Marketplace
American Public Media
Every weekday, host Kai Ryssdal helps you make sense of the day’s business and economic news — no econ degree or finance background required. “Marketplace” takes you beyond the numbers, bringing you context. Our team of reporters all over the world speak with CEOs, policymakers and regular people just trying to get by.
Location:
Los Angeles, CA
Description:
Every weekday, host Kai Ryssdal helps you make sense of the day’s business and economic news — no econ degree or finance background required. “Marketplace” takes you beyond the numbers, bringing you context. Our team of reporters all over the world speak with CEOs, policymakers and regular people just trying to get by.
Twitter:
@MktplaceRadio
Language:
English
Contact:
261 South Figueroa Street #200 Los Angeles, CA 90012 (213) 621-3500
Email:
Letters@marketplace.org
Episodes
50 years after the oil embargo, the U.S. is playing catch-up
9/21/2023
The idea of energy “conservation” was new to Americans in 1973. Experiencing a first-of-its-kind gasoline shortage, the U.S. began to encourage fuel efficiency in cars and homes. If President Ronald Reagan hadn’t reversed such commitments, would renewable energy be ubiquitous today? Plus, doing without: manufacturing without temp workers, the Fed without government economic data and NYC without Airbnb.
Duration:00:28:39
Do you advertise en Español?
9/20/2023
About three-quarters of Latinos in the U.S. speak at least some Spanish. Marketing experts have caught on. We’ll talk to a few about how they strike an English-Spanish balance in ads geared toward the growing demographic. Plus, Amazon is already aggressively hiring for the holidays, Japan might prop up the yen again, and the Federal Reserve didn’t raise rates — this time.
Duration:00:27:18
The facial recognition software cops are raving about
9/19/2023
Clearview AI, widely used by U.S. law enforcement, can find a face anywhere on the internet thanks to a database of billions of scraped photos. Journalist Kashmir Hill, who recently published a book about Clearview, will tell us what it was like to investigate a company that’s always watching. Plus, the viability of a four-day workweek for blue-collar jobs and an electrical transformer shortage.
Duration:00:26:17
Would you take a job that might make you work for free?
9/18/2023
With government shutdowns becoming more frequent — we could have another one at the end of the month — taking a government job isn’t all that appealing. Why worry about the uncertainty of a furlough when plenty of other companies are hiring? We’ll also tackle the environmental impacts of barge shipping, hard-to-find auto parts in the U.S. and members-only shopping in China.
Duration:00:27:56
Is it time to question the economic vibe?
9/15/2023
Consumer spending is key to this economy, but Americans are running through their cash just as student loan repayments are coming due. Could that be the straw that breaks the consumer’s back? We’ll discuss it on the Weekly Wrap. Plus, how car dealers are reacting to the UAW strike, why immigration is important to the AI race and why gross domestic product and gross domestic income often don’t match up, even though they should.
Duration:00:26:01
How to price an IPO so it “pops”
9/14/2023
Shares of chip designer Arm Holdings surged 25% above their initial public offering price of $51 in the company’s stock market debut today. A lot went into deciding on that price. Today, we dig into what it takes to make an IPO “pop.” Later, the United Auto Workers plans to target its work stoppages as a strike looms. And will Social Security’s cost-of-living increase be enough to help older Americans keep up with inflation next year?
Duration:00:25:45
What will inflation look like in 6 months?
9/13/2023
Though inflation ticked up a bit in August, it looks like price increases are losing steam. Today, we ask what inflation could look like next year and what wild cards might be in play. We also investigate where all the G-rated movies went and why fish tacos are still about a buck at a San Diego restaurant chain.
Duration:00:26:41
Poverty rose last year. Inflation’s only part of the story.
9/12/2023
New data released by the U.S. Census Bureau shows that median income fell last year while poverty spiked, as pandemic-era government benefits ended. Today, we do the numbers and discuss who’s been most affected. We also explore the impact of tech regulation in the European Union and look at why businesses are so glum. Plus: You’ve probably infringed several patents today.
Duration:00:27:08
When a 10-day strike could cost $5 billion
9/11/2023
Members of the United Auto Workers union could go on strike this week if contracts aren’t signed with Ford, GM and Stellantis. If no deal is struck, the Upper Midwest in particular could suffer major losses. Today, we’ll chart the potential impacts. We’ll also look at consumer expectations, fear of automation and the panic over retail theft.
Duration:00:29:40
What rising corporate bankruptcies tell us about the economy
9/8/2023
Corporate bankruptcies have been on the rise for more than a year now, and the trend can have wide-ranging ripple effects. We dig into it. We also unpack the cooling labor market in the Weekly Wrap and look at the future of sustainable energy from the American home of oil and gas.
Duration:00:26:47
The Chicago Fed president on the path forward for interest rates
9/7/2023
The Federal Reserve’s Open Market Committee meets in two weeks to determine if interest rates should change. Today, we hear from Chicago Fed CEO Austan Goolsbee on the odds of a soft landing for the economy and the data used to guide rate decisions. Plus, the inverted yield curve is an indicator of a coming recession. Could it be wrong this time? And later: Speed-dating makes a comeback.
Duration:00:28:22
A strong dollar spells trouble for other economies
9/6/2023
Ever since the Federal Reserve began hiking interest rates, the value of the U.S. dollar has surged. For many other countries, that means debt has become costlier and it can be harder to prevent capital flight. So what are the options for central banks abroad? We also take the pulse of community banking six months after SVB’s failure and examine the fan fiction economy.
Duration:00:26:14
Why oil prices jumped today
9/5/2023
Saudi Arabia and Russia said they’ll stick with oil production cuts through the end of the year. The two countries are trying to prop up prices for their lucrative resource, and those prices surged after the announcement. We dig into the decision. Plus: More than 800,000 people are benefiting from student loan forgiveness. Then, the rise of “girl math” and other ways people justify their enthusiastic spending.
Duration:00:25:47
Tracing the roots of Labor Day
9/4/2023
This has been a hot summer for labor organizing, and strikes — along with narrowly averted ones — have made headlines. This Labor Day, we chart the holiday’s history and examine the parallels between worker activism of more than a century ago and worker activism today. We’ll also do the numbers on labor, including women’s workforce participation and how hotels are hiring in a tight market. Later: the big business of wacky holidays.
Duration:00:25:34
GDP doesn’t care how you feel
9/1/2023
Gross domestic product has been a global standard for measuring economic growth since 1944. But there’s a new push to measure economic welfare and well-being. Today, we’ll explore the history of GDP, all the things it can measure and all the things it can’t. We’ll also take a closer look at rebounding labor force participation and hear how small businesses are grappling with hiring hurdles.
Duration:00:27:49
Get used to these labor shortages
8/31/2023
The pandemic accelerated baby boomer retirement, and multiple sectors are struggling to find enough workers. Those challenges may persist for years to come. Today, we take a closer look at what some are calling an economywide labor shortage and what can be done to remedy it. We also hear from a White House economist who wants businesses to “step up and make investments” in the United States.
Duration:00:28:08
Give yourself a pat on the back
8/30/2023
While U.S. gross domestic product didn’t grow as fast in the second quarter as initially thought, there are underlying signs of strength in the economy. And a lot of it is due to the American consumer, who keeps on spending. Good job! Plus, a view of China’s tourism recovery from the vantage point of a seafood market. Then, would you pay $500 a month for bigger, better Tinder?
Duration:00:28:20
A labor market that’s cooling, but not cool
8/29/2023
Today, we learned that job openings fell in July. While it’s an indication that supply and demand in the job market are balancing out, there’s still a ways to go before that sought-after “soft landing” is achieved. Then, we turn to the housing market, looking at some homeowners who bypass high mortgage rates and others who bypass insurance. Later: the return of awkward business lunches.
Duration:00:29:13
A brake tap on wage gains
8/28/2023
It’s a big week for job data, including reports on the quits rate, private payrolls, layoff announcements and employment numbers. The Federal Reserve will be keeping a close eye on wage growth, and today we see indications that pay gains might be cooling. Then, the Texas power grid is strained by rising temps and growing cities, and companies invest in passenger rail.
Duration:00:29:09
Remember the $5 footlong? Thank behavioral economics.
8/25/2023
How much should a sandwich cost? How about a fast food drink? A gallon of gas? Turns out, behavioral economics shapes how much we think something should cost and explains why it’s hard to adjust those prices for inflation. We also dissect Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s Jackson Hole Symposium speech and hear why squashing the last bit of inflation is so tricky.
Duration:00:28:57