Marketplace® is the leading business news program in the nation. We bring you clear explorations of how economic news affects you, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. The Marketplace All-in-One podcast provides each episode of the public radio broadcast programs Marketplace, Marketplace Morning Report®and Marketplace Tech® along with our podcasts Make Me Smart, Corner Office and The Uncertain Hour. Visit marketplace.org for more. From American Public Media. Twitter: @Marketplace
Americans took on an additional $74 billion in credit card debt last year, according to WalletHub, which is actually a smaller increase than we saw in 2023. But in 2024, Americans defaulted on $59 billion in credit card debt — a 34% jump from 2023. We’ll hear more. Also on the show: China’s deflation woes, a major crypto heist tied to North Korea and the market ripple effects of continued uncertainty.
Markets are a bit calmer this morning, after the NASDAQ had its steepest drop since 2022 and the S&P 500 tumbled 2.5% yesterday. Investors are looking forward to new data out today and this week that might offer insights into U.S. economic health. This comes after the Trump administration discounted market reaction to its tariff policies. Then, what economic legacies have been left by the COVID-19 pandemic five years on?
From the BBC World Service: Asian stock markets have continued to fall as investors raise concerns about the detrimental impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs and a potential U.S. recession. Then, on the final day of the National People’s Congress, progress on artificial intelligence has been celebrated. And hackers allegedly linked to North Korea have cashed out at least $300 million of their record-breaking $1.5 billion heist from crypto company Bybit.
Five years ago today, after the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic, there was a widespread shift to remote work for many workers who were considered nonessential. And people had to get used to seeing their colleagues mainly on a screen. In recent years, some companies have required employees to return to the office full time. But remote work remains a major part of many people’s lives, far more than in 2019. Marketplace’s Stephanie Hughes spoke with A...
On today’s episode, Kai and Kimberly discuss the future of Biden-era clean energy tax credits under Trump 2.0. A group of GOP lawmakers want them to stay. Meanwhile, the administration is rescinding memos that pushed for climate change-resilient infrastructure. Plus, the hosts weigh in on the arrest of a Palestinian activist and Columbia University student by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Is this the first arrest of “many to come?” Finally, we’ll smile as th...
Terri Bromberg lost her home of 20 years in the Los Angeles fires. Rather than rebuild, the artist and professor chose to sell and move elsewhere. Prospective buyers put in bids without being able to see the plot of land in person. In this episode, Bromberg and her real estate agent tell us about the process of selling in the Pacific Palisades since the wildfires. Plus: China announces retaliatory tariffs on some U.S. agricultural products, Americans lose confidence in their financial futures, a...
Economists believe the risk of recession is higher, surveys show. Sources of economic uncertainty include tariffs, federal layoffs and immigration policy. Today, we’ll chat about a shift in how top government officials are describing the projected path of the economy. Also, both houses of Congress must pass a stopgap funding bill by this Friday night to avoid a partial government shutdown. And, when is the “golden window” to put your house on the market?
There’s a clear divide over some sunnier economic data that’s been released over the past few months and how consumers are actually experiencing this economy. On today’s show, we discuss how some headline figures — like unemployment and inflation — can mislead rather than paint a full picture. Plus, some economists and investors are worried about the direction of the U.S. economy, which President Donald Trump said is headed for “a period of transition.”
From the BBC World Service: The Japanese government begins a rare auction of its emergency rice stockpiles in a bid to drive down the surging price of the national staple; rice prices have roughly doubled over the past year. Then, China’s retaliatory tariffs on billions of dollars’ worth of U.S. goods are officially in force. Plus, we’ll hear how the war in Ukraine is creating a new middle class of Russians.
March 11 marks five years since the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 virus officially a pandemic. Tracking the virus has been key to understanding where outbreaks are occurring and one tracking tool that had been mostly on the shelf prior to the pandemic is wastewater surveillance. That’s pretty much what it sounds like — testing what we flush down the toilet which eventually lands in what’s known as a sewer shed. Marketplace’s Stephanie Hughes spoke with molecul...
President Donald Trump’s family business is suing Capital One for closing its bank accounts in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, arguing the bank violated consumer protection laws. Where’s the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau when ya need ’em? Then, Kimberly breaks down two moves by the White House that could have sweeping consequences for law firms who work on cases against the Trump administration. Plus, we’ll weigh in on Trump’s strategic bitcoin r...
Overall employment dropped last month, according to the monthly jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. At the same time, employers added jobs to the economy. Weird, right? Well, two surveys make up the monthly report — one of households and one of employers. And they can disagree. Plus, more part-time workers want full-time jobs, Gap is on a roll, and professional basketball has become a game regulations.
This week, Fitch Ratings found that 6.5% of subprime borrowers were at least two months late on their car payments. That’s the highest level since the agency began collecting this data in 1994. Other data finds that auto loan delinquency rates increased in 2024 across all income levels. What’s behind all this? Plus, tariffs already being felt across the economy. And later, a vintage race car mechanic reflects on the sights, sounds and feelings of racing.
This week, Dunkin’ dropped its surcharges on drinks with nondairy milk. Starbucks did the same late last year, as have some indie coffee shops. Today, we look at how the popularity of nondairy milks is changing how restaurants set prices. But first, we unpack the chaos of recent tariffs, including how they affect a free trade agreement between the U.S., Canada and Mexico, and how trade policy uncertainty is impacting agricultural exporters.
From the BBC’s World Service: The world’s second-largest economy is struggling. The latest trade figures show that imports into China fell by more than 8% in January and February, compared to the same period last year. Then, following an emergency summit of European Union leaders, the bloc says it’s approved a plan that could allow for up to $870 billion in additional defense spending. Plus: a look at the instant noodles market in India.
In this week’s Marketplace “Tech Bytes: Week in Review,” TSMC announced it’s investing an additional $100 billion to make chips in the U.S. Plus, a co-founder of the social media platform Reddit joins a bid to buy TikTok. But first, let’s talk about the stock market. A number of tech companies watched their stocks sink this week, when new tariffs on China, Mexico and Canada were put in place. That volatility continued when President Donald Trump backtracked on the policy,...
In a new collaboration between Marketplace and APM Studios called “Unlocking the Gates,” host Lee Hawkins investigates how a secret nighttime business deal unlocked the gates of a Minnesota suburb for dozens of Black families seeking better housing, schools, and safer neighborhoods. His own family included.
Does talking about money make you uncomfortable? In this episode, host Yanely Espinal talks with author Erin Lowry about how to approach awkward money conversations. They discuss everything from splitting costs to loaning friends and family money to etiquette around payment apps like Venmo. Think you’re financially inclined? Dig deeper into understanding how to have tough money talks: Learn more about your money personality from NerdWallet See additional tips for navigating difficult mone...
The Federal Reserve may be steering the economy through another trade war. But this time, the inflation of the last few years complicates its task. Also in this episode: Unemployed Americans struggle to snag new positions, banks’ unrealized losses jump, and an aerospace tech startup sets up shop in Cumberland County, Tennessee....
Donald Trump administration officials disbanded two expert committees on economic data this week and suggested altering the way the U.S. calculates gross domestic product. It’s not the first time the administration has hinted at fiddling with important numbers, and a listener wrote in to ask how all this might impact businesses and the market. We’ll break it down. Plus, why is nobody talking about the debt limit? And, congrats to Bill in Ohio on scoring a hat trick! Here’s everything...
New Congressional Budget Office calculations suggest a difficult path ahead for Republicans as they seek to find billions in budget cuts. The figures show Republicans are unlikely to meet their cost-cutting goals without finding savings in health insurance programs that serve about 80 million low-income Americans and children. We’ll discuss. And later, we’ll parse out the current state of the job market and talk about the relationship between kids, social media and AI.
After the stock market closes today, Costco will release its latest quarterly earnings. While some retailers have backed away from commitments related to diversity, equity and inclusion, Costco has very publicly dug in. Will that affect the bottom line? Plus, Europe is going to be spending a lot more on defense. And later, we’ll get a preview of what the first jobs report under a new Trump presidency might look like.
From the BBC World Service: Following Germany’s plans to change its fiscal rules, the yield on its 10-year bund rose at its steepest in nearly 30 years, while French and Italian bond yields also surged. New, U.S. tariffs have pushed American yields higher, as well. We chat about some of the latest developments. Also: an emergency European summit on defense spending and back-and-forth decisions to open up tourism in North Korea.
Today, we’re wrapping up our series “The Infinite Scroll,” where we look at kids’ lives on social media and the risks and rules they face. One approach some states take to creating rules to mitigate risk is known as an age-appropriate design code, a law that puts the onus on tech companies to design products that keep kids safer when they’re on the internet. California passed its Age-Appropriate Design Code Act in 2022, as did Maryland last year. Both have been chal...
“This Is Uncomfortable” will be back in your feeds with brand new episodes in May, and in the meantime, we’re sharing the first episode of “Unlocking the Gates,” a series from Marketplace and APM Studios hosted by special correspondent Lee Hawkins. He tells the story of how the Minnesota suburb he grew up in went from being a place where the housing market was inaccessible to Black families to one where many Black families found economic opportunity. And it all started with a nightti...
On today’s episode, we’re discussing a pair of recent rulings about the Trump administration’s efforts to cut foreign aid and fire federal workers, leaving us with a “Through the Looking-Glass” moment, where the nonsensical is reality. Plus, we’ll explain some ways to catch a breath in the midst of uncertain economic times. And, we’ll smile at a math problem solved through the power of anime fans. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Supreme C...
Ask an economist what’s driving decision-making right now, and the answer may well be “uncertainty.” In this episode, the unpredictable environment fuels a range of change: The labor market softens, surveys of the service sector point in opposite directions and Treasury yields sink. Plus, the Commerce Department just dissolved two expert advisory groups, putting the trustworthiness of future federal data into question.
U.S. businesses added 77,000 jobs in February, according to payroll processing company ADP — a dramatic drop from the 186,000 it estimated for January. It comes as firms are concerned about the impacts of tariffs and the potential for rising prices. We’ll discuss. But first, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is dropping its lawsuit against Zelle. And later, we’ll hear what layoffs mean for the morale and productivity of workers.
The second Trump administration is reportedly working on a plan to dramatically reduce the workforce at the Internal Revenue Service. As much as half of the workers at the tax collecting agency could be let go through a combination of layoffs, buyouts and attrition. Also on this morning’s show: We’ll preview the spring break travel economy and hear why wealth informs how quickly those affected by the Southern California wildfires can rebuild.
From the BBC World Service: Germany’s future coalition partners want to relax its strict debt rules in order to boost the defense budget by billions of dollars. We hear more. Then, China announced a target of 5% economic growth this year at the annual meeting of the National People’s Congress. And, a group led by U.S. investment firm BlackRock looks to buy two key ports at the Panama Canal.
