Marketplace show

Marketplace

Summary: 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.

Join Now to Subscribe to this Podcast
  • Visit Website
  • RSS
  • Artist: Marketplace
  • Copyright: Copyright 2024 American Public Media

Podcasts:

 ACA insurance sees record sign-ups | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:27:51

About 20 million Americans enrolled in Affordable Care Act health insurance plans this go-round — the most since ACA marketplaces started enrolling people in 2013. Open enrollment for 2024 coverage ends tomorrow for most Americans. In this episode, the pandemic policies that boosted sign-ups. Plus, corporations are already fighting for opioid settlement money, minority small business owners face barriers to borrowing and a tiny Georgia town’s port could be the future of U.S. auto shipping.

 Gretchen! Stop trying to make recycled IP happen! | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:26:38

“Mean Girls” — a movie based on a musical based on a 2004 movie — comes out today. It’s not the first or the last time Hollywood has recycled a beloved plot and characters for a “new” audience. What makes movie remakes so grool? (Great plus cool, duh.) Also in this episode: tackling the question of the NFL’s future and young voters in Taiwan are focused on inflation and fear of war with China.

 Not so fast, CPI! | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:26:25

The last consumer price index came out today. In short? Prices ticked up a bit more than expected. We’ll dig into two major line items: the cost of shelter (and why it’s a lagging indicator when it comes to the CPI) and grocery prices — for that, we’ll hear from shoppers themselves. Also in this episode, restaurants may be the new frontier for dynamic pricing, and farmers lacking child care options could get some help from the next farm bill.

 What Alan Greenspan got right and wrong at the Fed | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:26:34

Alan Greenspan served as chair of the Federal Reserve for 18 years, cooling inflation in the 1990s and demonstrating that the Fed was independent from politicians. But he also made mistakes that helped lead to the financial crisis of 2008. In this episode, biographer Sebastian Mallaby dives into Greenspan’s complicated legacy. Plus, why beef and other animal product prices haven’t fallen to pre-pandemic levels, and what wholesale inventory numbers signal about the economy.

 What are we gonna do with all this empty space? | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:26:36

Nearly 20% of office spaces across the U.S. are vacant, new data shows. Many companies solidified their back-to-office policies in the past year, so why are buildings emptier than ever? And in Shanghai, retail vacancies remain higher than pre-pandemic levels — yet small-business owners are struggling to find affordable storefronts to lease. Also in this episode: The Biden administration passed a new rule that could classify millions more gig workers as employees, and economists aren’t concerned about the U.S. trade deficit.

 According to my Magic 8 Ball … | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:27:51

It’s a new year, and that means experts — and nonexperts — have lots of guesses about what 2024 may hold. In this episode, we’ll talk about some of those predictions. Will inflation hit to 3%? Will consumer credit keep ticking up? Will gas prices drop below $3 a gallon? Signs point to yes. Plus, Houston has been nationally recognized for its successful Housing First approach to homelessness. But keeping up those programs will mean more funding, especially as housing costs rise.

 Inside the Deadhead economy | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:28:43

It’s the final tour of Dead & Company, the Grateful Dead’s offshoot band. But what’s to come of the vendors and Deadheads who’ve followed the band for decades? Today, we hear about what a long, strange trip it’s been and what happens now that the show’s over. We’ll also examine the double-edged sword of consumer spending and unpack whether inflation might threaten brand loyalty.

 What’s behind those annoying customer service hold times? | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:27:45

Call a customer service line and odds are you’ll hear that “unusually high call volume” is making you wait. But automated messages and long wait times seem to have become the norm. We won’t put you on hold to find out why. Plus, the economy just keeps on growing and businesses stock up on inventory again.

 Interest rates are high, but consumer confidence is up | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:27:43

Sure, today the Federal Reserve hiked its key interest rate to the highest level since 2001. But consumers are feeling much rosier about the economy lately, thanks to cooling inflation and a strong labor market. Plus, higher interest rates spell trouble for businesses, and a lack of investment in women’s soccer has debilitating physical consequences.

 A view of the post-peak housing market | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:28:17

The CoreLogic Case-Shiller index of existing home prices, which came out today, shows that values are down from the year before, but the price trends vary across the country. Today, we trace their rise and fall. Then, what’s a fair price for artificial intelligence? And what Milton Friedman’s “long and variable lag” means in 2023.

 The origin story of Friedman’s “long and variable lag” | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:27:04

Popularized by Milton Friedman in the 1960s, the phrase “long and variable lag” refers to the idea that it takes time for monetary policy to be felt in the economy, and the Federal Reserve uses it a lot. How did it go from concept to conventional wisdom? Today, part one of our answer. We’ll also outline a big week ahead for the world’s central banks and the ripple effects of a potential UPS strike.

 Your move, Federal Reserve | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:28:24

We got retail sales and housing data this week, and there’s some optimistic news. Are these signs of a “soft landing”? The Federal Reserve hasn’t said — nobody wants to jinx it. We’ll examine the data and what it means for a potential Fed rate hike next week. Also on the program: a trip to a winery in southwest Germany and a famous pony ranch on Virginia’s Chincoteague Island.

 Fragmented medical records are a danger to our health | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:27:49

Accessing medical records isn’t always easy for doctors, and the gaps and disorganization that result can pose serious risks for patients. Today, we hear what fragmentation means for our health care and what we can do to fix it. We’ll also examine whether the monthly Leading Economic Index is still a good recession predictor, and do the numbers on the Women’s World Cup.

 Stay cool out there | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:25:58

Air conditioners are cranked and grids are straining as much of the country grapples with a heat wave. This is also the first summer Americans are eligible for expanded home weatherization tax credits, and we’ve got everything you need to know. Later, we’ll learn why Chipotle is expanding to small-town America and what worries legal pros about the spread of AI-powered tools.

 Confused by the economy right now? So are economists. | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:25:33

We talk with experts every day about this chaotic economy, up to and including today’s new retail sales data. But years of mixed signals mean economists are sometimes just as confused as we are. On today’s show, we’ll get a bit meta and talk with them about it. Plus: What those retail sales numbers and a recent surge in loan rejections mean (or don’t?) for the economy at large. Later, we’ll talk with economics BA, former teen idol and new author Ben McKenzie about why Hollywood fell hard for crypto.

Comments

Login or signup comment.