Marketplace

President Donald Trump vowed back in 2016 that his presidency would block the mega-merger between AT&T and Time Warner. Today, a federal judge decided otherwise. We'll talk about how we got here and what happens next. Plus, in light of the historic summit in Singapore and the Fed meeting today and tomorrow, we'll put the American and North Korean economies in context. 

Those might sound the same, but in practice they're very, very different. Under President Obama, the Federal Communications Commission mandated that internet service providers treat all internet traffic the same. Today, those net neutrality rules were officially rolled back. We had Chairman Ajit Pai on to talk about what will change, how he measures success and what happens if his vision for an open internet doesn't work. Plus, it’s been a year since Amazon acquired Whole Foods. How has Amazon’s entry changed the grocery business?

Ronald Reagan said that 30 years ago in a weekly radio address about protectionism. For decades, the global economy has trended toward more free trade, not less. We're going to spend a few minutes today charting how we got here, from that speech through the next four administrations and up to our current moment, on the brink of a trade war. But first, we'll talk about the gathering of world leaders in Canada this weekend and America's place in it. Is it really the G-7? Or the G-6 plus one? We'll talk about it. Plus: The job market is the tightest it's been in decades, but transgender Americans say they've been denied work or promotions because of their gender identity. As employers hunt for workers, we'll look at whether things are improving. (06/08/2018)

You hear a lot on our show about corporate profits, quarterly earnings reports and how companies beat or missed expectations. Warren Buffet and Jaime Dimon spoke out about this kind of quarterly forecasting this week, on the grounds that it fosters too much short-term thinking. We'll talk about it. Then: steel and aluminum tariffs are the headline trade news, but what about solar panels? Solar tech is subject to 30 percent tariffs right now, and the resulting hit to the American solar energy industry might outweigh any benefits. Plus: The Tony Awards are this weekend, but Broadway already has a lot to celebrate. We'll talk about the economics of the Great White Way.

If only. President Donald Trump likes to talk about the trade deficit, the difference between what the United States sells to other countries and what it buys from them. It shrank between March and April, according to the latest report, something the White House would say is good news. But it's still higher than it's been in years, and when you take a closer look at the numbers, you can see how the current trade disagreements are changing the global economy. Then: What the bond market has to do with Republican tax cuts. Plus, the barbecue problem: Wild hogs. (06/06/2018)

A year-plus into NAFTA negotiations, President Donald Trump might be considering a new tactic: Split up the whole thing into two bilateral deals with Mexico and Canada. We'll take a look at what that would look like. Then, we hear from more businesses feeling the effects of the brewing trade war and looking for exemptions. Plus, 10 years and an internet economy explosion later, the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission are taking stock of real estate data and broker commissions. 

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin got the cold shoulder at the G-7 finance ministers meeting this past weekend, and as President Donald Trump heads to Quebec for more meetings, Canada, Mexico and the European Union are issuing blistering responses to his tariffs. We'll kick off today's show looking at the potential political costs and economic benefits of all this. Then: We'll take apart a bunch of big tech stories from today — and see what you can learn about our relationship with the Chinese by literally taking apart a ZTE phone.

It's been a while since one of President Donald Trump's tweets made economic news, but today he kind of scooped the rest of the government. "Looking forward to seeing the employment numbers at 8:30 this morning," he tweeted, potentially violating a federal rule against discussing that job report early. We'll talk about why that matters. Then, more from the brewing trade war, including more of your questions and a look at whether rising tariffs will undo recent tax cuts. Plus, an interview with the first American to study at a North Korean university. But first, as always, we'll recap a wild five days gone by on the Weekly Wrap. (06/01/2018)

The threat of a trade war has been looming over this country since President Donald Trump announced steel and aluminum tariffs almost three months ago. But one set of tariffs, and a bunch of exclusions and carve-outs to it, does not a trade war make. But now those exceptions are expiring, countries are retaliating and things are getting real. Today, we'll break down what's happening, talk to businesspeople trying to figure out their place in all this and answer your questions about all things trade. Plus, we're capping off our series on the view of American manufacturing from a Georgia factory town.

Over 12.5 million people in the United States work in the manufacturing sector. That's nearly 12 percent of U.S. GDP. So what we make and how make it matters. We're starting off with the second part in our series about manufacturing in America. Today, we're at a foundry that's seen business improve under President Donald Trump, but its owners are wary of steel tariffs. Then: What do Snapple, Dr. Pepper, Peet's Coffee, Keurig and Panera Bread have in common? They're all owned by one company that's on a buying spree. Plus, a conversation with the James Beard Foundation CEO about restaurants in the post #MeToo era. (05-30-2018)

... unless you're driving. Then honk maybe? At any rate, you're not alone. The White House is back to being the Bad Cop, pushing ahead on tariffs and punishing China for playing unfair with intellectual property. We'll bring you the latest on that and the changes coming to the Volker Rule, starting with what it is. Plus: One of the three last denim factories in the United States is shutting down. We'll visit and look at what it means about manufacturing in this country.

Or are you in the 52 percent of American workers who left them on the table in 2017? We look at the economic effects of people taking their paid vacation time. And on this Memorial Day, the future of of the $55 billion VA Mission Act, which provides a boost of funding for the system that delivers healthcare to more than 9 million veterans. Plus, 41.5 million Americans are travelling this Memorial Day weekend despite the highest gas prices in four years, a personal story from the aftermath of the financial crisis and how meat companies are trying to satisfy meat lovers with meat-like alternatives.

Starbucks stores around the country are closing down next week for unconscious bias training. The programs are getting more and more popular, but is their impact measurable? Plus, we cap of our week covering graduates in the recession with the story of one man who regrets going to college. But first, a look back at the week's business and financial news.

The Trump administration announced it would investigate possible tariffs on auto imports on national security grounds. But, how exactly is the auto industry connected to national security? We sent Marketplace's Sabri Ben-Achour on a hunt for answers. And while we're on the subject, we talked to a sales manager at a German auto parts company with a U.S. factory about what the Trump administration’s investigation into possible auto import tariffs could mean for his business. Also on today's show: The story of one scientist’s search for a new red pigment that could be worth a billion dollars. 

So what are they actually doing about it? Today on the show, we'll do the numbers. The 100 most-common brand-name pharmaceuticals got 232 percent more expensive in the past decade. State lawmakers have filed more than 150 bills this year to rein in costs, something 80 percent of people surveyed by Kaiser agree we need. Some drug companies are starting to feel the squeeze from their own shareholders, too. We'll talk about it. But first: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has more than doubled workplace investigations over last year. Audits and arrests are up, too. We'll look at the economics of these raids. Plus: Uber and Lyft are changing the way they handle sexual harassment and assault claims. (05/15/2018)