We got the March jobs numbers this morning — 4.4% unemployment, more than 700,000 jobs lost, and it’s going to get a lot worse. Lenders are bracing themselves for missed mortgage payments and investors are avoiding loans that aren’t backed by t

Small businesses are barely hanging on

1 Mar 27th, 2020 27m

Lawmakers have finally passed a $2 trillion COVID-19 relief package. When it comes to saving small businesses, will the aid be enough? We talk with some business owners who are barely getting by. Plus: the new economies of Canadian border towns

Low wages are burning out federal firefighters

Jul 14th, 2021 28m 8s

Firefighters working for the federal government are often the first line of defense, but near the end of the line when it comes to pay, especially compared to their peers on the state and local level. That’s led to a boiling point for many, who

Meet me at the mall, it’s goin’ down

Sep 13th, 2019 26m

Forever 21 is expected to close 100 stores as part of a bankruptcy filing. Big anchor stores like Sears have been struggling for a long time, so what’s left? The American mall looks pretty different these days. Plus: The federal deficit has pas

GDP grows more slowly than expected

20 hours ago 30m 12s

Gross domestic product grew by 1.6% in the first quarter, slower than expected after the six-quarter steak of 2% growth or more. How will the Federal Reserve respond to this data when making its next interest rate decision? Also in this episode

Clock starts on TikTok ban

2 days ago 29m 2s

Today, President Joe Biden took a decisive step by signing a bill that could ban TikTok in the U.S. unless its Chinese owner, ByteDance, divests from the company within nine months. This move echoes a long history of limiting foreign ownership

The business cycle is getting less cyclical

3 days ago 27m 12s

Expand, slow down, contract and recover. Businesses tend to make decisions based on what stage of the business cycle the economy’s in. The problem is, that doesn’t work so well anymore. We’ll get into it. Also: The hot U.S. dollar causes troubl

A new spin on the yard sale

4 days ago 29m 28s

Many states are making it easier for homeowners to subdivide their single-family lots. But those with space to spare may not know how to develop it. Now, new companies are offering cash for the land. Also: Profits are up, but probably not becau

It’s a good time to be an asset owner

7 days ago 30m 26s

Thanks to a strong stock market and record home prices, asset owners are feeling richer, even if it’s only on paper. Today, we get into the “wealth effect” and how it may play out in the presidential election. Also: Higher prices slow Procter &

Will AI be the dot-com bubble all over again?

8 days ago 26m 51s

In the 1990s, companies that hoped to change the world using newfangled computer technology took off. Wall Street invested in some of them big time, and their stock market valuations ballooned before they showed evidence of delivering on their

Steel tariffs déjà vu

9 days ago 27m 30s

Today, President Joe Biden called for tariffs to be tripled on certain Chinese steel and aluminum products. These tariffs, first implemented by then-President Donald Trump in 2018, are now the latest move in the ongoing U.S.-China trade war. Pl

Slow and steady global growth

10 days ago 28m 16s

The International Monetary Fund reported today that the global economy has shown “remarkable resilience” and that growth is expected to hold steady at 3.2% this year. But that’s low by historical standards. Plus, why there’s weaker demand for T

Playing an economic guessing game

11 days ago 26m 7s

The economy has historically been a major factor in election forecasting. But right now, the economy is kinda all over the place. In this episode, how some experts are adjusting their models to account for increased polarization and others are

The subminimum wage for tipped workers is on the table

14 days ago 29m 39s

As more cities and states debate abolishing subminimum wages for tipped workers, we’re keeping an eye on Washington, D.C., where the tip credit system is being phased out. Though food service staff shrunk last year, some current servers say the

The ECB could beat the Fed to rate cuts

15 days ago 28m 21s

Like a choreographed dance, central banks usually move together in managing interest rates. But with a high U.S. inflation reading in March, other banks might cut rates before the Fed. The European Central Bank is closer to its target and has s

Hear that? That’s the sound of millions of Americans dusting off their ACs.

16 days ago 26m 25s

Inflation is hotter than anticipated, according to today’s consumer price index. Electricity, for instance, cost 5% more year over year. And in the coming months, demand for electricity is expected to grow — scientists predict this summer is go

Copper prices are climbing

17 days ago 26m 55s

Curious about which way the global economy’s headed? Take a look at copper prices. Demand for the metal is soaring, and copper futures are now at the highest levels in almost two years. Also in this episode: $10 billion. That’s how much Blackst

Messaging matters

18 days ago 26m 8s

There have been mixed messages on interest rate cuts, and that uncertainty is weighing on consumers. As the Federal Reserve continues its effort to bring inflation down to 2%, economists watch how consumers interpret that kind of messaging and

Cool your jets! Hold your horses! Slow your (manufacturing) roll!

21 days ago 29m 56s

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is back in China, less than a year since her last visit. In 2023, she was focused on gently reopening communication channels. This time she has a clear message: You’re making too much stuff. In this episode, why

The right to disconnect

22 days ago 27m 41s

The legal right to ignore an after-hours call from your boss might seem appealing but unlikely. A California lawmaker, though, hopes to follow the lead of a dozen countries that have laws against it. Allowing employees to disconnect could be a

A rough time for startups

23 days ago 26m 32s

Venture investments fell in the first quarter of 2024 to a near five-year low, PitchBook says. Funds started falling when the Federal Reserve first raised interest rates, and large exits have slowed in the past couple of years. Plus, “another t

“This is the time to be a saver”

24 days ago 27m 26s

Interest rates on savings accounts have climbed in recent years. And high rates are great if you have money to squirrel away. With the Federal Reserve signaling it’s likely to cut rates, people can expect their banks to do the same. In this epi

Ultimately, the joke’s on Gmail rivals

25 days ago 26m 31s

Twenty years ago, Google launched Gmail. Users thought the promise of 1 gigabyte of free storage was an April Fools’ joke. It wasn’t. In this episode, how Gmail came to dominate the email space — and everything connected to it. Plus, legislator

“Hard to say” where interest rates will settle, Fed chair says

28 days ago 25m 35s

Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell sat down with “Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal to discuss inflation expectations, the central bank’s political independence, and humility in the face of national crises. The chairman also talked about how he consu

Feelings versus facts

29 days ago 26m 38s

Americans often vote based on economic conditions, but how voters feel about the economy doesn’t always align with the data. That disconnect can cost candidates an election — it might have happened in 1992 and it might happen in 2024. Also in t