Marketplace
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Marketplace
Every weekday, host Kai Ryssdal helps you make sense of the day's business and economic news — no econ degree or finance background required. "Marketplace" takes you beyond the numbers, bringing you context. Our team of reporters all over the world speak with CEOs, policymakers and regular people ju...
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The hourly vs. salary wage gap
Hourly wages went up 1.7% over the past year, according to Indeed Hiring Lab. Salaried wages went up 2.9%, reversing a 2022 trend in which hourly rais...
"Running out of that buffer"
The personal savings rate fell to just 2.6% in April — a low not seen since June 2022, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. That means Americ...
Inflation manifestation
Forget hard inflation data. Where do everyday Americans think our economy is headed? Well, one survey says consumers expect prices to rise 4.8% over t...
Why gas costs more in California than Texas
As President Trump’s war in the Middle East continues, Americans continue to face higher fuel prices. But some have it worse than others. In this epis...
The cost of SNAP restrictions
Convenience stores face new barriers to accepting SNAP dollars this year. A USDA rule aimed at providing healthier options mean some stores must choos...
Services stall as manufacturing booms
S&P Global’s flash Purchasing Managers’ Index for May reflects “a tale of two economies.” Input costs increased across industries this month, and whil...
Why do some companies wait to IPO?
Elon Musk’s SpaceX just filed to go public, and OpenAI is expected to file in the fall. Both businesses have been around for over a decade — what was...
Rising ACA premiums, falling enrollment: It's a vicious cycle
Affordable Care Act premiums are higher this year, after Congress declined to renew subsidies for the health insurance program. As a result, about a m...
What happens if the Fed goes mum
The era of frequent public speeches given by Federal Reserve officials on monetary policy may be over. Incoming Fed Chair Kevin Warsh has expressed a...
AI chips away at cybersecurity job opportunities
Cybersecurity was once the focus of a huge workforce development push. Job opportunities and training programs were abundant. But as artificial intell...
Giving up beer to pay for gas?
New consumer data shows alcohol sales were down over 5% in April. And, as you’ve probably noticed, gas prices were up. Is there any correlation? In th...
Trump & Co. take a trip to China
President Trump arrived for trade talks in China this week with a gaggle of corporate CEOs in tow. One expert tells us Trump’s body language, tone, an...
Another inflation alarm bell
The cost of goods for the producers of this economy was up a whopping 6% in April, according to the latest PPI. That means consumers can expect more i...
When is inflation no longer "transitory?"
Inflation was up 3.8% in April, according to the latest CPI. Economists say the war with Iran has caused “transitory” inflation — that’s short-lived i...
The other shoe
Inflation and employment are the dual pillars of this economy’s health, which the Federal Reserve is mandated to evenly manage. Last week saw sunny ne...
Who's getting those tariff refunds?
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has begun processing applications for tariff refunds after the Supreme Court ruled against swaths of President Trum...
The erosion of the American tax base
After the One Big Beautiful Bill Act reduced taxes for 85% of households, disproportionately benefiting high-income earners, all eyes are on the GOP’s...
What to expect in the April jobs report
The private sector added twice as many jobs in March as it did in April — it’s a promising sign in an otherwise perplexing labor market. Private secto...
Let's check in on the U.S. trade deficit
In case you forgot, President Trump's tariffs had one goal: narrow the U.S. trade deficit. Compare March ‘25 to March ‘26, and the deficit has shrunk...
Consumers might see some tariff refunds — in 2036
We’ve said from the get-go that consumers paid the bulk of President Trump’s tariffs. Now that most were ruled illegal, individual businesses will get...
Consumer electronics can't keep up with AI
Bad news for your next smartphone purchase: An extended memory chip crunch is upon us, warns Apple CEO Tim Cook. New artificial intelligence projects...
Growing GDP, thank GPT
U.S. gross domestic product grew by 2% in the first three months of 2026. (It’s a stark improvement to the final quarter of 2025, which saw GDP growth...
Powell's farewell?
Wednesday marked Jerome Powell’s final FOMC meeting as chair of the Federal Reserve. Central bank leaders held rates steady this week, though with the...
Central banks move in step, for now
The U.S. Federal Reserve meets this week — so do central banks in Japan, England, Canada, and the European Union. Most will keep rates unchanged for n...
Home prices won't stop rising
It’s been a trend for a year now — home prices are up even though demand is sluggish. As Americans face growing economic uncertainty and rising costs,...
When does AI become a spending suck?
Companies are using AI tools more every day. Some, like Meta, are even encouraging employees to use as many AI tokens as possible. But companies also...
Yet another stockpile scramble
Business activity growth soared in April, according to S&P Global’s purchasing managers index. The topline number might sound rosy, but experts think...
Boeing bounces back
Boeing posted strong Q1 earnings Wednesday, and executives breathed a sigh of relief. The aircraft manufacturer survived several years of significant...
Agentic AI anxiety
Haven’t you always wished for robots to do menial labor? That’s sort of what agentic artificial intelligence is — rather than existing solely in a cha...
Diesel prices fuel uncertainty for small businesses
Rising gas prices, stemming from President Trump’s war against Iran, have frustrated drivers all spring. But diesel prices are up too, and diesel is t...
QVC wants to be the next TikTok Shop
QVC, which pioneered live TV shopping shows, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this week. Leadership made the next step clear: a pivot away from televis...
The role of temp work in this economy
Cautious employers are hiring more temporary workers, according to the Fed’s latest Beige Book. It's sort of a half-step toward creating permanent rol...
"Resilience" is the word of the week
The results are in, and despite concerns that the war in Iran would dampen big banks’ earnings, they’re doing just fine, thank you. On earnings calls...
Vietnam is in its workforce golden age
As the U.S. population ages, our economy will rely more on nations with younger workforces. Nations like Vietnam, where there are two working-age adul...
How's that grocery bill looking?
Grocery prices rose less than 2% in March, according to the latest consumer price index. The cost of some staples, including eggs, butter, and cheese,...
"Marketplace" Live
Nearly 600 Marketplace fans gathered at the Aratani Theatre in downtown Los Angeles to watch Kai Ryssdal present Marketplace Live, in partnership with...
Navigating long-term unemployment
Overall unemployment measured 4.3% in March, which is a sign of a fairly strong economy. A contradicting data point? The number of Americans who have...
February inflation data shows more of the same
The personal consumption expenditures report, which is the Fed’s preferred measure of inflation, showed costs rose 2.8% year-over-year in Feburary. Th...
U.S. Treasurys aren't selling like they used to
The share of U.S. debt held by foreign countries has been shrinking. Foreign investors currently hold about 30% of federal public debt, down from near...
The crackdown on prediction market insider trading
Laws prohibiting insider trading in commodities markets — which could be applied to prediction market platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket — are more...