Kristen Schwab

Good to be here with you.

The K-shaped economy.

You've heard us use the phrase again and again and again to describe so many corners of the economy.

But it's looking like we might need a different letter to describe the financial divide.

Bank of America released a new report that confirms, yes, there is a growing gap between high- and low-income households.

But a newer and notable trend is there are increasing signs that life is getting more difficult for the middle class.

Marketplace's Carla Javier explains.

Wall Street today went all the way red.

We'll have the details when we do the numbers.

Tomorrow, we'll get the latest read on inflation, the Consumer Price Index for January.

And while the word consumer is key here, the CPI tracks the cost of goods and services, businesses are the makers of those goods and services.

And they're dealing with inflation, too.

So to get a preview of what we might see in tomorrow's report, we're checking in with a few small businesses today.

We're starting with Ashley Morkin, owner of Unglued, a gift shop and craft store in Fargo, North Dakota.

Business has been surprisingly really good for the dead of winter and Q1, which is traditionally the slowest time for, I would say, most retailers.

I think we're up 10% or a little higher than 10% for January.

And just so many people coming out, even when it's been that bitter Arctic cold coming through.

We've sold more DIY kits than we probably ever have at this time of year.

We're getting asked every single day about the Rebel Loon of Minnesota or if we have buttons.

really related to the world right now.