Marketplace

Ah, the duality of AI. Spending on the technology is boosting economic growth, yes, but it’s also driving up inflation. (In case you were too distracted by Jensen-Huang-enfreude, wholesale inflation was up 6.5% YoY in October.) What’s the Fed — which hasn’t met its 2% inflation goal in over five years — to do? In this episode, how the central bank might be thinking about AI ahead of its next meeting. Plus: Nvidia execs are likely getting very, very prepared for next week’s earnings call and private equity gets its paws on more and more food and beverage chains.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

Nvidia this, Nvidia that — doesn't anyone want to talk about inflation data?
What will happen at Nvidia's impending earnings call?
This retired HR worker never expected to start an art business in Hawaii
The AI boom has handed the Fed an inflation problem that rate hikes may not fix
From cookies to sandwiches, private equity is digging into restaurants

Big Tech’s AI revolution is in limbo after the resignation of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. A giant among tech world giants, Huang played an immeasurable role in the global trajectory of artificial intelligence. What will the chipmaker — and the company so powerful it’s often referred to as AI’s central bank — do without its longtime leader? We’ll discuss. Plus: Tariffs continue to fuel inflation, JetBlue adds first-class tickets, and Bloomberg builds its own consumer price tracker.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

Is Nvidia "too big to fail"?
Even as they stabilize, tariffs continue to drive up prices
A growing Wyoming town faces a housing development crossroads
After teacher burnout, she stitched together a new career as a fabric store owner
JetBlue adds first-class seats to boost profits
Bloomberg built its own high-frequency version of the consumer price index

First-time jobless claims — that’s the number of people who filed for unemployment in a given week — are at a 57-year low. Sounds good, right? Sure, except changes to the unemployment insurance system have narrowed the pool of eligible recipients. And it doesn’t include the rising long-term unemployment rate. So the question is, are jobless claims a reliable economic indicator anymore? Also in this episode: War in the Middle East gives U.S. LNG producers a leg up, the Nashville Symphony recieves critical support from an unlikely source, and AI investors have their eyes glued to CoreWeave earnings.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

What is CoreWeave and why is the stock market rising and falling on its earnings?
How the Iran War is transforming the liquefied natural gas industry
What a record-breaking harvest season looks like for one Iowa farmer
Nashville's symphony orchestra needed saving when Big Tech stepped in
Do low jobless claims tell an accurate story anymore?
Faced with a return-to-office mandate, she started her own business instead

Inflation is still running hot, according to the latest CPI report on consumer prices. In October, costs were up 0.4% from the previous month, 0.3% without food or energy. Economists say its a sign those high gas prices have permeated this economy, indirectly raising the cost of just about everything else. The good news? Crude oil, gas, and diesel prices are actually starting to fall. We’ll break down why. Plus: Retailers try to block AI shopping agents and some Americans avoid spending their retirement savings.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

Inflation remains stubbornly high across the economy
Oil, gas, and diesel prices are declining — but not all for the same reason
AI agents are here to help with your online shopping (where they're allowed)
Americans are saving for retirement. But are they spending enough?
The day after retirement, this Illinois couple opened their own apple orchard

It’s a common trope in Big Tech: an iconic CEO, interchangable with the brand itself. Jobs and Apple, Zuckerberg and Meta, Altman and OpenAI. Nvidia is no exception — its leather jacket-clad CEO Jensen Huang has superstar status among Silicon Valley elites. So what happens when that image is shattered? In this episode, celebrity CEOs come with steep consequences for a business and its investors. Plus: Mortgage rates decline modestly in the wake of the midterms and young consumers give new meaning to “Made in China” labels.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

Charismatic CEOs can be a huge asset — until they’re not
Mortgage rates are down sharply since mid-October
Rising costs pushed this candy company owner to sell
"Made in China" doesn't mean what it used to
Disability made her leave her job, but a business opportunity waited on the other side