Marketplace

We’ve frequently discussed the “great resignation” on this program over the past year as people have sought new jobs with better pay and benefits. But as recession worries loom and wage growth moderates, quitting and hiring rates have begun to decline. Also on the program: The Federal Reserve hikes interest rates for the eighth time, retailers follow consumers to the ‘burbs and Bed Bath & Beyond hints at bankruptcy. Need some Econ 101? Sign up for our Marketplace Crash Course and get weekly lessons to complete at your own pace!

New Labor Department data shows that wage growth slowed to 1% last quarter. That may not sound too rosy for workers, but it’s welcome news to Federal Reserve officials, who are mulling additional interest rate hikes as they try to deflate wage growth and keep unemployment under control at the same time. Also, the continuing pull of cookbooks, the billions in unclaimed college financial aid and the impacts of rising prices on wedding planning. Need some Econ 101? Sign up for our Marketplace Crash Course and get weekly lessons to complete at your own pace!

Many CEOs and economists anticipate a recession this year. But their predictions, based on economic data and historical trends, are part art and part science. Today, we’ll dig into how those forecasts are made. Plus, why inflation varies depending on where you live, how business owners in China feel about reopening and how lawmakers’ pay, or lack thereof, influences who serves in government. Need some Econ 101? Sign up for our Marketplace Crash Course and get weekly lessons to complete at your own pace!

The American consumer saved more and spent less in December, cutting back on restaurants, movies and sporting events. Will that slow inflation? We’ll talk about that on today’s show.  Plus, the confusing economy, who holds U.S. debt, and what’s behind the growing business of liquidation. Need some Econ 101? Sign up for our Marketplace Crash Course and get weekly lessons to complete at your own pace!

Economists often see both good and bad news in economic data. Today’s gross domestic product report was no different. The economy grew by 2.9% last quarter, which was more than expected, but there are some signs of a slowdown. Today, we’ll examine the two sides of the GDP coin. Then, we’ll tour a Costco returns warehouse in New Jersey and visit a co-working space in Seattle. Need some Econ 101? Sign up for our Marketplace Crash Course and get weekly lessons to complete at your own pace!

Today, the White House announced a slew of actions aimed at helping renters. Though we’ve seen recent glimmers of a cooling rent market, the national median has shot up more than 20% since 2020. So how do landlords set rents in the first place? We explore. Then, we’ll examine the limitations of the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation measure and visit an irreverent beverage company making canned water cool. Need some Econ 101? Sign up for our Marketplace Crash Course and get weekly lessons to complete at your own pace!

After being fueled by a surge in pandemic demand, the manufacturing sector is showing signs of cooling off. Production and hiring in the industry slowed toward the end of last year. Today, we’ll take a look at what’s driving the manufacturing decline. Plus, why copper prices are rising, how commercial lending is faring amid high interest rates and where the streaming economy is going.

Tech and finance companies have announced major job cuts recently, yet the unemployment rate hit at a 50-year low in December. What gives? The answer lies in the still-tight job market and the hassles of dealing with outdated unemployment systems. Then, why business economists are less glum about the economy and why big banks want to get into the digital wallet biz.

Immigration to the U.S. dropped dramatically in recent years as a result of the pandemic and policy at the border. That immigration slowdown translates into lost workers, and that workforce shortage has contributed to inflation. On today’s show, we look at why immigration is a labor story. Plus, unpacking the debt limit and the Fed’s messaging in the Weekly Wrap and revisiting the affordable housing crisis.

It’s a question that the Federal Reserve’s board of governors is weighing. Backing off too soon means prices could keep rising, but continuing to raise interest rates aggressively could spawn a recession. Today, how the Fed is thinking about its next move. Also on the program: the debt ceiling’s origins, esports’ business struggles, and why Party City filed for bankruptcy.

A new report from the New York Fed shows that inflation makes a bigger impact on the budgets of people of color and low-income workers. Today, we dig into why inflation and the higher interest rates used to tame it feel different depending on who you are. Also, why the Bank of Japan is maintaining low interest rates and how businesses are welcoming back festivals like Sundance.

Consumers are expected to spend more cautiously in the year ahead as they contend with rising prices and a potential looming recession. Today, a look at where shoppers are willing to put their money and how businesses are adapting to a changing consumer climate. Plus, three real estate agents reflect on the cooling housing market, and an economist argues inflation isn’t as bad as it seems.

Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968 after speaking with striking sanitation workers. Since then, union activity had waned — until recently. On today’s show, we explain why. Also: The rich got richer during the pandemic, and authentic Native designs take on knockoffs.  

On Thursday, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced it’s suing two crypto exchanges. The move marks the latest in the federal government’s continued effort to crack down on the cryptocurrency industry. But without comprehensive rules to guide them, what’s it like regulating the unregulated? Plus, we’ll unpack the Fed’s communication challenges in the Weekly Wrap and dig into how big banks are prepping for an economic downturn.

It’s inflation day here at Marketplace HQ, and we’re taking stock of the latest consumer price index. We start with the big picture and look at how the pace of rising prices slowed in December. Then, we’ll get into the granular details of inflation, from housing costs to the price of cookies. Plus, how Black farmers are planting seeds for the next generation and how consumers in China are spending after zero-COVID.