Marketplace All-in-One

What is an economy of caution? Mar 04, 2025

Today, we’re talking about one of Kai’s favorite topics: bonds! The yield on the 10-year Treasury note (the benchmark for mortgages and car loans) is down sharply, which is great for consumers. But it’s happening for not necessarily great reasons. We’ll explain. Plus, why Kimberly is keeping a close eye on one of her go-to government websites. And, she’ll share tales from her trip to Venice’s famed carnival.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

“Key Interest Rate Falls as Worries About the Economy Rise” from The New York Times
“RFK Jr. moves to eliminate public comment on HHS decisions” by STAT
“RFK Jr. move to kill public comment roils providers” from Axios
“AP PHOTOS: Venice Carnival opens with biodegradable streamers and an ode to Casanova” by AP News

Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Bird flu spreads its wings Mar 03, 2025

As bird flu proliferates across U.S. farms, infecting chickens, cows and even humans, some public health experts worry that that funding to deal with it has been inadequate. Above all, they say we need stronger incentives for farmers and farmworkers to test for and report cases of the virus. Plus, the manufacturing sector’s outlook remains mixed, two-thirds of Americans say they have been victims of a financial scam and what could happen if we removed government spending from GDP calculations.

“An incomplete picture of the economy” Mar 03, 2025

It’s the mother of all economic numbers: GDP, or gross domestic product. But U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick says he wants to take government spending out of that number in official statistics. That could have serious implications for our understanding of the economy. Also on the show: how President Donald Trump’s tariffs could hit the auto industry and why adults are keeping the toy industry going.

What a government crypto reserve might look like Mar 03, 2025

Hundreds of billions of dollars have flowed into cryptocurrency markets in the past 24 hours or so after President Donald Trump named five digital tokens to be included in a national reserve. Trump has pledged to be a crypto-friendly president before. We’ll unpack the decision. Plus, mortgage rate volatility may be here to stay, and natural gas is having a moment — even in the middle of the green energy transition.

Tit-for-tat tariffs fuel trade war fears Mar 03, 2025

From the BBC World Service: When new U.S. import duties take effect on Tuesday, China says it’ll be ready to hit back with its own. The escalation raises fears of an all-out trade war between the world’s two largest economies. Then, Britain’s data protection watchdog is investigating how TikTok handles children’s data. And more adults are entertaining themselves with products typically marketed at children, which is helping to keep the global toy market alive.

Youngsters’ social media habit has developmental impact, researcher says Mar 03, 2025

Social media takes up a huge chunk of kids’ lives. A 2024 study from Pew found that about half of U.S. teenagers are online “almost constantly.” It’s a big source of stress for parents too, and policing their kids’ actions on these platforms can take up a lot of time and energy. Also, there’s AI, and it’s showing up on social media as bots that are always available to talk. We’re going to get to all of that this week in our new series about what it’s like to be a kid on social media and the risks and rules that come with it. We call it “The Infinite Scroll.” We’re kicking things off with Eva Telzer, a professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Telzer told Marketplace’s Stephanie Hughes about the intensity of youngsters’ connection to their phones and its effects on how the kids are wired, which may last into adulthood.

What the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting says about the world economic order Mar 01, 2025

A meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump today dissolved into a heated argument in the Oval Office, flipping the switch of the global economic order. Kai Ryssdal and guest host Nova Safo discuss what they took away from the contentious meeting and what it might mean for American-style capitalism. Plus, we’ll shift gears and play a lively round of Half Full/Half Empty!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

“Trump, Vance castigate Zelensky in tense Oval Office meeting” from CNN Politics
“Microsoft Will Shut Down Skype in Favor of a Free Version of Teams” from The New York Times
“‘Jeopardy!’ and ‘Wheel of Fortune’ to Leap to Streaming” from The New York Times
“Why are tech companies investing in quantum computing?” from Marketplace
“Why some authors and publishers are nixing book blurbs” from Marketplace
“Lately, the scoop on the bond market is like ice cream roulette” from Marketplace
“How much impact could a 24-hour “economic blackout” have?” from Marketplace

Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Will Hollywood’s behind-the-scenes workers stay? Mar 01, 2025

In the past decade, filming outside of Los Angeles has become a cost-effective option for many major studios. And lower housing costs are driving many lighting techs, grips and gaffers to follow. With roughly 13,000 homes lost in January’s wildfires, staying in LA will be even harder for those workers. Also on the show, the rising cost of utilities and a second act for frozen foods.

Turmoil in D.C. starts to hit student borrowers Feb 28, 2025

Some student loan borrowers are in limbo after the Department of Education removed online applications for consolidations and income-based repayment plans. The StudentAid.gov website says the removals are temporary to comply with an appeals court injunction. But first: We got lots of data this morning painting a picture of the economy before major changes were implemented by the Trump administration. And later: Is the U.S. at risk of losing lithium exports from China?

Feeling the economic shockwaves of government layoffs Feb 28, 2025

Current and former U.S. Agency for International Development workers are being allowed into USAID headquarters in Washington, D.C. for a second day today to pack up their belongings. But federal government layoffs are being felt across the country. Today, we’ll hear from a USAID contractor in Oklahoma about what’s happening there. Plus, we’ll look at why tech firms are spending so much on quantum computing and unpack the impacts of a 24-hour “economic blackout.”

Bitcoin hits three-month low Feb 28, 2025

From the BBC World Service: Fears are growing among bitcoin investors after the cryptocurrency’s price fell below the $80,000 threshold Friday. It comes after U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest tariff threats triggered a fresh flight from risk. Meanwhile, U.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hopes that talks with President Trump at the White House have averted a trade war. Plus, we look at why Hungary has become a hot destination for movie-makers.

Bytes: Week in Review — Apple’s huge investment, Nvidia’s strong earnings and Bybit hack batters bitcoin Feb 28, 2025

In this week’s “Tech Bytes: Week in Review,” chip powerhouse Nvidia saw its revenue soar last quarter, showing that the AI boom is still booming. Plus, it was a bumpy week for bitcoin after the crypto exchange Bybit lost almost $1.5 billion of digital assets in a hack. But first, Apple announced it’s spending $500 billion to expand manufacturing and create jobs in the U.S. Marketplace’s Stephanie Hughes spoke with Anita Ramaswamy, columnist at The Information, about what the investment could do for American tech manufacturing and more.

“Financially Inclined” is back for Season 4 Feb 28, 2025

Host and financial literacy advocate Yanely Espinal is back for Season 4 to get the answers to your money questions and set you up to succeed . This season, we’ll be discussing everything from launching your own business to paying for college. We dig into negotiation techniques and teach you how to navigate tricky money conversations with friends and family. You don’t want to miss it!

This podcast is presented in partnership with Greenlight: the money app for teens — with investing. For a limited time, our listeners can earn $10 when they sign up today for a Greenlight account.

Whaddya wanna know about federal layoffs and this economy? Feb 28, 2025

On today’s episode, we make you smarter by answering your pressing questions about this economy: Will cuts to the federal workforce make any difference to the unemployment rate? Also, have we all been totally oblivious to a private sector recession? (Spoiler: No!) We’ll explain. Plus, listeners sound off on smile-worthy moments from their week!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

“How Will Shrinking the Federal Workforce Impact the Labor Market?” from Wells Fargo
“How DOGE cuts might show up in the data” by Axios
“Unemployment is still low, but are private sector layoffs accelerating?” from Marketplace
“Many laid-off government workers aren’t eligible for unemployment” from Marketplace
“US Treasury’s Bessent vows to re-privatize an economy that is ‘brittle underneath’” by Reuters
“ADP® National Employment Report” from ADP Research
“Employment by industry, monthly changes” from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
“Governments at all levels are hiring, and that’s boosting the job market” by Marketplace
“The Federal Reserve’s favorite recession indicator is flashing a danger sign again” from CNBC

Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

Hope or fear? Feb 27, 2025

Capital goods orders picked up in January — that’s stuff businesses buy that’ll last a while, like tools and equipment. Is it a sign business owners have money to spend? Or, have tariffs fears and economic uncertainty spooked them into buying things before it’s too late? Also in this episode: Unemployment claims tick up (and that’s not even counting laid-off federal workers), architects stress fire resilience in rebuilding and used car prices rise.

Why many government workers aren’t eligible for unemployment benefits Feb 27, 2025

The Supreme Court is giving the Trump administration more time to pay for foreign aid work done before the administration froze foreign assistance. Among those caught up in all this are independent contractors who have contracts with the U.S. Agency for International Development. Their work has evaporated, but they can’t file for unemployment. We’ll discuss. Plus, an account from a day laborer and volunteer sheds light on economic conditions for low-income immigrant workers.

It’s not just federal workers experiencing layoffs Feb 27, 2025

Job cuts appear to be picking up in the private sector, too. Over the last two months, companies including Chevron, Meta, Starbucks and Southwest Airlines have all laid off 1.000 employees or more. While unemployment remains low, more layoffs could be on the way. Plus, bosses at Nvidia think there’s still plenty of room for business to grow, and an immigrant day laborer reflects on volunteering to help clear debris after the LA fires.

Trump says 25% tariffs on EU will be announced soon Feb 27, 2025

From the BBC World Service: The automotive sector was singled out by U.S. President Donald, and the European Union said it will react “firmly and immediately” against any “unjustified” tariffs. Then, a cryptocurrency company in Dubai is recruiting bounty hunters to help track stolen funds. And as Pokémon turns 29 years old. we look back at how the wildly popular Japanese phenomenon became a billion-dollar global media brand.

As followership wanes, TikTok resets relations between creators and fans Feb 27, 2025

Patreon, a company that enables fans to directly support internet creators financially, has produced a report looking at how creators and their fans are feeling these days. One finding: Fans say they’re seeing more short-form work on social media, even though they prefer long-form content. And more than half of creators surveyed say it’s harder to reach their followers now than five years ago. This is part of what the report calls the “TikTokification of the internet.” Brielle Villablanca, vice president of communications and creator advocacy at Patreon, discusses the trade-offs for creators in the current TikTok-driven environment with Marketplace’s Stephanie Hughes.

An asteroid miss and the WaPo opinion shift Feb 27, 2025

Kai has been tracking news about a giant asteroid heading toward Earth. NASA says we’re safe, for now! But first, the hosts discuss troubling trends in the news business and a shift in who gets to exert control over media narratives. And, we’re keeping a close eye on growing fears over possible layoffs.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

“US Workers Cite Growing Layoff Fear in Philadelphia Fed Survey” from Bloomberg
“White House takes control of press pool that covers Trump” by BBC
“Washington Post opinion editor departs as Bezos pushes to promote ‘personal liberties and free markets’” by The Guardian
“Costa Rica Is Saving Forest Ecosystems by Listening to Them” from Wired
“NASA Gives ‘All Clear’ for Asteroid That Seemed to Threaten Earth” by The New York Times

Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

The GDP equation Feb 26, 2025

The second Trump administration has made spending cuts a priority — already, the president has enacted a funding freeze and laid off thousands of federal workers. Reduced government spending will have major ripple effects, though, like shrinking the nation’s GDP. Also in this episode: Trump’s move toward Russia threatens longstanding relationships with European allies and Instacart forecasts a growth slowdown.

A first step toward the GOP’s tax and spending agenda Feb 26, 2025

The Republican-controlled House has defied predictions of deadlock and advanced the party’s signature legislative package. The House narrowly approved a resolution that includes $4.5 trillion in tax cuts and some $2 trillion in spending cuts over a decade. But it still has to go through the Senate, where there’s a push for more tax cuts. We’ll discuss some of the implications. Plus, how are New York businesses grappling with President Donald Trump’s deportation threats?

Consumer sentiment is down, while inflation expectations are up Feb 26, 2025

The Conference Board reported the biggest monthly decline in consumer confidence since 2021. The University of Michigan also reported a sharp decline in optimism, along with a steep increase in inflation expectations. The reasons? Threats of tariffs, high cost-of-living expenses and general uncertainty. Also on the show: a draft deal for the U.S. to access Ukraine’s rare earth minerals and a proposed green card for wealthy people.

BP to increase oil and gas investments Feb 26, 2025

From the BBC World Service: Under pressure from investors, energy giant BP is increasing investments in oil and gas by $10 billion a year, while decreasing previously planned renewables funding by more than $5 billion. Plus, Ukraine has struck a deal to let the U.S. jointly exploit its mineral resources. Then, Donald Trump’s plan to deport millions of undocumented immigrants is raising economic concerns. How are small businesses in the U.S. responding?

If AI writes code, is coding still crucial for kids to learn? Feb 26, 2025

For years, coding has been thought of as a useful skill for children to learn. It’s integrated into computer science classes and a number of organizations are dedicated to helping kids code. But now, AI tools can write code themselves. Marketplace’s Stephanie Hughes spoke with Monica McGill of the Institute for Advancing Computing Education about what the expanding capabilities of artificial intelligence mean for coding as a necessary — or not so necessary — skill.

A housing reality check Feb 26, 2025

Home Depot, which makes most of its money from renovations, said small projects are driving its sales. That suggests homeowners are staying put — maybe improving the home they have while waiting for a clearer picture of the economy. Meanwhile, home prices just keep rising, although market volatility has cooled off. Also in this episode: When Canadian energy tariffs take effect, New Englanders will pay up and consumer confidence drops amid inflation anxiety.

“Unlocking the Gates” on housing and economic opportunity Feb 25, 2025

Today, we’re sharing the first episode of “Unlocking the Gates,” a series from Marketplace and APM Studios hosted by special correspondent Lee Hawkins. He tells the story of how the Minnesota suburb he grew up in went from being a place where the housing market was inaccessible to Black families to one where many Black families found economic opportunity. And it all started with a nighttime business deal.

No way Waymo? Feb 25, 2025

American consumers have a lot of skepticism about self-driving vehicles, according to a new AAA survey. It finds that less than half of us would get in a car without a driver and far fewer would use automated driving when they’re behind the wheel. Also, we’ll hear about a proposed EU-Ukraine partnership over strategic minerals, unpack federal agency responses to an ultimatum by Elon Musk and look at EV truck charging infrastructure.

Apple’s focus on U.S. manufacturing isn’t exactly new Feb 25, 2025

Apple has a pattern of announcing big investments in U.S. jobs at the start of new presidential administrations. Now, under Donald Trump, Apple has announced a $500 billion investment in U.S. operations over the next four years — an announcement that comes amid looming tariff threats. Plus: drama over Elon Musk’s productivity email sent to federal workers and a look at how warmer weather is impacting the snowmobile economy.

AI expansion means big changes for Singapore’s bigget bank Feb 25, 2025

From the BBC World Service: The biggest bank in Southeast Asia, DBS in Singapore, says it’ll cut 4,000 jobs over the next three years as AI takes on more work. Then, the European Union proposed a Ukrainina critical minerals partnership, which comes as President Trump is pushing Kyiv for a sweeping deal with the U.S. And in the U.K., farmers are urging a government re-think over plans for a new estates tax.

How will Australia’s teen social media ban work? Feb 25, 2025

Last year, Australia passed a measure that would ban children under 16 from using social media. That’ll be a big shift: About 80% of Australian kids between the ages of 8 and 12 used social media in 2024, according to a report from Australia’s online safety regulator. The government is now working on the details of how to implement what many are calling one of the strictest age restriction policies in the world. The BBC’s Naomi Rainey reports on the difficulties of enforcing the ban and the impact it could have on kids in the future.

Is Apple actually going “America First”? Feb 25, 2025

A week after Apple CEO Tim Cook met with President Donald Trump, the company said today that it plans to invest $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years. Is Apple aligning with Trump’s America First agenda? We’ll explain why Apple’s domestic investment isn’t what you may think it is. Plus, how would you respond to an email from your boss with the subject line: “What did you do last week?” And, a big thank you to Tammy from Oregon for today’s Make Me Smile moment.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

“Apple’s $500 Billion U.S. Investment Is Mostly Already in the Books” from The Wall Street Journal
“Elon Musk Tells Federal Workers to Detail Work in an Email or Lose Their Jobs” by The New York Times
“Are federal workers lazy? Let’s look at the data.” from The Washington Post
“The Long Flight to Teach an Endangered Ibis Species to Migrate” from The New Yorker
“The Trump administration tells agencies they could ignore Musk order on email reply” from The Washington Post (latest developments after we recorded today’s episode)

Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Who’s in the consumer-spending driver’s seat? Feb 25, 2025

The top 10% of earners account for half of all consumer spending in the U.S., a new study shows. In other words, if the goods and services Americans buy in a year were a pie, those with the highest incomes have been shelling out for a massive slice. Where does that leave everyone else? Also in this episode: Investors and the AI industry await Nvidia’s earnings report this week and tariffs threaten a complex auto manufacturing supply chain.

Wall Street’s trying to shrug off last week’s concerns Feb 24, 2025

Markets opened higher this morning after a spate of worrisome economic numbers caused a tumble on Friday. Those included declining service sector business activity and consumer sentiment that showed rising inflation expectations — which can be self-fulfilling. We’ll unpack. Also on the program: The Trump administration is moving ahead with the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development, and we’ll look at the underlying economic forces behind Canada’s ongoing political drama.

At the IRS, cost-cutting comes with a cost Feb 24, 2025

The Trump administration has fired more than 6,000 Internal Revenue Service workers — many of them in collections and enforcement — in the name of cost-cutting. But the money the IRS spends on tax collection helps it pull in more money from taxpayers. We’ll dig in. Plus, is it time to rethink how we measure the economy? We’ll hear from an advocate for placing people’s lived experiences at the center of economics.

Conservatives win German election Feb 24, 2025

From the BBC World Service: The Christian Democrats came in first in German elections, with more than 28% of the vote. But they’ll need at least one coalition partner to form a government, and some tough negotiations over the economy lie ahead. Plus, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation last month. For voters and contenders for the prime ministership, economic concerns are front and center.

Satellites provide internet access and a lot more, but the skies are getting crowded Feb 24, 2025

Satellite internet has been around for decades. But in just the past six years, the number of satellites orbiting the planet has grown dramatically. Many belong to Starlink, a unit of SpaceX whose satellites are in low Earth orbit. And it’s expected to get even busier up there with Amazon’s Project Kuiper launching thousands of new satellites. Joe Supan of CNET recently wrote about this. He told Marketplace’s Stephanie Hughes about the race to claim a piece of space and the risk of high-tech debris clogging the zone.

A brewing legal battle and the future of the Fed Feb 22, 2025

The Supreme Court on Friday chose not to intervene in a case involving President Donald Trump’s firing of an independent agency head. As the case is passed back to the lower courts, it tees up a legal battle that will test the president’s power to dismiss officials. We’ll get into what this could all mean for the Federal Reserve. And, U.S. national parks are being hit by the administration’s purge of the federal workforce. Plus, we’ll weigh in on Birkenstocks, prebiotic sodas and the “White Lotus effect” during a round of Half Full/Half Empty!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

“Supreme Court Declines for Now to Let Trump Fire Agency Head” from Bloomberg
Post on Bluesky about national park closures
“Trump administration backtracks on eliminating thousands of national parks employees” from The L.A. Times
“Firings Squeeze National Parks: ‘You Won’t Have the Full Experience’” from The New York Times
“Can sandals be art? Birkenstock says yes, but a German court says no” from AP News
“‘Gut Pop’ Is Injecting New Fizz Into the Beverage Aisle” from The Wall Street Journal
“Politics are changing how and where consumers spend” from Marketplace
“The ‘White Lotus effect’ on tourism” from Marketplace
“Amazon Gains Creative Control Over the James Bond Franchise” from The New York Times

Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Tumbling economic sentiment — especially for Dems Feb 21, 2025

American consumers agree: High prices aren’t going anywhere. All that stress about inflation, and throw in the impact of tariffs, heightens uncertainty, which translates into negative economic sentiment. But the severity of concern varies between Republicans and Democrats — a lot. Also in this episode: Private data can’t replace government data, oil tankers “go dark” and though the travel industry enjoyed healthy growth last year, new Trump policies could affect the upward trend.

USAID cuts hit agricultural research Feb 21, 2025

There’s another casualty from the Trump administration’s dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development: Funding for agriculture research at 17 labs at U.S. universities is now frozen. We’ll discuss some of the impacts. Plus, the health of the manufacturing sector improved for the second month in a row. And, how are markets responding to government firings and a government-wide deregulation campaign?

Consumers have the travel bug again Feb 21, 2025

Shares of Booking Holdings — the company behind Booking.com, Priceline, Kayak and other travel sites — are popping this morning after announcing yesterday that profits were up almost 50% last quarter compared to a year earlier. Tons of companies in the travel industry, including airlines, are doing well thanks to strong travel demand. We’ll unpack. Also on the program: a lesson on how Massachusetts helped make the modern gambling industry.

Antiausterity protests continue in Indonesia Feb 21, 2025

From the BBC World Service: Thousands of students are protesting as part of what’s become known as “Dark Indonesia” demonstrations, in which rally-goers are taking a stand against budget cuts and other policies by President Prabowo Subianto. Plus, Germany’s election campaign is in its closing days, and a BBC investigation finds that addictive synthetic opioids are being illegally shipped to West Africa by an Indian company.

Bytes: Week in Review — deep cuts at AI agency, DOGE sued again and pulling the plug on the Ai Pin Feb 21, 2025

Another lawsuit hits the Department of Government Efficiency from privacy rights advocates concerned about Americans’ personal data. And another wearable — the Ai Pin — bites the dust. But first, layoffs by the federal government are continuing, including, reportedly, at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST, which is part of the Commerce Department. This is a federal laboratory that’s been around since 1901 whose mission is to promote U.S. innovation and competition. And part of its work is to help create standards for new technology, like artificial intelligence. Marketplace’s Stephanie Hughes is joined by Maria Curi, tech policy reporter at Axios, to break down these stories. Curi recently reported that NIST is expected to fire about 500 workers. But what does NIST do, exactly?

DOGE’s next target: IRS Feb 21, 2025

Things are getting tense at the Internal Revenue Service. Layoffs are looming smack in the middle of tax season as part of DOGE’s mission to cut the federal workforce. Meanwhile, the commerce secretary says President Donald Trump wants to abolish the agency altogether. Get ready for a Kai rant! Plus, Trump wants to know if there’s still gold at Ft. Knox. No, really! And, finally, we’ll smile about all the good things that have happened to you lately.

Here’s everything we talked about:

“Joint Chiefs Chairman CQ Brown on list to be possibly removed by Hegseth” by ABC News
“Commerce Secretary Lutnick: Trump’s goal is to abolish the IRS” from Axios
“I.R.S. to Begin Laying Off Roughly 6,000 Employees on Thursday” from The New York Times
Watch: “Trump wants to know if there’s gold in Fort Knox” by AP News
Watch: “Fmr. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on U.S. gold reserves at Fort Knox” from CNBC Television
“What to know about Fort Knox’s gold depository that Musk wants audited” from Axios
“A campus sign said, ‘Tell us something good.’ Students delivered.” by The Washington Post

Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

Access to federal data in flux Feb 21, 2025

Last month, key federal data sets were removed from government websites following actions by the Donald Trump administration, and researchers rushed to preserve the information. David Van Riper of IPUMS, an organization dedicated to improving public access to government data, talked to “Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal about the importance of these statistics. Plus, Walmart expands and diversifies, ChatGPT has lots of rivals as well as a huge user base, and the U.S. solar industry adapts without Biden-era tax credits.

The tiff over New York City’s congestion pricing Feb 20, 2025

The Trump administration has waded into a controversial policy in New York that charges tolls for most passenger cars entering certain parts of Manhattan, also known as congestion pricing. The Secretary of Transportation has sent a letter to New York’s governor saying that the administration is revoking federal approval. We’ll hear more. Also, we’ll unpack Walmart’s quarter earnings release and learn how one California company is electrifying older diesel trucks.

What slashing federal agency budgets could mean for food safety Feb 20, 2025

The Food and Drug Administration is among the agencies in the firing lines of the Trump administration’s staff cuts. But those layoffs are raising flags about how the FDA will be able to adequately oversee food supply safety and respond to any crises or outbreaks. Also on the program: what the government might do with savings resulting from DOGE’s budget slashes and why homebuilders feel pessimistic about future sales.

Fed’s “wait and see” stance on inflation keeps global economies on their toes Feb 20, 2025

From the BBC World Service: The Federal Reserve’s latest meeting minutes suggest they want to see more evidence that inflation is cooling before cutting interest rates. However, when borrowing costs stay high in the U.S., it can ripple around the globe. Then, authorities in Myanmar have started sending back hundreds of Chinese nationals accused of working in internet scam operations. And, ahead of Germany’s elections, we hear how voters are reacting to a sluggish economy.

Responsible ways to use AI for government efficiency Feb 20, 2025

The Washington Post reported earlier this month that representatives of DOGE — the Department of Government Efficiency — gained access to sensitive data at the Department of Education and fed it into AI software. This has raised red flags over whether it violates federal privacy law. We reached out to DOGE for comment, but didn’t hear back. But there are ways to use AI to improve efficiency without raising privacy concerns. Marketplace’s Stephanie Hughes spoke with Kevin Frazier, contributing editor at the publication Lawfare, about how the government has used AI in the past and how it could use it more responsibly in the future.

Is recession risk rising? Feb 20, 2025

A growing number of young American consumers say they’re opting out of the economy entirely or pulling back from spending at certain stores over their political views. We’ll explain how this trend could collide with other economic shifts, creating the perfect recipe for a recession. Plus, by popular demand, we unpack a recent feat of nature: beavers successfully taking on civil engineering!

Here’s everything we talked about: