Marketplace

The stock market isn't the economy — but it's not nothing either

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

While markets are mellowing a bit, three major stock indexes closed at record highs on Thursday. Reminder: The stock market is not the economy! But it...

Why the Fed is thinking about immigration

11 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell’s latest presser was all about the job market. Buried among the usual talking points, like hiring sentiment and the...

Fed rate cut diverges from global central bank strategy

10 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Federal Reserve cut its key interest rate Wednesday by a quarter point. That’s pretty much what analysts expected. But in other parts of the wor...

The great decoupling

09 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When revenue grows, hiring grows — usually. But in November, retail sector job cuts were up nearly 140% year over year, according to outplacement fi...

What's in the long-awaited farmer relief package

08 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We now know some details about the Trump administration’s promised agricultural relief package. Central to the plan is billions in one-time payments...

Small businesses walk an affordability tightrope

05 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Small business owners know affordability is top-of-mind for their customers. But as margins grow narrower, keeping prices as-is isn’t always possibl...

What's next for the Fed?

04 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Changes are afoot at the Federal Reserve: President Donald Trump will name a new Fed chair in the coming year, and the central bank’s job could get ...

Small businesses pull back on hiring

03 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Small business owners’ economic moods remain mixed. But, as is so often the case, how folks feel is different from how they act. And hard data tells...

A Fed divided against itself

02 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Federal Reserve’s quantitative approach to monetary policy decisions means its governors tend to reach consensus. But in the past few meetings, ...

Too much oil, too little demand

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries will hold oil production steady next quarter as global supply remains unusually high, driven by reco...

'Tis the season for credit card debt

28 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Holiday spending tends to drive up U.S. consumers’ credit card debt. In the past, most households were able to pay down that debt come the new year....

Holiday hiring doldrums

27 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Retailers don’t seem to be looking for many temp workers this holiday season. But it’s not the only sector that hires winter workers — event ven...

Predicting the Fed's every move

26 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Yields on government bonds can tell us how investors think the Federal Reserve will act. In this episode, we break down what falling yields on short-,...

Much ado about affordability

25 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

“Affordability” — it’s a hot-button issue across the political spectrum. But how does one define or quantify a subjective idea? We called up a...

Are more Americans working multiple jobs?

24 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The delayed-by-the-shutdown September jobs report showed a stronger-than-expected monthly gain of 119,000 jobs, seasonally adjusted. But dig into the ...

Feeding the Family (bonus episode)

22 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For many people gathering around the table this holiday season, things feel a little different. Maybe it’s the cost of ingredients that’s on your ...

Off-price retailers shine as consumer moods sour

21 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

TJX, the parent company of off-price retailers T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods, posted excellent earnings this week, while Target cut its sales fo...

The long-awaited September jobs report arrives

20 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The September jobs report finally arrived after a six-week delay, showing employers added 119,000 jobs — well above expectations. The BLS also recor...

Too little, too late?

19 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

China's purchase of 1 million tons of U.S. soybeans ends a trade war freeze. And while it's better than nothing, it's still far below typical November...

Rural hospitals were already short-staffed. Then came Trump's H-1B visa fee

18 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The White House’s $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa applications is adding extra pressure to health care systems in rural and low-income areas. Histor...

Why we've got an eye on this week's corporate earnings

17 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A few big box retailers report earnings soon, including Target, Walmart and Lowe’s. That could give some clarity on the state of the American consum...

Trump's tariff turnaround

14 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The latest in President Donald Trump’s trade war waffling? Tariff exemptions aimed at lowering Americans’ grocery bills. Affected products could i...

What happens when the data takes a month off?

13 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With the government shutdown officially over, the Bureau of Labor Statistics is back at work after a 43-day hiatus. But all that missed data can’t b...

Are we spending more because we can, or because we have to?

12 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Consumers may have revved up their spending in October, but spending more doesn’t mean getting more — prices are also up this holiday season. In t...

More labor market blues

11 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Business owners aren’t too optimistic about the labor market, according to an NFIB survey. About a third are struggling to fill an open position, an...

Where we're at with tariffs and inflation

10 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Despite expectations surrounding President Donald Trump’s tariffs, inflation doesn’t seem to be speeding up — though it’s hard to say for sure...

Consumer sentiment hits three-year low

07 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Consumer sentiment — as in, how everyday people feel about the economy — fell to a low not seen since 2022, according to the University of Michiga...

A 20-year record for job cuts

06 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas counted over 153,000 job cuts in this country last month — the most October layoffs since 2003. Are compan...

The job market keeps flashing warning signs

05 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With no government jobs data available during the shutdown, analysts have turned to private reports for clues about the labor market. In the latest ro...

What to know as SCOTUS weighs Trump's tariffs

04 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on Wednesday for and against the legality of President Trump’s signature economic policy: tariffs. In thi...

How long until SNAP reaches kitchen tables?

03 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Trump administration has been court ordered to partially fund this month’s SNAP benefits, after refusing to step in during the shutdown. Emergen...

How the economy went "K-shaped"

31 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The U.S. economy is increasingly “K-shaped.” That means the gap between the wealthiest companies and consumers, and ... everyone else, is growing....

The case of the missing GDP report

30 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With the government shutdown delaying the Bureau of Economic Analysis' third quarter GDP estimate, economists turn to Fed models and private analysts....

Nvidia: Boom or bubble?

29 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Nvidia's market valuation surged to $5 trillion Wednesday, breaking records. The chipmaker is on fire, and it’s using its glut of resources to inves...

AI is here. Where are the new, better jobs?

28 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Amazon and Chegg both announced layoffs this week; Chegg says AI competition was a factor, and Amazon’s CEO alluded to AI-related job cuts earlier t...

A sluggish spin cycle

27 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The shutdown has delayed October's durable goods report. But fear not! Michigan-based appliance manufacturer Whirlpool reported earnings today, and th...

Not everyone’s stretching the dollar the same way

24 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Consumers everywhere are trying to stretch their dollars to compensate for economic uncertainty and inflation. However, there’s a divide between hig...

The national debt hit $38 trillion, and yes, you should care

23 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The U.S. national debt hit a new record this week: $38 trillion. As we head toward the fifth week of a government shutdown over a congressional budget...

Why is Trump throwing money at the Argentine peso?

22 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The U.S. just agreed to spend $20 billion on a currency exchange with Argentina. The hope? To put a lid on inflation before Javier Milei, an ally of P...

What are corporate outlooks without federal data?

21 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tons of major companies are reporting quarterly earnings and outlooks this week. But with federal data collection on hold, firms don’t have all the ...

How's that BLS data coming along?

20 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Our picture of the U.S. economy grows fuzzier each day the government shutdown continues. The Bureau of Labor Statistics, which publishes the most rel...

Regional banks are doing alright, actually

17 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Two midsize U.S. lenders claimed they were victims of loan fraud this week, sending bank stocks into a tailspin. But by close Friday, markets evened o...

CEO confidence sinks

16 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

CEO confidence fell in the latest quarter of 2025. Executives surveyed by The Conference Board voiced concerns over inflation, tariffs, and global tra...

Time for another supply chain slowdown

15 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The U.S. retail and supply chain sectors are slowing down — September’s Logistics Managers’ Index hits its lowest point since March. Many retail...

Big banks' boom time

14 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Amid all the anxiety, uncertainty and flip-flopping in this economy, one sector is doing tremendously: Big banks. Recent earnings reports showed banks...

Trump's tariffs take a toll

13 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In another wave of tariff news, Trump announced a 100% tariff on Chinese goods that will take effect in November. The constant back and forth of tarif...

The deal with "back door" betting

10 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Wanna put a wager on, well, just about anything? Try a prediction market. Competing industry giants Kalshi and Polymarket both saw major investment th...

Greenback gains

09 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The value of the U.S. dollar has been on the rise after months of decline. Political turmoil abroad has hurt other currencies, while easing rates and ...

Our economic future is a black box

08 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Know how the government shutdown put the kibosh on federal data distribution, like last week’s cancelled September jobs report? Well experts haven’...

Filling the federal data void

07 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The federal government shutdown drags on this week, leaving a labor data vacuum. Private firms are hoping to fill the gap with their own data sets —...

Are AI financing loops efficient or alarming?

06 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

OpenAI announced it will invest big time in chipmaker AMD, potentially in exchange for a stake in the firm. As AI investment has ramped up, similar de...

The 'K' in 'K-shaped economy' stands for 'kitchen'

03 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The gap between how high-income and low-income Americans are faring in this economy is growing. One example? Fast food restaurants are struggling whil...

On track for a layoffs record

02 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The U.S. is on track for the largest number of announced layoffs since 2020. Yay us! (Kidding.) We can thank a combination of federal cuts and their r...

The data dogs are howling

01 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The government shutdown means crucial jobs data will likely be postponed, right as the Fed weighs its next move. Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee...

The "stuck economy," tariffs and Wall Street

30 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

While the stock market appears unconcerned about potential red flags in this economy, the bond market's a bit more cautious. As Washington nears a shu...

The housing market is "locked in"

29 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Pending home sales rose in August, boosted by a slight drop in mortgage rates. Overall, though, the market remains sluggish — owners don't want to g...

Consumer spending outpaced income — again

26 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In August, Americans spent more than they made for the third month in a row. Thanks to tariff-induced price bumps, consumers are dipping into savings ...

A quick GDP refresher

25 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Turns out the economy grew faster than we initially thought in the second quarter of 2025. Between a slowing job market and uncertain trade policies, ...

What's with the streaming price hikes?

24 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Disney’s streaming platforms — Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN — will see price hikes come October 21. They aren’t alone. As the streaming wars escala...

Rate cut? So what?

23 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Newly appointed Fed governor Stephen Miran has argued the federal funds rate should be a full two percentage points lower than its current level. A ...

Who's got the pricing power?

22 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Economic data reports tell us two things are true: Inflation seems here to stay, and consumers haven’t let up on spending. It’s the perfect storm ...

Google raises the stakes of the AI race

19 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Google announced it will integrate Gemini, its AI assistant, into the Chrome web browser. That will transform Chrome — the most used search engine —...

The job market's bizarre balancing act

18 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The number of new hires in August was about equal to the number of Americans who lost or quit their jobs in the same month. That means they sorta just...

Hey, big spender!

17 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The top 10% of earners in the U.S. accounted for nearly 50% of spending in the second quarter — the highest share since Moody's Analytics began co...

The cost of GOP cuts to coal royalties

16 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Wyoming made billions from coal mining over the last 50 years, funding the government, schools, roads, parks. But President Trump’s major spending b...

The slow death of remote-only jobs

15 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s been five-and-a-half years since lots of workers retreated to home offices at the height of the pandemic. Now, about 35% of Americans work fro...

Small firms cross their fingers for a rate cut

12 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Russell 2000, a stock index of smaller companies or “small caps,” has fallen behind the S&P 500 over the past few years. A Fed rate cut, w...

As the job market slows, inflation speeds up

11 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The labor market has been cooling for a bit, and in some sectors is virtually frozen. That could push the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates. But t...

Why have some prices stayed put?

10 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Consumer prices have been overall slow to reflect the Trump administration’s new tariffs. So we called up some retailers to understand why they have...

The BLS has a $700 million budget. What's its ROI?

09 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Budget cuts may be in the Bureau of Labor Statistics' future. But the data collected by the BLS is critical for federal decisionmaking. In this episod...

The price of limiting trade with China

08 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

China's exports to the U.S. are down a third year over year. That’s a significant drop, reflective of President Trump’s punishing tariff agenda. A...

Jobs report warning signs

05 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Paltry job creation was the headline item in the latest jobs report. But dig a little deeper, and warning signs show up all over: long-term unemployme...

What about the regional Feds? What do they do?

04 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Federal Reserve Board of Governors has gotten a lot of attention lately — President Trump is attempting to remove one member and has nominated a...

Slo-mo jobs growth

03 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Job growth has slowed this summer as employers ride out President Trump's economic shakeups. Thanks to uncertain tariffs, funding cuts, and the immigr...

Short-term corporate borrowing climbs

02 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

“Commercial paper” is a type of short-term debt that’s paid off much faster than a typical corporate bond. It’s kinda like an afternoon snack ...

No, private data can't replace the BLS

01 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As the Trump administration strips away federal data collection agencies' funding and pressures statisticians to produce positive reports, we might wo...

Sticky inflation, Fed drama and the rise of 'cute' debt

29 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Core inflation rose to 2.9% in July, according to the latest PCE data — the Fed's preferred inflation gauge — marking its highest level in months....

What's really going on in the Trump economy?

28 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The U.S. economy grew faster than expected in the second quarter of the year, with GDP revised up to an annualized 3.3% from April through June. We ta...

The relationship between consumer mood and spending? It's complicated

27 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On Tuesday, the Conference Board reported a slight drop in consumer confidence, driven by worries about available jobs and future incomes. But a dip i...

Can the president remove a Fed governor?

26 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Late Monday, President Trump announced plans to remove Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve Board of Governors over unproven allegations of mortgage fra...

For every action, something can go sideways

25 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump's recent deal with Intel gives the U.S. government a 10% ownership stake in the company. But today, Intel responded with a regulatory ...

Special Coverage from "Marketplace": The Real Costs

25 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

These are tumultuous times in the economy. There is inflation, a weakening job market, and uncertainty over tariffs and other federal policies. But th...

Chili's is back (baby back, baby back)

22 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Brinker International, which owns casual dining chain Chili’s, just beat 50-year sales and revenue records. In this fickle economic moment, how’d ...

WWJPD?

21 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Rising unemployment claims will be on Fed Chair Jay Powell's mind when he addresses the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium on Friday, and as he contempla...

Consumers embrace their inner Maxxinista

20 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A consumer vibes indicator, in the form of two Q2 earnings reports: TJX (which owns TJ Maxx, HomeGoods, and Marshalls) raised its outlook for the rema...

Flat pay raises are a sign o' the times

19 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this uncertain economy, employers want to save where they can. That’s likely why Starbucks just joined a growing list of companies to shift from ...

As many shoppers scrimp and stress, the wealthiest splurge

18 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

New context for the strong-consumer-spending-and-falling-consumer-sentiment combo: According to a Boston Fed report, the proportion of spending done b...

Concerned consumers keep on spending

15 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Recent data show moderate retail sales growth in July — a positive sign for our economy? On the flip side, consumer sentiment fell in an early-Augus...

Producers feel the pinch

14 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Earlier this week, the July CPI report showed consumer prices remained steady, despite tariff noise. Today’s producer price index tells a different ...

"Hacks" creators on collaboration, S5, and the state of comedy

13 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

HBO Max’s “Hacks” often tackles the push and pull between art and profit in the entertainment industry. It’s a topic the show’s creators are...

Across regions and sectors, inflation zigs and zags

12 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ever read past the top line of the consumer price index? That 2.7% inflation rate varies a lot by metro area. The same goes for goods categories. So w...

Tariffs muddy the future of the global oil market

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If President Donald Trump’s tariffs stymie the U.S. economy — which would, in turn, slow the global economy — oil demand will fall. And we're al...

In health care sector, dread over worker deportations

08 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The U.S. health care sector will lose crucial long-term care providers if the Trump administration suceeds in slashing the Temporary Protected Status ...

Hear that? It's productivity number noise

07 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

American worker productivity grew a modest 2.4% in the second quarter of the year. Good news, right? Well, take a look at the math, and the last few m...

Should we fret over rising household debt?

06 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The latest household debt report from the New York Federal Reserve is in. Delinquencies are on the rise — specifically, student loan delinquencies s...

The oil-natural gas conundrum

05 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The U.S. oil and natural gas industry is at a crossroads. As oil demand appears poised to plateau, natural gas demand is in a period of tremendous gro...

Take it with a grain of salt

04 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As President Donald Trump puts political pressure on the Bureau of Labor Statistics, experts worry BLS data will become less trustworthy. Economists f...

Trump's jobs report retaliation "raises alarm bells"

01 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Bureau of Labor Statistic’s July jobs report came in far below expectations. May and June’s counts were also revised down significantly. What’...

Anomaly or omen?

31 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Employers announced around 62,000 job cuts in July, according to a report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas. That’s up nearly a third from June,...

Let's take a hard look at that GDP growth

30 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

U.S. GDP grew at a healthy clip in the second quarter of 2025. But a mathematical equation can’t convey nuance — like, say, six months of tariff c...