Explore every episode of the podcast Marketplace

The housing market is a bit chilly right now — new home sales are down, and so are prices. But current homeowners watched their property values grow over the past several years. So when it comes to selling, they’ve got (as Olivia Rodrigo might say) real big expectations. In this episode, the disconnect between need-to-sell homeowners and price-sensitive buyers. Plus: Consumer confidence continues its bumpy journey, durable goods orders are picking up, and we visit Brownsville, Texas, where SpaceX launches are taking over the skies.

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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:

• Durable goods orders have been picking up. And it’s not just AI.
• Selling your home? You may need to adjust expectations
• Consumer confidence ticked up in October. Is it just a blip?
• In South Texas, rocket launches are part of a bigger economic shift
• Capitalism and democracy go hand in hand, according to new index
• For this candy store, it's all about the customers

A few Big Tech firms are slated to explain their quarterly earnings later this week. AI will, of course, be the protagonist of these earnings calls. Investors are hoping for some positive character development, or at least a spoiler for any plot twists. In this episode, the next installment of the AI narrative. Plus: Central banks prepare for interest rate setting, Treasury rates rise with heightened risk, and the Energy Department adds helium to its critical materials list — again.

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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:

• AI is the main character in Big Tech's earnings stories
• Will the world's central banks rase interest rates this week?
• At the Belcourt Theatre, you can see everything (including the documentary)
• Helium is back on the U.S. list of 'critical materials'
• Treasury interest rates are up because they're looking risky
• Aging farmers and the government want to save farms, but for many the cost is too high

Big Tech is kind of carrying the stock market right now, thanks to all that spendy artificial intelligence innovation. That means your retirement account is probably invested in at least some AI stocks. So we asked an expert: If the theoretical AI bubble pops, will those 401(k)s be OK? Also in this episode: New data shows healthy growth in the private sector, Kai goes over the week’s economic headlines ahead of another Fed rate decision, and we visit a cyber-scam compound in Cambodia.

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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:

• Treasury yields, tech stocks, and consumer sentiment all took a slide this week
• Inside a Cambodian cyber scam compound
• There's reason to believe the private sector economy is actually doing pretty well
• Got a 401(k)? There's a good chance it's invested in AI

Everyday consumers aren’t the only ones contending with rising borrowing costs. Corporations are also subject to those fluctuations — but the rates don’t rise equally across the board. In this episode, why companies with the corporate equivalent of low credit scores are seeing extra-high borrowing costs right now. Also in this episode: Rising crude oil prices spell trouble for sustained inflation, P&G raises sales with “innovation-based pricing,” and independent mechanics struggle to repair newer tech-integrated cars.

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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 rising crude oil prices could impact the U.S. and global economy
• "Innovation-based pricing": new versions of old products at higher prices
• Rising rates are stressing out the riskiest companies
• This CPA quit, then did one fun thing every day of her job hunt
• Has the recipe for Reese's changed? It depends on how you define 'change'
• Independent garages juggle mechanic shortage and computerized autos

In Crook County, Oregon, just east of the Cascade mountains, data centers sprawl across the high desert landscape. The area fell into economic decline during the Great Recession and some residents welcomed investment by Meta and Apple in the form of massive data center complexes. But 15 years on, was it worth it? In this episode, what happens when data centers come to town. Plus, mergers and spinoffs: Abbott plans to turn its baby formula operation into a standalone company, and Elon Musk explores a plan to combine Tesla and SpaceX.

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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:

• Data centers boosted one Oregon town's economy, but some residents have had enough
• Abbott Laboratories announces a baby formula spinoff company
• Elon Musk wants to merge SpaceX and Tesla
• If “demographics are destiny,” what’s in store for the U.S. economy?

On Tuesday morning, lenders like KeyCorp, Mercantile Bank, and Atlantic Union Bank turned in their earnings reports. Those types of regional banks make plenty of loans, especially to midsize companies. In this episode, we look at how they might start getting pickier if rates increase. Also, we’ll look at retailers fighting to offer value to customers, how AI is being used in publishing, Magic: The Gathering driving growth at Hasbro, a wild game processing company, and the booming horror industry.

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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:

• Midsize lenders thrived in the third quarter. Can it last?
• Walmart is offering a new membership bundle in fight for value
• AI (still) has the publishing industry in a tizzy
• Magic: The Gathering is driving growth at Hasbro
• Hunters have to hunt for a place to turn wild game into food
• Horror is good business — not just during Halloween

Inflation is affecting all of us. But when costs go up, lower-income households are especially vulnerable to credit creep — that’s when consumers use credit for more and more transactions. One survey found 29% of buy now, pay later users took out the loans to pay for groceries, double the percentage from just a couple of years ago. Also in this episode: What might happen to the labor market if Fed raises interest rates, how immigration crackdowns are tied to a 14-year homebuilder confidence low, and why political candidates are competing for AI attention.

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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:

• What will happen to the job market if the Fed raises interest rates?
• Struggling consumers are increasingly turning to high-cost credit for basic needs
• This farmer was promised a $20,000 grant to go solar. USDA changed the rules
• How immigration crackdowns are tightening the construction labor market
• Candidates campaign for AI attention
• Home-based coffee shops provide unique perks for owners and customers

India’s economy, from one perspective, has a huge leg up on the U.S.: Its workforce is young and growing. “Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal visited Mumbai to learn what that growth looks like on the ground. In this episode, Kai and ADP Chief Economist Nela Richardson visit a Mumbai-based healthcare startup that’s using AI to detect disesases early. They also reflect on the trip as a whole. Plus: Farmers face down high fertilizer prices and we break down the week’s inflation data.

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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:

• If inflation persists, what comes next?
• Farmers face high fertilizer prices — with no end in sight
• Inside a global AI company built in rapidly-growing India

On Thursday, we got to see the second act of our monthly inflation double feature: the producer price index. Producer prices rose 1.3% in September, which is the largest jump since 2022 — and a hint at the risk that more consumer inflation is coming down the pipeline. Also on today's show: inflation outliers and a holiday spending preview. And later, continuing The Age of Work series, we head to a Mumbai-based clothing company looking to expand to domestic sales.

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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:

• Producer prices see biggest jump in four years
• Not everything is suffering from inflation
• Consumers expect to spend as much or more this holiday season
• A family business in Mumbai is finding growth in a complicated global economy

Inflation worsened in September, to 3.7% annually, up from 3.4% in August. Energy prices are mostly to blame, but the other slices of the economy are starting to show price stress. It’s no help that the cost to ship crude oil is up exponentially. In this episode, the dumpster fire that is war-inflated energy prices. Plus: Host Kai Ryssdal and ADP Chief Economist Nela Richardson visits a garment exporting business (with a familiar name) that provides job training for women in Mumbai.

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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 worsened in September. Blame energy prices — mostly
• The cost of shipping a tanker of crude oil has skyrocketed due to war
• A Mumbai company training and employing women in the slums

UnitedHealth Group just reported Q3 earnings: Total revenue was down but profits were up. How’s it possible? A decline in Medicaid enrollment, AI-driven billing tools, and some good ol’ corporate diversification. We’ll get into it. Also in this episode, we continue our coverage of the labor force in Mumbai with trips to an Oscar-winning visual effects studio and an English-language night school.

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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:

• "Can't go to the moon every quarter": Big banks' bumpy start to earning season
• Movie studios and night schools: Inside India's growing economy
• UnitedHealth stopped insuring some people. Its profits rose.
• What the low-hire, low-fire economy looks like for a new grad

As the workforces of the U.S., U.K., and similar wealthy Western nations age, other countries with younger populations grow at a clip. Nowhere is this more true than India, where the median age is 29 (a decade younger than the U.S.) and GDP is growing at nearly 8% annually. As part of our ongoing “Age of Work” series, “Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal and ADP Chief Economist Nela Richardson visited Mumbai to understand a workforce and economy that is very different from our own. In this episode, they visit a bustling bazaar where young jewelers are inheriting family businesses.

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:

• India's economy is on the cusp of its demographic golden age
• It's tough to completely exclude energy prices from inflation calculations

A 2020 law aimed at eliminating surprise medical expenses has shifted some unpredictable costs away from patients. The law was supposed to incentivize jointly set reasonable prices between hospitals and insurers, but instead, there’s been a whole lot of finger pointing — and employers are left holding the bag. Also in this episode: The agriculture economy goes K-shaped, a sailor finds a support network in her solo circumnavigation, and we talk through 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:

• The stock market isn’t the economy — except when maybe it is?
• In the agricultural heart of the country, it's a tale of two farm economies
• How a law to protect patients from surprise billing shifted the cost to employers
• Cole Brauer sailed solo around the world. She plans to do it again

First-time unemployment claims (layoffs, basically) have come in below 200,000 for four weeks running — the longest stretch since 1969. At the same time, the economy only barely added jobs in September. Few layoffs, barely any new jobs, and it makes ya start to wonder, just how petrified can this labor market get? Also in this episode: AI doomers touch grass at a monthly Bay Area picnic, the personal savings rate ebbs to a 4-year low, and Kai explains central bankers’ balance sheet agita.

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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:

• A frozen job market means nobody's getting laid off, but nobody's getting hired
• Only in San Francisco: A picnic to discuss AI risk
• Not too big, not too small: The just-right Fed balance sheet
• Here's where home heating will cost more this winter
• Americans are saving less money — some can't afford to, others are focused on investing
• Using retirement to finally dig into family history

The S&P 500 has hit more than two dozen record highs this year, and it’s got AI firms to thank. In fact, it’s easy to forget that a lot of other public companies are in a tough spot. In this episode, why there’s a widening bifurcation of the stock market. Plus: Rising auto loan delinquencies could be a warning sign for broader consumer strife, financial institutions kick off Q3 earnings season, and Kai explains what the yield curve tells us about the bond market.

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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:

• The stock market gap between AI and everything else is growing
• What to watch for in next week's Q3 earnings
• "Circular spaghetti": What the tangled AI supply chain means for regulation
• Want to know what the bond market is thinking? Check out the yield curve
• Rising auto loan delinquencies reflect the K-shaped economy

We got fresh data showing imports and inventory levels are up. Is it a sign of a strong economy, or a sign businesses are bracing for impact? In this episode, AI remains a major driver of this strange economy. Plus: The U.S. is simultaneously importing and exporting a ton of semiconductors, the euro drops to a 17-month low, and monetary policy disproportionately impacts Black employment rates.

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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:

• Imports and inventories are rising. Does that mean the economy is strong?
• Semiconductor imports and exports have been rising all year
• The Black-white employment gap is growing. What's that say about the economy?
• Sometimes quitting a job is a "real sign of strength"
• France's debt pushes the euro to 17-month low
• World Cup business keeps kicking after the final whistle

Despite Trump’s best efforts (a flurry of loosely targeted tariffs), the U.S. trade deficit is widening. But why is it widening? And what does it all have to do with foreign investment in government debt and the strength of the U.S. dollar? We’ll explain. Plus: Electric truck sales rev up amid record-high diesel prices, a 19th-century novelist popularized economic theory for her broad audience, and investors prep for upcoming Treasury auctions.

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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:

• What exactly are investors looking for in this week's government bond auctions?
• The U.S. dollar is at its strongest in 18 months
• The Regency-era novelist who popularized economics through her books
• Here's why the trade deficit is growing
• As diesel prices soar, so do electric truck sales
• The algorithm knows you have a baby, and it will exploit that

In Nike’s earnings report this week, the brand said it may begin shrinking its operations and laying off workers. It’s been losing market share for a while now. We look at what went wrong in the last decade. Also in this episode: the government-funded EV discounts that still remain, the business of affiliate links, and a former business owner’s mini retirement during fatherhood.

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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:

• An unsettling economic picture
• Can Nike get its mojo back?
• A year after federal EV tax credits ended, a patchwork of state EV incentives remains
• Here, take my link! The rise of affiliate links
• How becoming a dad brought this outdoorsman full-circle

The PCE price index (that's the Fed's preferred measure of inflation) held steady year-over-year in the latest report. Economists expected it to move up. So, why didn't it budge -- and why aren't we all celebrating? Also in this episode: Seasonal work is hard to find so far this fall, Trump's immigration crackdown weakens construction productivity in South Texas, and Kai explains the long-term implications of rising borrowing costs.

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's preferred inflation measure was lower than expected in August. Is that a good thing?
• Can the U.S. just grow its way out of debt?
• Immigration crackdown adds delays, costs to South Texas construction
• More people are looking for seasonal work this year. So far, it's hard to find
• There are more private security guards than police. How much are they paid?

OpenAI just announced it will delay its IPO due to ongoing AI safety concerns. But when you’re a company as big as OpenAI, where does your funding come from? In this episode, venture capital doesn’t cut it. Plus: Second quarter GDP was revised up thanks to all that corporate AI investment, Kai breaks down why the labor market is kinda like a bathtub, and farmers turn to agritainment as crop revenue shrinks.

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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:

• Second quarter GDP growth is brought to you by the letters A and I
• Why full employment is like filling a bathtub with water
• OpenAI delayed its IPO. That makes private investors happy
• Corn mazes, apple picking, and hayrides: More farms are leaning into "agritourism"
• Is your Dijon spicy? Heat and drought might be the cause
• How "Neon Tom" made a 40-year career out of neon signs

Consumer confidence fell to a 12-year low in September, according to The Conference Board. The index has been trending down for a couple years, but this latest decline was steep. One reason? Upper-middle class respondents are starting to feel the pressure, too. Also in this episode: The economic forces behind GDP growth might run out of steam soon, the low-hire low-fire labor market marches on, and high diesel prices keep some Gulf shrimpers on dry land.

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:

• How long can the economy keep growing?
• The latest JOLTS survey shows more of the same low-hire, low-fire economy
• Consumer confidence falls to its lowest level in 12 years, survey shows
• The price tag might be an endangered species
• High diesel prices force some Gulf shrimpers to stay docked
• New career path, new baby, no problem

Apple used to be the leader in buying back shares. Now, Nvidia has broken the tech company’s record, announcing Monday that it would add $150 billion to its stock buyback program, on top of $80 billion pledged a few months ago. The chipmaker’s profits have continued to surge, as tech companies pour money into data centers and AI infrastructure. Is this a smart way for Nvidia to spend its money? More on Nvidia today, plus how a volunteer firefighter shortage is affecting a rural Wyoming county, why spending is predicted to soar this holiday season despite the energy crisis, and what economists are watching for in the jobs numbers coming out this week.

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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 a big week for economic data. Here's what labor economists will be looking for.
• Nvidia's record stock buyback funded by cash from the data center boom
• There’s a national volunteer firefighter shortage. It’s on display in Wyoming
• Early retirement isn't always a choice
• Adobe forecasts record U.S. spending online this holiday season
• The mall isn't dead, yet

What happens to government debt, the budget deficit, and the overall economy if interest rates stay elevated? For a new report, the Congressional Budget Office crunched the numbers. By 2056, public debt would grow to an eye-popping 222% of GDP. Plus: Trump administration cuts decimated soil conservation programs, a new report highlights the impact of private equity investments on climate risk, and an uneventful Trump-Xi summit ends with a promise of more talks to come.

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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:

• TTYL? Trump-Xi talks end without much to show
• What happens to the deficit and the national debt if interest rates stay high?
• U.S. farmers lost conservation experts in Trump’s federal cuts. Now they’re hurting for help
• Private equity gets a grade on climate risks

As Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh attempts to limit forward guidance, analysts are zeroed in on other Fed officials’ public comments. Turns out, they’ve got plenty to say. In this episode, central bankers make their voices heard. Plus: Layoffs push workers to pivot careers entirely, catastrophe modelers warn a strong El Niño is brewing, and potato farmers struggle in the wake of an excellent growing season.

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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:

• Kevin Warsh is against forward guidance. But that hasn't stopped other Fed officials
• Laid off? Odds are a change of job title's in your future
• A "historic" El Niño is brewing and catastrophe modelers are mapping out the risks
• A spectacular 2025 growing season was not so great for potato farmers this year

Bad news first: Mortgage rates are topping 7% and, fittingly, mortgage applications are down. On the bright side, home prices aren’t completely frozen and listings are actually up. Question is, in this stuck housing market, when will things budge? Also in this episode: A running resurgence parallels popularity peaks in the aughts and ‘80s, Nashville-style hot chicken sees international success, and writer Robin Wigglesworth argues the bond market built the modern world in his new book, “A Fabulous Debt.”

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. mortgage rates climb above 7% in another blow to housing market
• Bonds are like the “hidden wiring connecting the global economy”
• Why everyone is running all of a sudden
• Like weddings, concerts are now destination affairs
• The global appeal of Nashville hot chicken

Diesel costs have nearly doubled over the last year, breaking record highs. In fact, some lawmakers are calling on the Trump administration to halt all diesel exports until they cool off. But experts say it's a recipe for price chaos that will leave us right back where we started. Also in this episode: A wide crude oil spread persists, butter and cheese become a bright spot on grocery receipts, and local bank consolidations leave customers frustrated.

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 difference between the "paper" price of Brent crude and what refiners pay for it
• Trump and Xi meet this week. What can we expect?
• As grocery prices rise, cheese and butter get cheaper
• "Not such a good idea": How banning diesel exports to lower prices could backfire
• As banks consolidate, some customers aren’t so sure they’re happy

President Trump will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, and AI safety is likely to define the agenda. But what about those pesky tariffs? In this episode, we lay out the fraught trade relationship between the U.S. and China. Plus: Airlines trim their flight schedules to combat high fuel prices, the price of copper may tell us less about global economic growth than it used to, and Ohio cities court recent grads looking for job opportunities and affordability.

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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:

• Trade tensions between U.S. and China simmer ahead of Trump-Xi summit
• Is "Dr. Copper" becoming less reliable?
• Starting a new career? Start in Ohio, report says
• Airlines are trimming routes as fuel prices soar
• Sorry brunch, but you're old news

The Trump administration has doubled down on its trade war with our neighbors to the North — the U.S. is set to ban the import of several Canadian products, including beer and whey protein, in a few weeks. Small businesses on both sides of the border are caught in the middle. In this episode, we visit a few of them to understand how they’re coping. Plus: Banks stand to lose money as Treasury bond yields keep rising, Linkedin has changed the job hunt in this tight labor market, 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.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

• The Fed makes a move
• Rising rates mean Treasurys are worth less. That's putting pressure on banks
• As the U.S.-Canada trade war heats up, businesses find themselves caught in the crossfire
• Do you need to be a "LinkedIn lunatic" for your career?
• She sold her home, just to keep living in it

Retail sales jumped 1.2% in August after falling in July. But building materials stores — think Home Depot or Lowe’s — still saw a dip. That’s because stretched consumers are putting off “nice-to-haves,” like home renovations. Also in this episode: The future of global energy demand will be driven by a mix of renewables and fossil fuels, high school students take a new AP class melding business and personal finance, and neighbors organize to cooperatively buy their mobile home park.

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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:

• The countries driving energy demand growth can't wait for renewables to get cheaper
• Kevin Warsh isn't a "data point-dependent guy"
• Home improvement stores take a housing market hit
• High schoolers take new AP business with personal finance class
• Residents of a mobile home park try to buy their community before someone else does
• Turning a childhood home into a place to share with strangers

The yield on 10-year T-notes climbed to its highest point since 2007 on Wednesday, as the Fed raised its key rate for the first time since July 2023. Swirling inflation and uncertainty have put all eyes on the bond market. So what’s it like to be a bond trader, suddenly at the center of attention? In this episode, we check in with a few of them. Plus: Higher borrowing costs will likely further stall the housing market, we explain “fiscal dominance,” and young people navigate “repayment avoidance.”

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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:

• What it's like to work in the bond market these days
• A Fed rate hike will make buying a home even more expensive
• Surviving a stroke meant leaving her career behind
• What “fiscal dominance” would mean for the U.S. economy
• Venmo ghosting, just in time for spooky season

August marked the third-highest level of container imports to the U.S. on record. Sure, it’s usually a busy month for holiday shopping inventory, but there’s also that pesky looming inflation and ongoing tariff uncertainty. In this episode, why U.S. retailers are stocking way up. Plus: The stock market braces for a likely Fed rate hike, wildlife highway crossings save money and lives, and Carter’s undergoes a rebrand aimed at a new generation of parents.

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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:

• If the Fed hikes rates, here's how the stock market might respond
• For those without a degree, the job market looks pretty good
• Imports boomed this summer in anticipation of higher costs
• Wildlife use bridges and tunnels too, but it’s spendy
• Carter's big rebrand amid challenging children's clothing market
• The complicated history of New York's iconic Charging Bull statue

At this week’s FOMC meeting, it’s likely Fed governors will hike interest rates. They won’t be alone. The EU raised rates last week and Japan is expected to do the same at its upcoming meeting. These central bankers are all dealing with similar inflationary pressures, and hawkish rate-setters stick together. Also in this episode: The U.S. dollar rises in anticipation of a rate hike, diesel prices break records, the subscription-BNPL-rental economy reduces how much we really own.

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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:

• Central bankers around the world are looking more hawkish
• The U.S. dollar rises as investors anticipate an interest rate hike
• We don't own anything anymore
• Diesel fuel hit a record high. Unlike gas, using less of it is not an option
• She built a tiny home in her aging mother's backyard

The latest BLS data put real hourly wage gains at -0.3% last month, compared to last year. That’s thanks to inflation running hotter than pay raises. To make up for it, some workers are putting in extra hours or dipping into their savings. In this episode, how much longer can Americans cope with what are effectively inflation-driven pay cuts? Plus: The gender wage gap slows economic productivity, housing starts grow in the Northeast as they fall elsewhere, and we weigh the possible outcomes of next week’s FOMC meeting.

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Read the stories in today’s episode:

• Last call for Fed rate predictions
• Inflation has devoured pay gains over the past year
• Why the gender pay gap holds back productivity
• Retiring at age 37 to give back to the community
• Housing starts are down in most of the country. Here's why the Northeast is the exception

Oil industry analysts were hopeful earlier this year that Trump’s war in the Middle East would be short-lived. But it’s become clear that an open flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz will require sustained cooperation between the U.S. and Iran. S&P Global now expects dampered production and choppy prices to continue into 2027. Also in this episode: Trucking costs are pushed up by record-breaking diesel prices and a shortage of English-speaking drivers. And, is it a good idea to use AI to develop pharmaceutical drugs?

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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:

• The oil roller coaster reaches new heights — and it's a bumpy ride ahead
• Trucking costs are rising fast. That could mean even more inflation for consumers
• This audio affects business is still waiting on tariff refunds
• How this Georgia factory is surviving America's solar policy whiplash
• If AI helps speed up drug development, can the FDA keep up?
• The construction manager who quit his 9-to-5 to build something for himself

Healthcare affordability is top-of-mind for many Americans right now. And for a long time, state legislators’ only avenue for easing that burden was through care subsidies. But what about looking at the problem from a whole new angle? In this episode, two states, unalike in their political leanings, try out healthcare price caps. Plus: Rising oil prices push up short-term bond yields, more homebuyers look into adjustable-rate mortgages, and we try to predict Fed Chair Warsh’s next move.

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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:

• High oil prices are pushing up short-term bond yields
• What will Kevin Warsh do? He's not telling
• More states are trying price caps to tackle healthcare affordability
• As mortgage rates rise, some homebuyers are choosing adjustable-rate loans
• Owning a home with a friend means learning how to talk about money

Canada levied a range of tariffs on U.S. goods Tuesday, escalating an ongoing trade war launched by President Donald Trump. It isn’t the first time the two countries have tiffed over trade, but it is, by at least one historian’s estimation, unprecedented. In this episode, we trace the neighboring nations’ historic partnership, and weigh what’s next. Plus: Small business owners report mixed economic outlook, ChatGPT recommends a made-up deodorant brand, and Monterey Park, California, models community-led data center resistance.

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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:

• The U.S. and Canada have had trade spats before, but this one might be different
• This California city became a model for resisting data centers
• Small business owners have mixed feelings about the economy
• How a fake deodorant brand got recommended by AI
• Brick-and-mortar bookstores are back

Prices are rising faster than average wages in this economy, and many Americans have turned to credit to keep up. They are paying it off for now, but what happens if the Fed raises interest rates later this month? Also in this episode: Artificial intelligence appears to be the cause of some job cuts in the finance sector, business owners along Spain’s Camino de Santiago report busier foot traffic — for better and worse — and the Mexican government rolls out a line of small electric cars.

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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:

• Consumers turn to credit as prices rise
• As finance and insurance lose jobs, AI gets most (but not all) of the blame
• This activewear brand says tariffs are still taking a toll
• Mexico launches its own electric car to show it can do more than build for other countries
• A former firefighter reflects on life — and money — as a stay-at-home dad
• How a 1,200-year-old pilgrimage is reshaping local economies in Spain

This economy added twice the amount of jobs expected in August, which is good news for the labor market. Still, the latest jobs report showed average hourly earnings were up just 3.1% annually — the slowest growth in more than five years. In this episode, when we can expect wages to start keeping up with inflation. Plus: American tourism to Europe is up, some farmers rely on decades-old machinery as budgets tighten, and one mom goes back to school 15 years after she started.

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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:

• Jobs are steady. Prices are high. What will the Fed do?
• Wage growth can't compete with inflation right now
• Squeezed by a tough economy, many farmers are relying on decades-old machinery
• More American tourists are visiting Europe
• This mom of six is rewriting her career by going back to school

American oil giant Chevron plans to funnel $7 billion into its Venezuela operations over the next five years, with a goal of more than doubling its production in the country. In this episode, we explain what Chevron has to gain from the deal and why other oil companies are hesitant to follow. After that: Can zero job growth be part of a healthy labor market? Are diesel prices affecting railroad freighting demand? And, will better-fitted windows turn into energy savings?

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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:

• Chevron's $7 billion bet on Venezuelan oil
• Can zero job growth really be a sign of a healthy labor market?
• How the cost of childcare pushed this twin mom out of the labor force
• Why more companies are choosing trains over trucks for shipping
• "Buy now, pay later" loans creep into essentials for many consumers
• Your house's windows are probably leaky. Replacing them saves on utility bills

The average cost of a gallon of diesel was $5.68 on Wednesday — just 13 cents shy of a record high. Tariffs and ongoing wars are both to blame. But so is a seasonal upswing that happens every fall. In this episode, why diesel prices are likely going to get even steeper before they cool off. Plus: A computer model helps make the case for fewer mandated parking spots in city construction projects, Uber wants to shrink its middle management, and Alaska families celebrate dipnetting season.

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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 high diesel prices are coming at a particularly bad time
• What it takes to reopen 19 months after a wildfire
• Uber lays off 10% of their workforce to make the company "simpler and faster"
• To spur more housing construction, Denver changed its parking rules
• Male loneliness epidemic? Try economic loneliness epidemic
• In Alaska, dipnetting for salmon is about more than what’s caught

Bond yields jumped to multi-decade highs in some countries this week, as market anxiety about inflation and the Iran war grows. The U.S. is not exempt from this turmoil. Borrowing rates could balloon, affecting the Fed and your wallet. We’ll explain. Also in this episode: The labor market barely budges in July job openings and labor turnover data, U.S. solar energy storage capacity nearly doubles under President Trump, and Reddit becomes valuable internet real estate in the age of AI.

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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:

• Rising global bond yields will put pressure on U.S. interest rates, too
• The labor market in July showed very little movement
• For this Mississippi barge line, labor is more of a concern than tariffs
• Why solar energy storage capacity has nearly doubled since Trump took office
• "The heart of the internet": AI has marketers flocking to Reddit
• From medicine to HVAC: one entrepreneur's journey

In Texas oil country, September usually marks the beginning of maintenance season. But with refineries running at near-100% capacity to meet increased demand, this fall might look a bit different. In this episode, can the global oil market weather an even tighter supply squeeze? Plus: Fed watchers expect an interest rate hike in September despite Trump’s opposition, U.S. consumers keep up spending in the face of mediocre jobs data, and ski resorts hoard snow for the warmish winter.

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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 interest rate expectations are pointing north
• The 'meh' job market hasn't slowed consumer spending much
• Inside the business of selling people their own family photo albums
• After a disastrous foray into real estate, this first-time buyer didn't let fear hold her back
• Can U.S. refineries afford to slow down for maintenance season?
• Ski resorts keep some snow in the bank this summer

It’s been more than a year since the Trump administration intensified ICE raids in immigrant communities across the U.S. Latino entreprenuers say the toll on their businesses has been worse than the pandemic. In this episode, the ongoing economic harm caused by Trump’s relentless deportation agenda. Plus: Small businesses grapple with more tariff uncertainty, Canada posts strong GDP growth, and we break down Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s first Jackson Hole speech.

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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:

• Was that forward guidance we just heard from the Fed Chair?
• Canada's economy is growing as it heads to a trade war with the U.S.
• Tariff uncertainty means halted production for this camping chair company
• Immigration enforcement leaves Latino businesses struggling for months
• How a 21-foot-tall space cowboy has revitalized a strip of Route 66

The NFL is back in a couple weeks, and so is artificial turf. Several NFL stadiums rolled out the green carpet this summer for World Cup matches, which are mandated to be played on grass. For the 92% of NFL players who prefer the real stuff, it’s proof-of-concept — and could become a players union bargaining objective come 2030. Also in this episode: Nvidia announces eye-popping long-term revenue expectations, retail inventories tick up, and we weigh a tax on robot labor.

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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:

• America's shelves are filling up
• Nvidia expects revenue to grow by 70% over the next year
• Football is back. So is the turf — and players aren't happy
• Could an AI tax disincentivize human layoffs?
• For specialty food importer, tariffs are still front and center
• For three generations, this family has kept up business along Route 66

Another month, another PCE report that put annual core inflation meaningfully above the Fed’s 2% target. The central bank has been fighting high inflation for more than five years now. At a certain point, you might start to wonder, does the Fed even have the power to fix it? Also in this episode: Consumer confidence falls, transportation durable goods orders tick up, and Arizona’s Great Recession-era bid to save the state budget offers insight into how AI might change our tax structure.

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 is stuck above 2%. Can the Fed really do anything about it?
• Consumers are pessimistic about the next six months
• How Arizona's "Capitol-ism" points to a potential tax fix for the AI age
• What's driving an increase in orders for transportation equipment?
• Running a historic motel off Route 66 is no easy pursuit
• The Gila River Indian Community "walks the walk" on water conservation

If artificial intelligence really does replace human labor, the U.S. could be in for a tax revenue crisis. That’s because high unemployment shrinks the pool of taxable wages. In this episode, we visit Akron, Ohio — the former tire capital of the world — to learn what happens when lost jobs snowball into lost government funding. Plus: Economists hope for cake but will settle for crumbs in Fed Chair Warsh’s Jackson Hole Symposium speech, and a new plan for Colorado River drought management draws backlash.

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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:

• Will Fed Chair Warsh actually say anything in his big Friday speech?
• Two years after Hurricane Helene, Asheville Tea Company finds a new home
• What Akron's rubber bust can teach us about a possible AI tax crisis
• The new Colorado River plan is out, and it's already under fire

Fuel hasn’t been touched in the trade clash between the U.S. and Canada (yet). It’s probably because the countries have an interdependent energy relationship — American refineries rely on Canadian crude; 90% of Canadian crude exports go to the U.S. But as tensions escalate, we started to wonder: Is Canada looking for alternative buyers? Also in this episode: Imported Mexican cattle could temporarily ease beef prices, Walmart bucks inflation trend by announcing grocery price cuts, and suburbia embraces factory-built homes.

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 U.S.-Canada trade fight has not touched oil ... yet
• While grocery costs rise, Walmart announces price cuts
• Manufactured housing, coming to a suburb near you
• Will importing beef help bring down prices?
• The behavioral economics of drought management

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, at least 1.8 million Americans have been actively looking for a fulltime job for more than 27 weeks. That’s over six months. In this episode, two people tell us what it’s like to navigate a never-ending job search. Plus: A surge in lone star ticks threatens the cattle industry, McDonald’s keeps huge amounts of data on frequent customers, and the national debt passes that $40 trillion threshold.

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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:

• The national debt hits $40 trillion
• Ticks increasingly threaten the health and livelihood of ranchers
• An Alabama cattle farm with a bird-tourism side hustle
• “Put me in, coach”: Navigating long-term unemployment in the low-hire economy
• How the McDonald's mobile app compiled 515-page dossier on one reporter

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s buyback of long-term bonds was a bit of a letdown this week — the interest rates barely budged. The Treasury’s next move in its quest to rein in the national debt will be to issue a ton more short-term securities. But that might not be such a good idea, either. In this episode, we’ll catch you up on the bond market turmoil. Plus: Multifamily construction permits are a housing bright spot, the Fed’s favorite inflation measure is due for a methodology change, and two craft-focused small business owners share the view from their economy.

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:

• "Buying a house with a credit card": The Treasury's plan to finance the national debt
• The Fed's preferred measure of inflation is changing
• As central bank bigwigs gather in Jackson Hole, local businesses carry on
• Builders bet on multifamily housing — but only in certain places

The price of imported goods, sans energy, was up 4.5% year-over-year in July. Data center buildout is driving that jump — imported computer prices were up 17%. In this episode, we explain why import price inflation is distinct from regular inflation and what that leap means for Fed rate-setting. Plus: U.S. oil firms ink deals with Venezuelan producers, the Treasury excecutes on major bond buybacks, and Kai meets a duo trying to turn Hollywood upside-down — or, at least, vertical.

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:

• What happens when import prices skyrocket? More inflation, of course
• U.S. oil companies ink production deals with Venezuela
• Microdramas get the "Hollywood treatment" at this new studio