Marketplace Morning Report

"Live from the UK" one last time

27 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: First up, British manufacturer Dyson settles a lawsuit filed against it by 24 migrant workers, and the Premier League says...

What it costs to become an Olympian or Paralympian

26 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Now that the Winter Olympics have wrapped up, the Milan Cortina Paralympic Games kick off on March 6. Dozens of athletes will represent Team USA in sl...

What's behind the Anthropic-Pentagon feud?

26 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The AI company Anthropic is loosening some of its core safety principles. Anthropic unveiled a new policy on safeguards earlier this week, moving from...

U.S. grants Cuba access to some Venezuelan oil

26 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: The United States says it will allow some small Venezuelan oil shipments to reach Cuba, providing a lifeline to the Caribb...

The ripple effects of AI splurging

25 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

First up, AI has driven a market moodiness as of late. Broader anxieties have sparked sell-offs, while bullish tech optimism has also boosted stock in...

The TL;DR of Trump's SOTU

25 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Last night, President Donald Trump strongly defended his tariffs in his State of the Union address. He made the case for future tariffs, despite the S...

Germany's chancellor goes to China to talk trade

25 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says there is a great opportunity to develop ties with China following a meeting with its...

The link between immigration and longer life

24 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

A new working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research spotlights how immigrants may be shaping the health and mortality rates of older Ame...

AI anxieties and market tumbles

24 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Wall Street is looking to recover after yesterday's big stock market drop. Part of it was due to tariff uncertainty, but part of it was also due to a ...

Tallying the cost of the Russia-Ukraine war, four years on

24 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: Exactly four years ago, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Hundreds of thousands of troops have been kill...

Trump dusts off obscure legal authority for new tariffs

23 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Following Friday’s Supreme Court decision striking down a number of President Trump’s tariffs, the administration is moving to impose a global 15%...

Fallout from the Supreme Court's tariff decision

23 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On Friday, the Supreme Court struck down President Trump’s sweeping “retaliatory” tariffs, ruling that he doesn’t have the authority to impose...

Trump's tariffs continue to confound

23 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: Governments around the world are scrambling to react to President Trump’s decision to impose a sweeping 15% tariff on al...

Building Tomorrow: A Special Look at the Future of Housing

21 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

“Building Tomorrow” is a special collaboration between Marketplace and This Old House Radio Hour that asks a simple but urgent question: How do we...

Supreme Court strikes down Trump's tariffs

20 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Supreme Court just ruled that the cornerstone of the president’s tariff policy is illegal. It says Donald Trump can’t impose tariffs under the...

Understanding the “cruel math of unemployment”

20 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mainstream economics acknowledges that some joblessness helps to keep prices down. It’s one of the reasons most economists say unemployment at zero ...

Japan's prime minister promises to pump up the economy

20 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: In her first major speech since being reelected as Japan's prime minister, Sanae Takaichi promised to make Japan "stronger...

A dispatch from "Katyzuela"

19 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

More U.S. gasoline refiners are moving to buy crude oil directly from Venezuelan producers after the Trump administration eased licensing. Meanwhile, ...

When workers are profiled, bullied, and harassed

19 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In a conversation with the owner of a Portland-based construction firm, something disturbing was revealed: One reason he can't retain the workers he n...

India's role in the future of AI

19 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: India is hosting an AI summit as part of the country's efforts to showcase itself as a major player in the artificial inte...

For prediction market regulation, it's states versus the feds

18 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

A major fight is brewing over who has the right to regulate prediction market platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket. In a brief in a Nevada court case,...

Where's the AI productivity jump?

18 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Though most companies are incorporating generative AI into their workflows, it doesn’t seem to be boosting output just yet. A survey of almost 6,000...

Japan posts strong export numbers

18 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: Japan’s export figures were the strongest in three years, climbing 16.8% year over year in January. The data sharply bea...

Why gas prices are on their way down

17 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Inflation is gradually moderating. For some consumer goods, like gasoline, prices are outright declining. Gas prices are down 7.5% since last January...

Do banks need less of a cushion in case of disaster?

17 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Regulators tightened banking rules after the Great Recession. At a conference yesterday, Federal Reserve Vice Chair Michelle Bowman said the Fed is lo...

Lunar New Year intersects with AI

17 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: It's the start of the Lunar New Year — a major retail event. In China, AI has increasingly been merging with the shoppi...

How AI is changing the advertising game

16 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Markets seesawed over the past few weeks over fears that artificial intelligence will soon disrupt several industries, including software and financia...

Heating bills are going up this winter

16 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We learned on Friday that inflation dropped to 2.4% — the lowest it’s been in almost five years. But certain prices are still rising much faster t...

TikTok's parent company pledges AI safeguards

16 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: The Chinese tech company ByteDance says it'll curb its AI video app, Seedance, which is being used to create viral life-li...

A look at who's footing the bill for all those tariffs

13 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

President Donald Trump has long insisted that foreign companies paid for the tariffs he’s levied on imports. But new research from the Federal Reser...

Remember to grab that Valentine's Day card?

13 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The clock's ticking! If you're in the greeting card business, Valentine's Day is more than just a holiday — it’s a big sales opportunity. This mo...

Cuban residents suffer daily power outages

13 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: As the energy crisis in Cuba continues, the port of Havana has received two ships carrying humanitarian aid sent by Mexico...

Turns out, customers like when things are cheaper

12 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Who would’ve thought? Last month, PepsiCo cut snack prices. McDonald's has been cutting prices, too, and said it's paying off. Yesterday, the compan...

Who needs a financial advisor when you have AI?

12 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Jittery investors continue to punish stocks of companies that may (or may not) face major disruption from artificial intelligence. Last week, it was s...

Russia bans WhatsApp

12 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: Russia has ordered a block on WhatsApp, the Kremlin confirmed. The app has more than 100 million users in Russia, who have...

Texas' energy grid, 5 years after Winter Storm Uri

11 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Five years ago, Winter Storm Uri took out the lights across the Lone Star State. Hundreds of people died, millions of Texans were left without heat, a...

What it takes to build a home that lasts

11 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The U.S. is facing a housing affordability crisis — one that's been exacerbated by natural disasters like Hurricane Helene in 2024 and last year in ...

Flights suspended as Cuba faces fuel crisis

11 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: Cuba's tourism industry suffered a major blow after dozens of flights were cancelled because of a lack of aviation fuel; A...

A closer eye on employment costs

10 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The cost of employing people didn't go up as much as predicted. At one level, that's too bad since who doesn't want a bigger raise? But if you're worr...

The EPA's major climate policy rollback

10 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Reuters reports that the Environmental Protection Agency will roll back its "endangerment finding" determination, which had been at the core of its re...

A bridge at the center of trade tensions

10 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: President Trump says he'll prevent a multibillion-dollar bridge linking Canada and the United States from opening unless C...

2026: the year of partial government shutdowns

09 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We just had a partial government shutdown, and now we're edging closer to another. It would involve just one federal agency — the Department of Hom...

Thank you for (permission for) the music

09 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Twice now, figure skaters at the Winter Olympics were told the music they wanted to skate to — and had been practicing to — could not be used. Sp...

Tokyo's stocks soar after a landslide at the polls

09 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: Japanese stocks jumped to record levels after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s landslide win in a snap general election a...

What you need to know about TrumpRx

06 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Trump administration has launched the new TrumpRx website, where people can shop for prescription drugs at discounted rates. The site, a hub that ...

AI comes for software companies

06 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Software companies are in trouble. Or at least their stocks are. Salesforce is down 25%, and Intuit is down 31%, after startup Anthropic released a ne...

Japan prepares to go to the polls

06 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: Japanese voters will give their verdict on the government of Sanae Takaichi this weekend after Japan's first female prime ...

Raised voices at a hearing starring the treasury secretary

05 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will be on Capitol Hill again today for another grilling. He’s scheduled to appear before the Senate Banking Commit...

The continuing struggles of the news biz

05 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

News Corp — the parent company of The Wall Street Journal, Barron's, MarketWatch, and Fox News — announces quarterly profits today. Meanwhile, The...

Care for a little treat?

05 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: Little luxuries can become routine during tougher economic times. The newest iteration of the “lipstick effect,” the p...

A change to small business loans for immigrants

04 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Small Business Administration will no longer allow green card holders to apply for SBA loans. The new policy was announced on Monday and takes eff...

Even an econ degree does not insulate you from AI

04 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Is a degree in economics, long considered a path to stable employment, even worth it in the age of AI? Recent research suggests entry-level economics ...

A Novo Nordisk stock tumble

04 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: Shares in the Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk tumbled 17% on Wednesday after the weight-loss drug pioneer warned ...

WWKD?

03 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Of course, we mean "What would Kevin do?" — Kevin Warsh, that is, President Donald Trump's nominee for Federal Reserve chair. And it's a question ...

What's behind all the layoffs?

03 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Layoff announcements have been coming fast and furious: 16,000 at Amazon; up to 30,000 at UPS; more at Dow Chemical, Pinterest, T-Mobile, and more. Th...

The devil's in the details of the U.S.-India trade deal

03 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: President Donald Trump announced tariff cuts on goods imported from India and said that, in return, India promised not to ...

A commodities correction

02 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The precious metals market has been on a tear, but experienced a severe correction last week. Part of it has to do with the nomination of Kevin Warsh ...

The impact of restricting SNAP benefits

02 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In January, five states enacted laws restricting people who receive food aid from buying sugary beverages and snacks. About a dozen more will follow s...

What's behind gold's plunge?

02 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: After a historic rally, gold has seen its biggest drop in more than a decade. Silver is also down after sharp swings in As...

Who is Trump's Fed chair pick?

30 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This morning, President Donald Trump revealed his choice to lead the Federal Reserve: It's Kevin Warsh, a former Fed governor and more recent Fed crit...

How schools teach about capitalism is changing

30 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

An increasing number of states in the U.S. not only require high schools to teach financial literacy but also require them to incorporate the fundamen...

The fight over the Panama Canal rages on

30 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: Panama’s Supreme Court has annulled a contract allowing for a Hong Kong company to operate two ports on the major shippi...

What you need to know about those 'Trump Accounts'

29 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Trump administration held a summit yesterday, all about Trump Accounts — those are investment accounts for babies born during his term. The gove...

The costs of banning gender-affirming care

29 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Last year, President Donald Trump issued an executive order aimed at ending gender-affirming care for transgender children and teenagers under 19. Sin...

Trade talks underway between the U.K. and China

29 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is the latest political leader to visit China for trade talks. Chinese President Xi Jinpi...

The messy, tricky, hairy task of economic forecasting

28 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve been deluged with the annual economic and market forecasts that traditionally mark the turn of a new year. Is it worth paying attention to the...

Could a shutdown over ICE be in the cards?

28 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

There's a chance that the federal government will shut down late this week over reform and funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which also...

Beware the AI boom, says Cisco boss

28 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: One of the world’s leading technology bosses has warned there could be “carnage" if a bubble in AI share prices bursts...

Will Trump's proposals improve housing affordability?

27 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

President Donald Trump is rolling out plans to make housing more affordable. He's ordered Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to purchase $200 billion in mortg...

Farmers feel the big freeze

27 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Freezing temperatures and ice over the past weekend have impacted agricultural industries across the U.S. This morning, we'll learn about its effects ...

Unpacking the "mother of all deals"

27 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: India and the European Union have agreed to a major trade deal after nearly two decades of on-and-off negotiations. The wi...

Digging in to defense spending

26 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The second deadly shooting in Minnesota by immigration agents has some Democrats in Washington renewing calls for reform to the Department of Homeland...

ICE's presence hits small businesses in Minnesota

26 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Following yet another deadly shooting by ICE agents in Minnesota, more than 60 CEOs there have now signed a letter calling on federal, state, and loca...

Europe bets big on wind

26 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: A group of European countries has signed a clean energy pact, committing to build an offshore wind power grid in the North...

TikTok is here to stay

23 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

TikTok says it has formed a joint venture for U.S. operations with majority American ownership. The deal is intended to address national security conc...

Economic power as a cudgel

23 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Usually a relatively quiet affair, this year’s World Economic Forum made headlines as President Donald Trump walked in with threatening language ove...

The oil sanctions leaving sailors adrift

23 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: Sanctions on the export of Russian oil have left many ships stuck at sea, unable to unload their cargoes. Today, we speak ...

How would a credit card interest rate cap even work?

22 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

President Donald Trump acknowledged yesterday that he'll need help from Congress to cap credit card interest at 10%. He also talked about this at the ...

What's next for Cuba after Venezuela?

22 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Following the president's intervention in Venezuela, the Trump administration is escalating threats against several sovereign nations. Now, Cuba is se...

Stocks rally in Europe as relations thaw in Davos

22 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: The world has been reacting to President Donald Trump's announcement of a vague framework agreement over the future of Gre...

Trump, Davos, and markets

21 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump spoke in front of international leaders in Davos, Switzerland. There, he touted his use of tariffs to disrupt the...

Worlds apart on generative AI use

21 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

People around the world are using AI more than Americans, a new poll finds. About 40% of adults in the U.S. told pollsters that they used generative A...

Will Elon Musk buy Europe's biggest budget airline?

21 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: Tech billionaire Elon Musk has picked a fight with Michael O'Leary, the chief executive of Ryanair; after O'Leary said Rya...

Trump is ready for Davos. Is Davos ready for Trump?

20 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Today is the second day of the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland. It's a meeting that attracts some of the world's most powerful peop...

Fed independence goes before the Supreme Court

20 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments tomorrow in the case around President Donald Trump's bid to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook over mo...

Trump's Greenland ambitions dominate Davos

20 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: It's day two of the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where President Donald Trump's goal of acquiring Gr...

Sometimes a little lipstick goes a long way

19 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It's called the "lipstick effect." Consumers sometimes splurge on small luxuries — like cosmetics, accessories, and more — as a sort of rebellio...

The economic fight over Greenland

19 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

President Donald Trump has made it very clear that he wants to purchase Greenland, although he hasn't ruled out the use of military force. Now, he's t...

Putting China's economic figures in context

19 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: New data shows that China's economy grew by 5% last year. While positive, it’s not anywhere near the stellar growth figu...

Paying more at national parks

16 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

International visitors to 11 U.S. national parks, including Yellowstone, Bryce Canyon, and Sequoia, now have to pay more to get in — as in, up to...

Corporate leaders in Minnesota stay silent amid ICE raids. Why?

16 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Minnesota is home to more than a dozen Fortune 500 companies, including 3M, Target, Best Buy, and General Mills. But in a wave of wake immigration arr...

Can Canada and China repair their relationship?

16 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Chinese leader Xi Jinping have announced a "new strategic partnership" at a meetin...

Potential signs of a friendlier housing market

15 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

2025 was a tough year for homebuyers. Two things happened over the last three months of the year that helped people trying to buy a home: Housing pric...

What happened to Saks?

15 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Saks Global — the luxury retail conglomerate that owns brands like Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Bergdorf Goodman — filed for Chapter 11 b...

Will the focus on Greenland attract international investors?

15 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: Despite Wednesday’s inconclusive talks between the U.S., Denmark, and Greenland, investors are starting to examine how G...

Fact-checking Trump's economic record

14 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

President Donald Trump traveled to Michigan yesterday to tout the economy's performance during his second administration. He spoke at the Detroit Econ...

Microsoft agrees to foot AI data center costs

14 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The data centers needed to power AI are controversial in many communities. People worry about that extra demand driving up their electricity bills, wh...

In the face of a trade war, China defies the odds

14 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: China has announced record export numbers and the largest trade surplus in global history: $1.2 trillion. Despite the impa...

Inflation is stubbornly steady

13 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released the final consumer price index reading for 2025 this morning. Spoiler alert: Inflation is still too high. Pric...

2026 has its first new tariff threat

13 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

President Donald Trump said on social media that he is imposing a 25% tariff on goods from countries “doing business” with Iran in response to Ira...