Marketplace All-in-One

Big Tech is kind of carrying the stock market right now, thanks to all that spendy artificial intelligence innovation. That means your retirement account is probably invested in at least some AI stocks. So we asked an expert: If the theoretical AI bubble pops, will those 401(k)s be OK? Also in this episode: New data shows healthy growth in the private sector, Kai goes over the week’s economic head...

This morning, as part of our Economic Pulse series , we continue our conversation with Robyn Vincent, host and producer of WDET’s “The Metro” in Detroit . We dig into how data centers have become a flashpoint for Michigan voters ahead of the midterm elections, as well as how rising utility bills are coming up on the campaign trail. But first, corporate earnings seem to be holding up despite all th...

If you are in the majority of people under 65 who get health insurance through an employer, you’ve probably noticed it’s getting more expensive. It’s not just monthly premiums that are rising; many employers are also raising co-pays and deductibles. This morning, we do the numbers on employer-sponsored healthcare coverage. Then, we hear from WDET's Robyn Vincent about how tariffs and trade policy...

Apple's long-awaited iPhone Duo launched this week, and everyone has the same question: can you see a crease? Joanna Stern, founder of media company New Things, has been putting it to the test for her newsletter. She's tried apps, phone calls, cameras. But, she really wanted to know if the much-hyped folding phone would stand the test of time. She hired a hardware designer to build a machine that...

Everyday consumers aren’t the only ones contending with rising borrowing costs. Corporations are also subject to those fluctuations — but the rates don’t rise equally across the board. In this episode, why companies with the corporate equivalent of low credit scores are seeing extra-high borrowing costs right now. Also in this episode: Rising crude oil prices spell trouble for sustained inflation,...

Meta reported earnings yesterday. Revenue was up 26% year over year, but costs rose 68%. This is the kind of thing that has some investors in the tech space a little nervous; while demand for AI and tech is doing just fine, the cost of investing in it has gone up. We discuss. Plus, as the weather turns colder, Northeast residents who use heating oil are facing much higher costs. Every story has an...

Farmers in the U.S. are looking for ways to save money and stay afloat. They have not been able to catch a break in the past few years — between tariff retaliation, still-climbing fertilizer prices, and record-high diesel prices. One option to boost revenue for struggling farmers: biofuel crops, which can be turned into diesel. But first, is your car underwater? If so, you're not alone. Every stor...

For many adult children of immigrants, success comes with pressure to give back. This week, Reema asks, what do we owe our families, and how do we care for the people we love without losing ourselves in the process? She talks with fellow first-gen kids — financial educator Gigi Gonzalez and financial therapist Sahaj Kaur Kohli — about reframing responsibility, setting healthy boundaries without gu...

At Alaska News, you can find stories about the new summer sales tax rate in Juneau , a man ticketed for killing a bull moose out of season and about 20 other hyperlocal items a day. Much of the coverage is generated by an AI agent called Walter, as in Cronkite, the famous newsman. Nathaniel Herz, a human executive editor at the local alt weekly the Anchorage Press , wanted to learn more. So, he as...

In Crook County, Oregon, just east of the Cascade mountains, data centers sprawl across the high desert landscape. The area fell into economic decline during the Great Recession and some residents welcomed investment by Meta and Apple in the form of massive data center complexes. But 15 years on, was it worth it? In this episode, what happens when data centers come to town. Plus, mergers and spino...

Less than two weeks out from the midterm elections, many races are unexpectedly tighter than some analysts predicted earlier in the cycle. That has led to a flood of new spending. “2026 will almost undoubtedly be the most expensive political cycle in history," said Jesse Contario at MiQ's political team. In this podcast, we do the numbers on election spending. Also on the program: tech earnings ar...

The housing industry got a heap of bad news on Tuesday. New construction was down, and pending home sales dropped to their lowest level since 2001. Higher mortgage interest rates are to blame. The average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate loan is just shy of 7.5%. Average mortgage rates in the '70s were higher, though, and didn't lead to a housing affordability crisis like today's. What gives? And lat...

When Bumble went public five years ago, the dating app known for being a friendlier place for women was valued at $14 billion. But the dating business, the tech industry and the stock market have changed a lot since then. And shares declined 90% from their peak. Now, the company is going private again. It's being acquired by private equity firm Ithaca Holdings, with two new CEOs taking the helm. S...

On Tuesday morning, lenders like KeyCorp, Mercantile Bank, and Atlantic Union Bank turned in their earnings reports. Those types of regional banks make plenty of loans, especially to midsize companies. In this episode, we look at how they might start getting pickier if rates increase. Also, we’ll look at retailers fighting to offer value to customers, how AI is being used in publishing, Magic: The...

The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to announce today that it has certified a new Boeing jet, Reuters reports. Boeing was supposed to start delivering its 737 MAX 10 back in 2020, but years of technical problems have kept it from moving forward. With federal approval, the jet could be a big help to airlines facing rising fuel costs. Plus, we discuss the impact of wars, high inflation,...

On Sunday, Anthropic announced that 5% of its shares would go into a new “public benefit fund.” The company claimed it could use a new charitable LLC to give large donations to nonprofits or to “specific populations.” Later that day, Elon Musk said he’ll give shares of SpaceX to every kid in the U.S. next year. So how exactly would these philanthropic plans work? And who would benefit? Also: why c...

Bridget and Ryan finally answer one of your most requested questions of all time: What is rental arbitrage? Dun. Dun. Dun! The answer involves a moldy fridge, rizz-less cupcakes and a milk convention. Plus, Ryan finds out he’s actually been a master rental arbitrager this whole time!

More and more people are turning to chatbots to search the web. But researchers are finding these systems can be gamed. We wanted to understand more about how AI chatbot search results can be manipulated, so we called up someone who studies these things for a living: Xiyang Hu, an assistant professor at Arizona State University, where he leads the Generative Learning and Augmented Decision Lab. Mo...

Inflation is affecting all of us. But when costs go up, lower-income households are especially vulnerable to credit creep — that’s when consumers use credit for more and more transactions. One survey found 29% of buy now, pay later users took out the loans to pay for groceries, double the percentage from just a couple of years ago. Also in this episode: What might happen to the labor market if Fed...

On Friday, the documentary "You Can See Everything" about Theranos’ Elizabeth Holmes opened in theaters across the U.S., grossing an estimated $15 million and selling out 2,000 shows. It joins a slate of fall films, including "Artificial," "Musk," and "The Social Reckoning," profiling major tech companies and their founders. We dig into why Hollywood is focusing on these stories right now. Also: w...

Are you doing your homework ahead of the midterms or just planning to wing it at the ballot box? While you may have a good idea already about who you want for House, Senate, or governor, there’s still other studying to do before Election Day. But in 2026, the word “homework” often means “ask an AI-powered chatbot.” For voters, that’s both a resource and a risk. First though: why economic uncertain...

You might say the 2026 midterms are the first big AI election. The technology has become a key political issue, it’s a significant source of fundraising and it’s also helping power campaign ads. Plus, generative AI is being looked to by voters as a tool for sorting through the deluge of information, especially in places like California where there are 14 ballot propositions to research. Marketplac...

India’s economy, from one perspective, has a huge leg up on the U.S.: Its workforce is young and growing. “Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal visited Mumbai to learn what that growth looks like on the ground. In this episode, Kai and ADP Chief Economist Nela Richardson visit a Mumbai-based healthcare startup that’s using AI to detect disesases early. They also reflect on the trip as a whole. Plus: Farm...

Big hyperscaler data centers are just coming to Minnesota but have already become an issue in the midterm elections. To get a first-hand look at how battle lines are shaping up, Marketplace's Nancy Marshall-Genzer traveled to Minnesota’s second congressional district to learn about a lightning-rod data center development there. Also on the program: the kick-off of earnings season, the K-shaped eco...

High healthcare costs continue to be a top concern for voters ahead of next month's midterm elections. A recent Urban Institute study found that more than one in four adults in the U.S. had medical debt in 2025. In some states, hospitals are experimenting with something called presumptive eligibility, which automatically screens patients for financial assistance needs. We hear more. But first, wit...