intel deal a win-win? Plus: Why Gen Z’s not drinking regular soda, rates on business loans might climb, and a 63-year-old pivoted to statue restoration after a career in tech.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• Weekly Wrap: Are tariffs just white noise?
• Rates on business loans have held steady, but they might climb soon
• Intel is booming a year after the U.S. government bought a stake. Is that a win-win?
• Mushroom soda and other functional drinks make a splash in the beverage market
• How a 63-year-old took statue restoration from a side hustle to full-time job

The July jobs report is out, and it’s a doozy: The U.S. labor market shed a net 23,000 jobs last month. Previous months, which saw moderate gains, were revised down. In this episode, which sectors cut the most roles, and what it all signals about the broader economy. Plus: Climbing car prices lock buyers in longer-term loans, communities combat a teacher shortage by building affordable housing, and we want to hear your stories about voluntarily leaving the workforce.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• The economy lost 23,000 jobs in July. Should the Fed be worried?
• Here's where the economy lost jobs in July
• Car prices continue to rise. Auto lenders compensate with long-term loans
• The school districts building affordable housing for teachers
• How leaving the labor force helped this caregiver find her calling

The average household’s buying power has slipped by about 0.1%, when the latest CPI report is compared to last week’s jobs numbers. In layman’s terms, Americans took a pay cut over the last year. But economists aren’t so clear on what comes next. In this episode, we’re on the inflation-outpacing-wages beat. Plus: Drivers brace for continued high gas prices, fractional homeownership startups present tradeoffs in this squeezed housing market, and we break down some lesser-known economic indicators.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories from this episode:

• Inflation has slowed, but wage growth hasn't caught up
• Refined oil prices face more pressure than crude, and consumers will pay the price
• To understand how war impacts financial markets, look to the past
• What you should know about fractional homeownership

Credit card delinquencies are sitting at 13% so far this year. It’s the highest national rate since the tail-end of the Great Recession. The aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, including high inflation and job uncertainty, is partially to blame. Also in this episode: Home equity lines of credit become more popular as traditional borrowing rates climb, small business owners are cautious but optimistic — and trying to hire — and Kyla Scanlon explains economic nihilism.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• Younger consumers are turning to "little treats" in the face of economic nihilism
• Why lines of credit have become a preferred piggy bank for homeowners
• Credit card delinquencies approach Great Recession levels
• China is shaping the technology of the future. Where does that leave the U.S.?
• Small business owners are feeling uncertain but optimistic

More bad news from last week’s jobs report: Wage growth slowed to 3.2%, the lowest yearly rate in five years. Combine that with high inflation, and consumers are losing purchasing power. In this episode, where did the wage growth go? Plus: Temp firms report increased demand, Bed, Bath & Beyond’s parent company wants to expand into services, and Pringles implements AI on the production line.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• U.S. consumers' real earnings have been falling
• Why Bed Bath & Beyond's parent company is pivoting to mortgages and flooring
• Should we ditch paper checks? You probably write more than you think
• She chose rural South Carolina over Italy and England
• One bright spot in an otherwise-meh labor market? Temp jobs
• A new kind of AI chip: Pringle-making gets optimized by artificial intelligence

The government is selling 30-year bonds with interest rates at a quarter-century high. We talk with Greg Ip at the Wall Street Journal about how that could be a warning from investors over stubborn inflation and mounting debt. Also in this episode, we look at how energy prices shape the Producer Price Index, rising prices for retailers, and coal slipping as an energy source, before diving into infrastructure with a look at Puerto Rico’s water crisis and solar panel installation in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• Inflation cools for producers in July
• How small business owners are dealing with rising costs
• Coal still behind natural gas, renewables in electricity production
• How one restaurant is navigating Puerto Rico’s water crisis
• Free solar panels and home batteries? Ann Arbor's trying it out

In the Commerce Department’s retail sales report for July, sales at stores of all kinds were down 0.6%, when a modest increase in sales had been expected. Though some discretionary purchases are up, consumers are certainly tightening their belts. Also in this episode, we look at the decline of Etsy, how businesses near the Canadian border are dealing with fewer visitors, and the staying power of Candy Crush.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• Inflation dipped slightly in July, but remains above Fed's target
• Retail sales dropped sharply in July as consumers tighten spending
• The AI slop-ification of Etsy
• Fewer Canadian shoppers leave border businesses struggling
• The incredible staying power of Candy Crush Saga