David Brancaccio

Given this, UnitedHealth stock is down 12 percent pre-market now, this despite reporting quarterly profits today that beat expectations.

We don't expect U.S.

central bankers to lower interest rates this week.

The Fed starts meeting today, and its briefing on inflation, jobs, and growth comes just after lunch Eastern time tomorrow.

Dow futures are down 0.2%, but S&P futures are up 0.4%.

NASDAQ futures are up 0.6% now.

5.3 million people have not made a student loan payment in a year, part of the legacy of pandemic-era policies to ease loan repayment.

The plan had been for the government to resume grabbing paychecks and tax refunds for those in default, but we continue to cover the Trump administration's recent about-face on this.

The wage and tax garnishments have been suspended.

But for how long?

Betsy Mayotte is founder and president of the Institute of Student Loan Advisors.

She spoke with our podcast, Make Me Smart.

Changes to the student loan system were promised in the big tax and spending law from last summer and are evolving.

For more on what's to come for student loans, check out Marketplace's Make Me Smart.

Marketplace.org has the audio now.

It's a big country with many growing zones.

And even here in the dead of winter, there's planting and harvesting in what are supposed to be warmer climes.

Yet we have this record cold.

Marketplace's Elizabeth Troval now has more on farmers and the big freeze.

And is it a coincidence, or is Google listening and feeding customized ads based on private utterances?