It's been a big week for economic data, with key reports on GDP, PCE, retail sales and consumer sentiment numbers. Bloomberg's Kate Davidson and the Wall Street Journal's Greg Ip join “Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal to discuss the data, what's happening with inflation and how much tariffs are feeding into prices. Also on the show: Disposable income dipped in May. What does this slowdown in income growth mean for the broader economy? Plus, a conversation with Tim Cadogan, CEO of GoFundMe, about th...
Jun 27, 2025•26 min
Continuing unemployment claims just hit nearly two million — the highest number since November 2021. There’s not much hiring right now and workers with jobs aren’t going anywhere. In this static labor market, what’s an unemployed person to do? Also in this episode: Car sales slow after a pre-tariff boom, a new report shows Americans are socializing less, and a town in Oregon is still rebuilding five years after a major fire. Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe t...
Jun 26, 2025•25 min
Just two weeks out from the Trump administration’s tariff pause deadline, no one is quite sure what to expect. In this episode, experts weigh in on what sort of deals the U.S. is likely to make and how businesses are preparing in the meantime. Plus: “Value seeking” consumers want the most bang for their buck, economic uncertainty puts the brakes on RV sales, and Indigenous jewelry makers struggle as silver prices rise. Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our ...
Jun 25, 2025•25 min
The Conference Board’s consumer confidence index dropped in June. That’s after a brief reprive in May from a monthslong downward slide. Uncertainty surrounding the job market, tariffs, that GOP tax bill, trouble in the Middle East — what’s not to be glum about? In this episode, we explain what could shift the mood. Plus: Soon-to-be college grads in China prepare for an unwelcoming job market, oil shipping prices grow even as oil prices fall, and Congress considers a new way to regulate crypto. E...
Jun 24, 2025•26 min
After launching air strikes on Iranian unclear facilities over the weekend, President Trump posted to Truth Social, demanding that U.S. oil firms “drill, baby, drill.” Although ongoing conflict in the Middle East could balloon oil prices, it’s unlikely that domestic producers are racing to ramp up production just yet. Also in this episode: Renting may be more appealing than buying right now, Treasury auctions see stability, and tariffs threaten the success of a Wyoming trona mine. Every story ha...
Jun 23, 2025•26 min
In the “tariffs the Trump administration has announced and actually put into long-term effect” category? A 25% tax on some automotive parts. In this episode, we visit an auto repair shop in Vermont where unexpected price increases are affecting business. Plus: Cities invest in revitalized waterways as recreational moneymakers and the Philly Fed reports manufacturing employment slumped in the region. Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly news...
Jun 20, 2025•26 min
This spring, just 28% of U.S. homes sold above asking price, according to Redfin. That’s the lowest spring rate since 2020. The trend toward selling at or below asking price is good news for buyers. In this episode, why buyer competition — in some places — has thinned out. Plus: Federal cuts threaten childcare centers for government workers, Oklahoma teens learn about gambling risks in the classroom and we explain the difference between leading and trailing economic indicators. Every story has a...
Jun 19, 2025•25 min
The Fed kept interest rates as-is today, and Chair Powell said policymakers are “well-positioned to wait” before making another move. But what if oil price shock, propelled by roiling conflict in the Middle East, forces his hand? In this episode, we break open the Fed oil crisis playbook — but we hope Powell won’t need it. Plus, projections show the GOP tax bill will cost more than it makes, AI productivity won't boost humans equally and port logistics get complicated under shifting tariff polic...
Jun 18, 2025•25 min
This is a busy time for food banks — without school breakfast and lunch programs, more families lean on them. But between millions of dollars slashed from the USDA budget and heightened deportation fears, it’s a tougher-than-usual summer. In this episode, we visit Texas food banks with a simple goal: keep kids from going hungry. Plus, Trump wants to privatize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the cost of basic baby items is up 24% since new tariffs were imposed, and retail sales fell in May. Every sto...
Jun 17, 2025•26 min
The Federal Open Market Committee meets later this week, and it’s pretty likely they’ll examine why tariffs didn’t drive inflation up in May. The good news? A slew of economic data coming out this week could clear things up, and help them make an interest rate decision. Also in this episode: Other central banks have June meetings on the books, domestic steel production ramps up under tariffs — but steel jobs don’t — and Halloween came early this year. Like, really early. Every story has an econo...
Jun 16, 2025•26 min
When President Trump slapped sky-high tariffs on goods from China, exporters rerouted ships elsewhere. Now that those tariffs are on pause, shipping costs aren’t magically coming down — the cargo is spread all over the world. In this episode, we explain this unintended effect of Trump’s inconsistent trade policy. Plus: One woman makes it her mission to provide free student loan advice, Georgia shrimpers struggle to compete with foreign suppliers, and a florist navigates price changes. Every stor...
Jun 13, 2025•26 min
You might’ve missed it amid all the Congressional budget hoopla, but Senator Ted Cruz recently floated ending Federal Reserve interest payments, claiming it would save a trillion dollars over ten years. The problem? Not only would that plan save zero taxpayer dollars, it also goes against the Fed’s mandate to keep prices stable. Also in this episode: Amazon announces AI -generated video ads, Save the Children U.S. shifts gears amid USAID cuts, and FEMA puts pressure on local relief organizations...
Jun 12, 2025•26 min
Prices rose 0.1% in May, according to the latest consumer price index — that’s less than some analysts anticipated. It seems tariffs haven’t quite hit consumers’ wallets yet. We’ll explain what might be going on. Later in the episode: Retailers have cut close to 76,000 jobs so far this year, a 274% increase from the same period in 2025, and Kai and Nela visit a truss manufacturer juggling H2-B visas, automation and tariffs. Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to...
Jun 11, 2025•26 min
Later this week, the U.S. Treasury will auction off billions of dollars worth of 30-year bonds. While that may seem yawn-worthy to most of us, the outcome of that sale has big ramifications for consumer borrowing costs down the road. We’ll explain. Also in this episode: Targeting of international students hurts public and private universities, “core goods” is where tariff-driven inflation might show up first, and students at a fast-growing high school in Utah run their own soda shop. Every story...
Jun 10, 2025•25 min
Consumer credit rose $17.9 billion in April — $6 billion more than projected, the Fed says. Americans may be anxious about tariffs, but low unemployment means a lot of us still have the cash to pay a credit card bill or car payment at the end of the month. But a few debt warning signs are flaring. Also in this episode: Warner Bros. announces a corporate split, the cycling industry shifts gears and we visit a town where the majority of businesses are inside homes. Every story has an economic angl...
Jun 09, 2025•25 min
The latest jobs report is out Friday, and overall it’s pretty middling — some details are good news; others not so much. One data point sounding economic alarms? The labor force participation rate, which fell to 62.4% in May after several years of general growth since the height of the pandemic. In this episode, we explain what’s going on. Plus: E-commerce exporters in China describe the “rollercoaster” of keeping up with tariffs, and California’s Central Valley experiments with agricultural inn...
Jun 06, 2025•26 min
Unemployment filings and layoffs are rising, and private sector hiring hit a two-year low, recent reports show. Is it just healthy turnover or should we be worried about the direction the labor market is headed? For now, analysts are split. Also in this episode: Reddit sues an AI firm for scraping its user data and Kai spends more time in Utah County with ADP’s Nela Richardson exploring the obstacles and opportunities that come with a young population. Every story has an economic angle. Want som...
Jun 05, 2025•26 min
Provo, Utah, which sits in one of the youngest counties of the U.S., has attracted some major employers in recent years. This week, “Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal and ADP chief economist Nela Richardson visit and meet with some employers to find out why Provo’s young population and LDS community make a strong labor pool. Plus, a brief history of “tax the rich” and China curbs rare earth exports. Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newslett...
Jun 04, 2025•26 min
The GOP’s budget bill, now at the Senate, includes proposed cuts to federal statistical agencies. That could make government data narrower and less reliable. And when governments fail to put out dependable data? “It ends up being a real drag on the economy,” said economist Laura Veldkamp. Also in this episode: We visit an entrepreneurship hub in Provo, Utah, experts weight the merits of hard and soft data, and warehouses see a usage boom amid tariff uncertainty. Every story has an economic angle...
Jun 03, 2025•26 min
It depends on who you ask. But we can all agree that this round of tariffs is not the same as the ones President Trump enacted during his first term. In this episode, we compare the tariffs of 2018 to the chaotic rollouts and rollbacks of 2025. Plus: We visit Utah County, one of the youngest areas in the U.S., with ADP chief economist Nela Richardson. 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. Ch...
Jun 02, 2025•26 min
The economic reports out this week gave a fuzzy view of the economy, but next week will be all about jobs: job openings, labor productivity, and the latest jobs report. So far this year, employment has been pretty even-keeled — despite tariff uncertainty. Will May data be any different? Also in this episode: A field guide to the ultra-wealthy and a Minnesota family of seven (soon to be eight) grapples with higher costs. Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our...
May 30, 2025•26 min
The GOP spending and tax bill making its way through Congress would pile significantly onto the national debt. In turn, bond investors will demand higher yields and — unless something changes — the cost of borrowing for a business or a mortgage is likely to go up too. Also in this episode: YouTube stars build their own production studios, a Texas bill seeks to avoid orphan oil wells and we break down the economic implications of yesterday’s judicial ruling on Trump’s tariff policy. Every story h...
May 29, 2025•25 min
Nvidia, as you probably know, makes chips — more specifically, GPUs, which are needed to power artificial intelligence systems. But as AI adoption ramps up, why does it feel like Nvidia’s still the only chipmaker in the game? In this episode, why the California-based firm is, for now, peerless, and which companies may be angling to compete. Plus: Dwindling tourists worry American retailers, Dick’s Sporting Goods sticks to its partly-sunny forecast and the share of single women as first-time home...
May 28, 2025•25 min
The Conference Board’s latest consumer confidence index notched its highest monthly increase in four years. To be clear, it was coming off a five-year low in April, but the jump still represents cooling trade war anxieties among American consumers. Also in this episode: The U.S. isn’t the only country experiencing rising bond yields, durable goods orders fell in April and first-time home owners in Houston are saddled with climate-related cost burdens. Every story has an economic angle. Want some...
May 27, 2025•26 min
When “vibecession” became a word in 2022, it referred to consumers grappling with higher prices despite a strong economy. This year, consumers are feeling similar. In this episode, what makes today’s sour economic mood, driven by trade war anxiety, different from the last one. Plus: Two big economic indicators come out later this week, we explain the inner workings of online travel agents, and “This is Uncomfortable” host Reema Khrais helps a couple solve a financial disagreement. Every story ha...
May 26, 2025•25 min
The WNBA’s first expansion team in 18 years, the Golden State Valkyries, played its first game last week to a crowd of 18,000 fans. Though this uncertain economy may not be ideal for most new businesses, professional women’s basketball is soaring to new heights: three brand-new teams joined the league this season. In this episode, why WNBA franchises are emphasizing community over star power to attract new fans. Plus: falling international student enrollment is bad news for the job market and lo...
May 23, 2025•26 min
The supply of homes for sale hit a nearly five-year high in April, but prospective buyers aren’t exactly taking the bait. Some may feel they’re swimming in options, but many can’t afford what’s available. In this episode, why the spring housing market is feeling unbalanced. Plus, online restaurant reservation platforms duke it out with the help of credit card companies, big cities grow bigger and investors see U.S. Treasuries as an increasingly risky option. Every story has an economic angle. Wa...
May 22, 2025•25 min
The latest GOP spending and tax bill would add an estimated $3.8 trillion to the national deficit over the next decade. More debt means the government will issue more bonds. But investors don’t necessarily want a flooded bond market — we’ll explain why. Also in this episode: Stakeholders report longer waits for financial aid information since Department of Education layoffs, retailers set their sights on European markets to alleviate tariff pressure and workplace adoption of AI is tricky to trac...
May 21, 2025•26 min
Over the weekend, President Trump told retailers to “eat the tariffs” after Walmart warned of price hikes spurred by the trade war. Across the country, retailers are making tough calls when it comes to tariff costs. So why is Home Depot in a better position to keep prices stable than Walmart? Also in this episode: stablecoins inch closer to bank distribution, turbine backlog slows energy sector growth and we get some advice on what to buy before more tariffs kick in. Every story has an economic ...
May 20, 2025•26 min
These days, Canadian consumers aren’t just interested in supporting their own homegrown businesses — they’re also actively avoiding American ones. In this episode, Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams visits businesses in Ontario to hear why our neighbors to the north are shunning U.S.-made products. Plus: An economist dissects the Moody’s downgrade of the U.S. credit rating, a Black-owned lender leverages grants from major banks to support its community and AI threatens the software engineering job sec...
May 19, 2025•26 min
