Marketplace

Fuel hasn’t been touched in the trade clash between the U.S. and Canada (yet). It’s probably because the countries have an interdependent energy relationship — American refineries rely on Canadian crude; 90% of Canadian crude exports go to the U.S. But as tensions escalate, we started to wonder: Is Canada looking for alternative buyers? Also in this episode: Imported Mexican cattle could temporarily ease beef prices, Walmart bucks inflation trend by announcing grocery price cuts, and suburbia embraces factory-built homes.

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:

The U.S.-Canada trade fight has not touched oil ... yet
While grocery costs rise, Walmart announces price cuts
Manufactured housing, coming to a suburb near you
Will importing beef help bring down prices?
The behavioral economics of drought management

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, at least 1.8 million Americans have been actively looking for a fulltime job for more than 27 weeks. That’s over six months. In this episode, two people tell us what it’s like to navigate a never-ending job search. Plus: A surge in lone star ticks threatens the cattle industry, McDonald’s keeps huge amounts of data on frequent customers, and the national debt passes that $40 trillion threshold.

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:

The national debt hits $40 trillion
Ticks increasingly threaten the health and livelihood of ranchers
An Alabama cattle farm with a bird-tourism side hustle
“Put me in, coach”: Navigating long-term unemployment in the low-hire economy
How the McDonald's mobile app compiled 515-page dossier on one reporter

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s buyback of long-term bonds was a bit of a letdown this week — the interest rates barely budged. The Treasury’s next move in its quest to rein in the national debt will be to issue a ton more short-term securities. But that might not be such a good idea, either. In this episode, we’ll catch you up on the bond market turmoil. Plus: Multifamily construction permits are a housing bright spot, the Fed’s favorite inflation measure is due for a methodology change, and two craft-focused small business owners share the view from their economy.

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:

"Buying a house with a credit card": The Treasury's plan to finance the national debt
The Fed's preferred measure of inflation is changing
As central bank bigwigs gather in Jackson Hole, local businesses carry on
Builders bet on multifamily housing — but only in certain places

The price of imported goods, sans energy, was up 4.5% year-over-year in July. Data center buildout is driving that jump — imported computer prices were up 17%. In this episode, we explain why import price inflation is distinct from regular inflation and what that leap means for Fed rate-setting. Plus: U.S. oil firms ink deals with Venezuelan producers, the Treasury excecutes on major bond buybacks, and Kai meets a duo trying to turn Hollywood upside-down — or, at least, vertical.

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 happens when import prices skyrocket? More inflation, of course
U.S. oil companies ink production deals with Venezuela
Microdramas get the "Hollywood treatment" at this new studio

Cattle herds are at a national low not seen since the 1950s. That’s driving up the price of beef for consumers, but it’s also affecting the companies that process cows into steaks and burgers. In this episode, why meatpacking plants are shuttering. Plus: Home Depot stays afloat despite a “frozen” housing market, retailers prepare to release quarterly earnings, and interior design is stuck in a “color recession.”

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:

Here's why Home Depot calls housing market "frozen"
Retailers should be doing well, despite consumer challenges
Despite a slow alcohol retail market, this Wyoming distillery is expanding
Meatpacking plants close as U.S. cattle herds shrink to a nearly 75-year low
Is the greige wave here to stay?