Marketplace All-in-One

For a while now, we’ve talked to small business owners who say they want to hire more employees, but aren’t in a financial position to do it, can’t find qualified applicants, or are too concerned about the economy to make the jump. But two new reports show small business hiring picked up this spring. In this episode, whether that’s a blip or the start of a positive trend. Plus: An AI prescription...

Talk to enough experts about geoengineering and the conversation eventually turns to termination shock. That’s the idea that if we were to start cooling the planet and then suddenly stop, the resulting “shock” of heat could be catastrophic. It’s also the title of a novel by bestselling sci-fi writer Neal Stephenson, who explores the science, politics, and unintended consequences of trying to engin...

The Federal Reserve has long relied on the PCE as its preferred measure of inflation. But there's another inflation yardstick known as the trimmed mean, which tries to smooth out big inflation bumps. Last week, the Dallas Fed's trimmed mean came in at 2.3% — lower than the PCE and much closer to the Fed's 2% target. What accounts for the difference, and why does it matter? Then, we hear how 48 "ba...

A day after lowering tariffs on some agricultural and manufacturing machinery, the Trump administration is proposing new tariffs on 60 countries, including major trading partners. President Donald Trump has been seeking to rebuild its global tariffs after the Supreme Court struck down many in February. Then, we'll dig into Big Tech's spending spree on AI infrastructure. And after, figure skating i...

If you have a debt, you may get a call, a letter or a text prodding you to pay it back. Now, that call could come from an AI agent. The AI debt collection market is expected to reach $16 billion by 2034, according to the Kaplan Group. Kate Nibbs of Wired has been reporting on this and said these bots are not as effective at getting people to pay back the money they owe.

Massive Medicaid cuts, including new work requirements, are rolling out across the country. Trouble filing paperwork will be one reason qualifying Americans lose their coverage. In this episode, what history tells us about cutting Medicaid funding. Plus: Personal incomes are falling, consumers are prioritizing value over luxury, and we explain incoming Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s preferred inflation m...

At Nadine’s Hair Braiding, located in suburban Maryland, customers can walk in at 2 p.m. or 2 a.m. and find a stylist. The 10,000-square-foot salon operates with roughly 400 braiders working as independent contractors and serves hundreds of clients a day. Today, we're visiting the salon to learn about the challenges — and successes — of running such a huge operation. Also: why President Trump is r...

It’s been about four months since President Donald Trump threatened sanctions against countries supplying much-needed oil to Cuba. The country's economy is already struggling with shortages, inflation, rolling blackouts, and the longstanding U.S. embargo. This morning, we'll hear from a sociologist and retired professor at the University of Havana who's lived through nearly every major chapter of...

There is growing demand for time with GPUs, the chips that power artificial intelligence. AI companies need those chips in order to keep their models up and running. And to do that, they can reserve time with a GPU. Now, there’s interest from Wall Street in creating a futures market for this AI compute time, essentially treating it like a commodity. Marketplace’s Stephanie Hughes spoke with Liz Ho...

Today, we’re resharing an episode from our archive that feels especially relevant as the World Cup men’s soccer tournament kicks off next week! “Million Bazillion” listener Alistair wants to know how professional athletes get paid. It’s perfect timing for the question as Bridget and Ryan prepare for the semi-annual Public Radio Foosball Tournament. They scramble to assemble their dream team on a l...

Manufacturing production, new orders, imports, and exports were all up in May, according to the latest PMI report. The only piece of the manufacturing business that didn’t grow was the labor force — payrolls contracted for the 32nd month in a row. In this episode, how much can a sector grow without hiring more humans? Plus: Dollar stores dip into delivery, college campuses turn into robot training...

Former Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell accepted the Profile in Courage award last night. Today, we'll delve into the role of the central bank, its current controversies, and signals from new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh. Then, there's another potential wrinkle in the tariff refund process. And later, who’s underrepresented when it comes to shaping AI policy? A new mapping tool aims to boost transpare...

Dollar General reports earnings tomorrow. The company already saw its stock jump last week after one of its rivals, Dollar Tree, reported a great first quarter. This hints at a growing demand for deals from consumers across the income spectrum who are feeling pinched by inflation. Then, we chat with the creators of an interactive map, which shows users the different companies and people who are sh...

The price of oil has gone up significantly since late February, when the US invaded Iran. And when oil prices see a crazy rise, it makes other sources of energy look more attractive. But we’ve been here before - back in the 1970s, oil prices skyrocketed, and people started to turn to alternative or renewable energy sources. But, for a few reasons, it didn’t stick. Marketplace’s Stephanie Hughes ex...

Hourly wages went up 1.7% over the past year, according to Indeed Hiring Lab. Salaried wages went up 2.9%, reversing a 2022 trend in which hourly raises outpaced salary raises. Still, there’s one thing all workers have in common: Neither group kept pace with inflation. Also in this episode: Oil futures tell us where fuel prices are headed, convenience stores transcend utility, and a travel nurse t...

Could dimming the sun be the key to cooling things down before the climate crisis worsens? Some scientists say yes, that we can cool the earth by launching tons of sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere. It’s a type of solar geoengineering that was once seen as preposterous, meant to exist only in the pages of a sci-fi novel. But now, it’s a reality. To find out for ourselves, we travel to Northern...

The Jeff Bezos-backed Slate is a super bare-bones EV that can be configured as an SUV or pickup with starting costs in the mid-$20,000s. Chevrolet, Nissan, Toyota, and Subaru presently offer fully electric models in the $30,000 and $35,000 range, and Ford plans on launching a lower-cost electric truck next year, too. Today, we dig into the growing competition for cheaper electric cars. Also on the...

More than a third of all Americans think they’ll lack enough savings to retire, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute. For some, one solution to financial precarity in retirement is going back to work, or unretiring. Today, we hear from a 74-year-old retiree who's back in the job market in order to make ends meet. But first, durable goods orders are a sign of strong growth in a sea...

This week, rideshare drivers in Massachusetts unionize; plus, Robinhood lets AI agents trade on behalf its customers. But first, there’ve been hints for a while that Anthropic, OpenAI and SpaceX are planning to go public in the near future. Last week, SpaceX filed its initial public offering prospectus, also known as an S1, which is meant to help investors understand the company’s business model,...

The personal savings rate fell to just 2.6% in April — a low not seen since June 2022, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. That means Americans have, on average, less cash leftover at the end of the month. Gas and grocery price inflation are partially to blame. Also in this episode: Office real estate looks a little K-shaped, one city tries to relieve budget problems with trademarked mer...

Inflation's heating up and is well above the Federal Reserve's goal. The central bank's preferred reading on inflation came out this morning for April. Prices are up 3.8% from a year ago; it was 3.5% in March. What does that mean for the future of interest rates and the inflation consumers expect going forward? Then, we'll discuss how the war in Iran has added new pressure to an already strained f...

Before war in the Middle East, roughly one-third of the world’s fertilizer shipped by sea moved through the Strait of Hormuz. In the last three months, fertilizer prices have climbed between 30% and 50%, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. It's yet another growing expense for farmers, and it comes at a time when more farms in the U.S. are closing or going bankrupt. But first: A new s...

Today, we’re featuring an episode of NPR’s “ It’s Been A Minute .” Reema Khrais joins host Brittany Luse and Wailin Wong, host of NPR’s “ The Indicator ,” to talk about the hidden ways money shows up in dating and marriage. And we’ve got a new “This Is Uncomfortable” project to share! You’ve heard Reema Khrais ask rapid-fire “uncomfortable money questions” on the show, where she asks guests to sha...

We’ve talked a lot about how money works and why countries have their own currencies here on “Million Bazillion.” But listener Alessio wants to know: Why DOESN’T the whole world use the same money? And could the world’s nations all decide to just use one shared currency? In this bonus mini-episode, we’ll get some answers!

Like the name suggests, plug-in solar panels can be plugged into an electrical outlet just like you would your toaster. But instead of using electricity, they send power back to be used elsewhere in the home. In most of the country, plug-in solar is neither illegal nor legal. But energy policy consultant Bentham Polis, who's also a senior researcher with the Clean Energy States Alliance, says a gr...