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 just trying to get by.
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 just trying to get by.
We got seriously mixed signals from the consumer economy today. Retail sales dipped in March, while consumer sentiment ticked up. Is this economy headed for a soft landing or a cliff? Today, we parse the good, the bad and the downright confusing. We’ll also take the pulse of bank borrowing and check in on seasonal hiring ahead of higher-temps season.
The phrase “too big to fail” conjures images of the 2007-08 financial crisis. But the notion that the collapse of certain financial institutions could torpedo the larger economy goes back much further. On today’s show, we’ll trace the roots and evolution of “too big to fail.” Plus: earnings reports from TBTF banks, new car prices and the rebranding of milk.
You take them both and you get the March inflation report. The consumer price index rose 5% year over year. That’s a decent “headline” number, but dig deeper and the story gets a little more complicated. Later: military recruitment, grocery bills and long-term career prospects for workers who have struggled with depression.
You know what a lot of people do when mortgage rates are too high to buy? They stay renters. And despite slowing rent inflation, that additional demand for apartments can increase competition and boost rent prices. Today, we delve into the connection between rates and rents. Also on the program: potholes, pickleball and the love of background TV shows.
There’s some welcome news on the inflation front: Prices for online goods are falling, according to Adobe Analytics. While it’s a bit of relief for consumers, higher prices for things like services may be here to stay. Plus, how algorithms are used to pay ride-hailing drivers less, what an immigration uptick means for the labor market and a look at how COVID-19 transformed business in downtown Boston.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is mulling new nutritional standards for school meals, and everyone’s got opinions — from the manufacturers who say the changes will make food pricier to the schools that would absorb the costs. Then there’s the students, who have to stomach it all. We’ll also delve into the Gen Z divide in labor participation and the pandemic’s macroeconomic curveballs.
It’s been nearly a month since banking turmoil hit the headlines. While the government’s response has largely focused on insuring depositor funds, we’re starting to see signs that banks are pulling back on making loans. Plus, slowing wage gains, rising car prices and hurdles to tribal broadband access.
The countdown is on till Tax Day, which falls on April 18 this year. But many Americans will be in for an unpleasant surprise: a slimmer tax return resulting from expired pandemic tax credits. We’ll also examine why money market funds are popular right now, what “due diligence” means, and what ingredients go into TikTok’s favorite Starbucks order: the Barbie drink.
Job openings dropped in February, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While that’s normally not great news, it could be a hint that the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes are beginning to take effect, cooling job growth and bringing the economy back into balance. Plus, the pushback against remote work, a return to just-in-time inventory and waning trust in Argentina’s financial institutions.
The OPEC+ cartel surprised markets this weekend with plans to cut oil production by more than 1 million barrels per day. This classic story of supply and demand has already pushed up the oil price, and it could have major ripple effects across the global economy. Plus, hot job markets in Sunbelt cities, a merger in the world of wrestling and the origin story of “bootstrapping.”
