Marketplace Morning Report

"Uncertainty" marked this year's economy. What about 2026?

29 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You might have heard the word "uncertainty" muttered more than a few times over the last 12 months. Today, we're chatting with an economist brave enou...

The data breach that hit two-thirds of a country

29 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: The South Korean e-commerce company Coupang has announced a compensation deal worth $1.18 billion for customers after a ma...

The end of 'de minimis' exemption, four months on

26 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The "de minimis" tax exemption on packages under $800 shipped to the U.S. came to an end in August. It's a move that's boosted business for logistics ...

Rise of the return fee

26 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Now that Christmas presents are unwrapped, many of you — you know who you are — will head to stores to return gifts and get what you actually want...

The year tariffs upended global trade

26 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: There's one word that's dominated the headlines this year: tariffs. Countries around the world have been grappling with th...

A Christmas present for drivers

25 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Gas prices are at the lowest level since 2021, according to AAA, as millions of Americans are traveling for the holidays. The average price of gas has...

Why not just takeout for your holiday meal?

25 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

That's been the case for Thomas and Mariah Pisha-Duffly, a Portland foodie power couple with multiple James Beard Award nominations under their belt. ...

The Chinese city powering Christmas

25 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: Have you ever wondered where your festive Christmas lights, ornaments, and toys all come from? Well, there's a good chance...

Maybe going into the office isn't so bad?

24 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

2025 has been the year of getting dragged back to the office for plenty of workers — some part-time, but many full-time in the case of big finance ...

The Trump administration can't withhold disaster relief

24 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore Homeland Security funding to 12 states and the District of Columbia. The administratio...

China puts the brakes on driverless taxis

24 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: Plans to mass-produce and sell self-driving vehicles in China have been delayed after news spread of a crash involving one...

Disney and OpenAI and short videos, oh my!

23 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A little over a week ago, Disney became the first major media company to strike a content licensing deal with Sora, OpenAI's short-form video platform...

A new era for weight-loss drugs

23 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

GLP-1 weight-loss drug injections have slimmed many waistlines and wallets. U.S. regulators have now approved a much less expensive alternative; Novo ...

Amazon blocks North Korean IT applicants

23 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: Tech giant Amazon says it's blocked more than 1,800 North Koreans from trying to join the company in the past two years. A...

Financial data clashes and what it means for Zelle, Venmo, and more

22 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rule designed to give consumers greater control over their financial data is now in limbo under the second Trum...

The K-shaped cost of holiday travel

22 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The holiday travel period is upon us. AAA expects 122 million people will drive or fly somewhere to celebrate. Now, we have some good news and some ba...

Jim Beam freezes production at its main Kentucky distillery

22 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: One of the most famous names in American whiskey, Jim Beam, says it will halt production at its main facility in Kentucky ...

Power and politics in the Warner Bros. deal

19 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's a major Hollywood drama: Despite striking a deal with Netflix, the high-stakes bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery shows no sign of cooling of...

Data centers and your electric bill

19 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Electricity prices are up 6.9% year over year — much higher than overall inflation — and costs are expected to go up even more in the future. So...

TikTok set to sell US assets

19 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: The Chinese owners of TikTok have signed a deal to sell the company's ‌U.S. assets to a joint venture led by American in...

The president shares his thoughts on the economy

18 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In his 19-minute address to the nation last night, President Donald Trump argued that he inherited a mess from former President Biden; the president c...

What will the job market hold in 2026?

18 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As the year draws to a close, it's clear that the post-COVID hiring bonanza has ended, and job-hunting has gotten trickier. Experts are predicting nex...

European farmers take to the streets

18 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: The European Union says it's close to agreeing a trade deal with the South American economic bloc Mercosur, which represen...

How are your wages comparing to inflation?

17 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We get a firehose of economic data this week. As these numbers come in, one thing is becoming clearer: Wage gains are stalling, and inflation has been...

The life of a Christmas tree seller

17 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's an annual tradition in New York City: Each December, pedestrians fight for walking room on sidewalks populated by lush firs and frasers. Staffed ...

Backlash prompts slashed World Cup ticket prices

17 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: FIFA has said it will release $60 seats for next year's World Cup, following complaints from fans over high prices. After ...

The rise of cash-only care

16 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The cost of health insurance is becoming increasingly unaffordable. With many Affordable Care Act marketplace subsidies set to expire, coverage is abo...

The November jobs report, finally

16 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How many jobs did the U.S. economy gain or lose last month? We'll find out later this morning. The numbers are about a week late, as the folks at the ...

Volkswagen closes a plant in Germany for the first time

16 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: Volkswagen has been making cars in Germany for 88 years. In all that time, it's never closed a manufacturing plant in its ...

China's economy hits a rough patch

15 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There’s more evidence that China’s economy is stalling. Beijing released a batch of government data today that was not encouraging. Chinese consum...

A defense bill about more than just defense

15 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the Senate is set to take up the $900 billion National Defense Authorization Act. The House passed it last week. It is more than 3,000 page...

Air pollution in Delhi is hitting consumers, businesses

15 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: "It's like I'm standing inside a cloud of dust and smoke," says BBC correspondent Devina Gupta of air quality in India's c...

Getting into the deregulation business

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Trump administration is reconfiguring a government watchdog that grew out of the Great Recession. The Financial Stability Oversight Council watche...

What the vibe of your office holiday party says your workplace

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the most wonderful time of the year — and with that, the obligatory office holiday party. Thing is, some choices around holiday parties can t...

Reddit fights Australia's social media ban

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: Reddit has filed a lawsuit calling for Australia's social media ban for children under 16 to be declared invalid. The text...

When the job market is a "complicated, unusual, difficult situation"

11 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Federal Reserve decided to cut interest rates again at its meeting this week, partly because Fed officials think the labor market is weaker than i...

ICE raids harken back to COVID-era hardship

11 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the economic circumstances of many, creating demand for direct aid, interrupting consumer spending, and altering the nat...

Mexico raises tariffs on imports from Asia

11 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: Mexico’s parliament has voted in favor of a bill imposing tariffs of between 5% and 50% on more than 1,400 products from...

On Instacart: same store, same item, different price

10 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Dynamic pricing is here. Several consumer groups designed a shopping experiment with hundreds of volunteers who shopped on Instacart for the same prod...

Beware of shady refinance offers

10 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today, the Federal Reserve is expected to lower interest rates by a quarter point. While there's no guarantee of it, the move could translate to lower...

Amazon announces mega investment in India

10 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: Amazon has announced plans to double its investment in India by 2030 — to the tune of around $35 billion — with a foc...

Everyone wants a piece of Warner Bros.

09 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we're walking you through the Hollywood drama currently unfolding over Warner Bros. Discovery. The studio's board has already approved an acqui...

Walmart is moving (to the Nasdaq)

09 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Walmart is moving from the New York Stock Exchange to the Nasdaq market. It's the biggest company ever to make the switch. Thing is, Nasdaq has a cool...

Kids in Australia are about to lose social media access

09 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: A new law comes into force in Australia today, banning children under 16 from some of their favorite social media platform...

In case you forgot, this is a K-shaped economy

08 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

First up on the show: Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, says the economy is doing well. After all, consumers are chugging along, and the stock marke...

Trump's ability to fire has its day in court

08 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments this morning in Trump v. Slaughter, a case that has broad implications for consumers and workers. The...

U.S. tariffs fail to dent China's trade surplus

08 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: The latest economic data from China shows that while exports to the U.S. crashed over the past year, China's towering annu...

Spotify Wrapped, user data, and FOMO

05 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How wired into your brain are tech companies? Spotify offers us a clue. The streaming company runs its Spotify Wrapped marketing campaign every Decemb...

Could Netflix buy Warner Bros. Discovery?

05 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

At the moment, it seems like it — according to Bloomberg, Warner Bros. Discovery is in exclusive talks with Netflix over a deal. Warner Bros. would...

India's biggest airline faces another day of delays and cancellations

05 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: Major airports in India have descended into chaos after the airline IndiGo either canceled or delayed hundreds of flights ...

California wine grapes rot on the vine

04 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

These days, Americans are drinking less alcohol. While that may be a positive from a health perspective, it’s not great news for California grape gr...

Not REAL ID-compliant? Get ready to pay up.

04 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Transportation Security Administration announced earlier this week that passengers without a REAL ID or other acceptable documents (like a passpor...

Meta faces an investigation over AI in WhatsApp

04 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: European antitrust regulators have just launched an investigation into Meta over its rollout of artificial intelligence fe...

Making university research make money

03 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Trump administration has been clear about its desire for deep federal funding cuts to university research. So, some institutions of higher learnin...

A fuel efficiency rollback

03 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

President Donald Trump plans to announce weaker fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks at a White House event today. The move will likely rever...

Europeans pledge to cut out Russian gas

03 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: European politicians have reached a provisional agreement to phase out imports of Russian gas by 2027. Exports of oil and ...

A sign investors think the economy will remain strong

02 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Corporate bond spreads, extra compensation that corporate bonds pay out compared to government bonds, have been narrowing this year, which means inves...

Costco wants its tariff money back

02 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If Trump's tariffs are illegal, Costco wants a refund. The lawsuits that brought President Trump’s tariffs before the Supreme Court last month were ...

The U.K. agrees to pay more for American meds

02 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: The U.K. government has hailed a deal with the United States to keep tariffs on U.K. pharmaceutical shipments into the U.S...

Private judges for hire

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On today's show, we're lifting the veil on a little-known profession in the legal field: private judges. These are judges that businesses or individua...

A spendy, splurgy Black Friday

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Despite wavering confidence, Adobe says consumer spending broke records on Black Friday, clocking in at more than $11 billion. Shoppers were enticed b...

Factory output in China falls yet again

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: Factories in China have long been an engine of economic growth, so it's worrying for leaders in Beijing that a new survey ...

A scourge of "lawless, stateless" vessels

28 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

But for years now, Russia has gotten around some of these sanctions through its so-called "shadow fleet" — unidentified tankers sailing with no flag...

The hunt for deals begins. Ready, set, go!

28 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Black Friday still brings more shoppers into stores than any other day of the year. For many, it’s the official kick-off to the holiday shopping sea...

A pipeline to transport Albertan oil to Canada's Pacific Coast

28 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney has struck a deal for a 700-mile pipeline carrying 1 million barrels of oil a day to C...

Teaching students to be ethical AI users

27 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's been almost three years since ChatGPT went live to the world, and it quickly became a helper or shortcut for students. (Ora tool to cheat.) Like...

It's been a rollercoaster for Six Flags

27 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Can a new CEO help turn things around? It’s a rocky time for regional theme parks that aren’t major travel destinations, as they compete for visit...

A tax-raising budget for the U.K.

27 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: The U.K. government's economic outlook response document was accidentally published a half hour early on Wednesday, before...

A tricky time to be a recent college grad

26 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

New research from the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland finds that earning a college degree can still help you keep a job and get higher wages, but it...

Slimmed down Medicare prices for diabetes and obesity drugs

26 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Medicare will get a 71% discount off the list price of Ozempic and Wegovy starting in 2027. That will bring the monthly costs of those drugs down from...

Alibaba, clowd growth, and the AI frenzy

26 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: Shares in Alibaba rose after the Chinese e-commerce company reported a 34% increase in revenue for its cloud computing div...

Retiring just on Social Security

25 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If not for Social Security, more than 37% of older adults would live below the official poverty line, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Pri...

Talkin' turkey (inflation)

25 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are the food prices for dishes on your Thanksgiving table going up, down, or staying the same? Well, it all depends on what's on the menu this year. T...

Hamas victims sue Binance

25 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: The world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, Binance, and its founder, Changpeng Zhao, are being sued by victims and fam...

Can China spur consumer spending?

24 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The U.S. economy is often buoyed by consumer spending. In China, however, consumer spending is a much smaller part of economic output. And while the g...

What if you got to choose where your tax dollars went?

24 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Americans don’t often have a direct say in how their tax dollars get spent; those decisions are generally left to elected officials. But some places...

G20 conference wraps up in South Africa

24 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: A gathering in South Africa of major economies has ended with a joint declaration committing to "multilateral cooperation....

The White House wants more offshore drilling

21 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Trump administration has unveiled plans for a huge expansion of offshore oil drilling. Federal law requires the Interior Department to come up wit...

How ICE raids are disrupting D.C.'s economy

21 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After months of ICE raids on the nation’s capital, some construction workers are afraid to go into Washington, D.C. for work, fearing arrest and dep...

Japan borrows heavily to stimulate its economy

21 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: Japan's cabinet has approved a stimulus package worth more than $130 billion. It's the first major policy initiative of th...

Finally, clues about the job market

20 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After a month and a half delay due to the government shutdown, we are finally getting some official economic data. It is old (from September), but it'...

AI to the rescue (for now)

20 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Nvidia reported earnings yesterday after markets closed, and it did not disappoint. Nvidia makes 90% of all chips used in AI. Tech stocks, including N...

Will AI bubble fears persist?

20 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: Wall Street was cheered last night by better-than-expected results from the chip giant Nvidia. But the AI boom continues t...

Why are retailers hiring fewer seasonal workers?

19 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In a word: uncertainty. Retail chains like Target are pulling back on hiring temporary workers ahead of this year’s holiday shopping season as tarif...

Shock, frustration for those losing ACA subsidies

19 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Some 24 million people buy health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace. But subsidies and tax credits that have made these plans more...

US issues apology for Hyundai immigration raid

19 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: The chief executive of the South Korean firm Hyundai said that the White House phoned him personally to apologize for an i...

Aid for farmers, but not from tariffs

18 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is starting a second round of aid — about $16 billion — for farmers affected by natural disasters. The aid is a...

Do city-owned grocery stores work?

18 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani swept the election on a campaign all about affordability. One pillar of that platform was the idea of city-ow...

Google's CEO on the AI boom and potential bubble

18 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: The artificial intelligence revolution is firmly underway, with tech giants investing billions in research and battling to...

Checking in with American exporters and Chinese buyers

17 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met in South Korea late last month, some tariffs have been suspended or lowered, and China ...

What happens when the government finally does the numbers

17 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tomorrow's when we’re supposed to learn more about how imports and exports have been faring from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, though the 43-day g...

Brazilian soy farmers want Amazon restrictions to be lifted

17 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: As COP30 in Brazil enters its second week, one of the key agreements protecting the Amazon rainforest is under threat from...

Does the Fed now have a "dueling mandate"?

14 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Even though we haven’t gotten recent economic data because of the government shutdown, there’s still plenty of speculation that the next Fed meeti...

How optimistic are small business owners in this economy?

14 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How optimistic are small business owners nowadays? According to a recent survey, the picture is downbeat — many owners have been dealing with tariff...

U.S. to ease tariffs on coffee and bananas

14 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: Donald Trump is set to cut import taxes on products like coffee, bananas, and beef as part of trade agreements with four L...

What else is in the legislation to reopen the government? A lot.

13 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The longest government shutdown ever ended last night when President Donald Trump signed a stopgap bill to keep federal agencies going through Jan. 30...

Fixing the hemp loophole

13 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

By now, you know that the House passed legislation last night to reopen the government. But you might not know about a provision that would completely...

As U.S. tariffs bite, India gives credit lifeline to exporters

13 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the BBC World Service: India’s government has approved a $5 billion credit line to support its struggling exporters, as Indian workers across s...

Would 50-year mortgages make it easier to buy a home?

12 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

President Donald Trump and Federal Housing Finance Agency director Bill Pulte have floated the idea of a 50-year mortgage as a potential way to make h...

Even if the government reopens, what about all that economic data?

12 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After 43 days, the government shutdown could end today. But there are still lingering questions: When will food stamps be distributed to beneficiaries...