Marketplace All-in-One

Affordable Care Act premiums are higher this year, after Congress declined to renew subsidies for the health insurance program. As a result, about a million fewer Americans enrolled for 2026 and even more are slated to drop by the year's end. In this episode, why falling enrollment will raise premiums further. Plus: Bond yields hit record highs around the globe, businesses start to see tariff refunds ahead of schedule, and utility rates are about to get worse.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.

Investors have been souring on bonds. To entice them back, bond yields have been rising. The yield on the 30-year bond yesterday hit 5.2%, the highest rate since 2007; 10-year yields are about as high as they've been in more than a year. Many people have exposure to bonds in their retirement accounts. Bond yields also impact the rates on mortgages and business loans. We'll explain. Then, Google's search revenue remains strong — thanks in large part to AI.

The number of hot, dry, windy days is increasing, setting the stage for fires. Wildfire season is off to an awful start. In March, Nebraska had its largest wildfire in state history. Right now, a fire outside of LA is forcing evacuations. While the federal government spends about $3 billion on wildfire suppression each year, most of that is being spent, and states are having to fill the gaps. Also: why Google is "leading the way" in the AI race.

Earlier this month, a group called ShinyHunters took responsibility for a hack on the education platform Canvas, which is used for coursework at colleges. In a letter posted online, the group threatened to leak data it took from the platform, including billions of private messages between students and teachers. Canvas was also temporarily unavailable, disrupting students' ability to do their work.Then, last week, Instructure, which makes Canvas, said it had reached a deal with the hackers, that the data had been returned and all copies destroyed. Marketplace's Stephanie Hughes asked Rachel Tobac, CEO at Social Proof Security, what we know about the deal.

The climate crisis is escalating. We have to decarbonize our economy, but we're moving too slowly. So, what's the backup plan?This season of “How We Survive” is about engineering nature: large-scale interventions that could be our last hope. We'll explore technology being developed that could alter our weather patterns, transform our planet, and possibly save us all from the worst outcomes of the climate crisis. Or lead to catastrophic, unintended consequences. On our hunt for solutions, we tag along with entrepreneurs trying to launch sulfur into the stratosphere, venture to the Utah mountains where there's a serious endeavor to create more rain and snow, find out how (and why) scientists are trying to resurrect extinct animals. Join us for the new season of “How We Survive,” starting May 27.

The era of frequent public speeches given by Federal Reserve officials on monetary policy may be over. Incoming Fed Chair Kevin Warsh has expressed a desire to reform the central bank's robust communication style, which has been the norm since the 1990s. In this episode, what do we stand to lose if the Fed zips its lips? Plus: Retailers weigh passing higher costs onto cash-strapped consumers, stateside EV sales don't keep up with European surge, and cities make an economic case for planting more trees.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.

If you're a homeowner — this is no surprise to you — property insurance can be expensive. It seems to get more and more pricey each year. Some might blame climate change or natural disasters, but if you look under the hood of the $1 trillion in premium payments last year, the numbers might tell a different story. We'll unpack. But first, we'll discuss and preview earnings for some of America's largest retailers.

President Donald Trump has dropped his lawsuit against the IRS over the leak of his tax returns in exchange for the creation of a new $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” which will compensate people who have been investigated or targeted for “political, personal, or ideological reasons.” We'll dig into the highly controversial fund. Also on the show: home sellers stay on the sidelines, and a pro dumpster diver finds gems amid dorm moveouts.

As of mid-2025, about a third of newly published websites were generated by artificial intelligence. That's a massive increase from just three years before when the number hovered around zero. The AI written text provides fewer diverse viewpoints and is generally presented in a cheerful manner. That's all according to an early study out last month. Marketplace's Stephanie Hughes spoke with one of the study's authors, Stanford University researcher Maty Bohacek, about how AI is changing the nature of the internet.

In this episode, Bridget and Ryan travel through the history of money in front of a live audience of kids and families (for real!) to answer Sofia's big question: What is the gold standard? Together, they explore this old money rule, how paper money became a thing, and why no countries in the world – not a single one – use gold to back their money anymore.This episode was performed as part of WBUR's Podcast Playdate festival for kids in Boston. It was one of the most fun experiences we've ever had on the show. We loved seeing so many of you in the audience, hearing your reactions in real time and getting to meet you in person.Thank you to everyone who came out. We can't wait to go back next year!If your family is interested in learning even more about today's question, check out our website. We've got conversation starters and a tip sheet!Love the show? You can help make it happen. Donate what you can at marketplace.org/givemillion

Cybersecurity was once the focus of a huge workforce development push. Job opportunities and training programs were abundant. But as artificial intelligence makes it easier for hackers to pull off sophisticated cyber crimes, it's also replaced entry-level cybersecurity roles. In this episode, one corner of the AI-affected job market. Plus: What retail earnings could reveal about consumer spending, how homebuilders are feeling, and how the U.S. dollar became dominant.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.

The U.S. and Iran remain far apart on a ceasefire, as President Donald Trump warns on social media that "the clock is ticking." The standoff is rattling global markets. Government bonds are rising, pushing up borrowing costs. And oil prices are moving higher this morning, as traders worry that the war in the Middle East will lead to a prolonged period of higher inflation. We'll discuss. And later: how Brazil became BYD's biggest market outside of China.

The war in Iran has cost Americans more than $40 billion in additional fuel costs, according to an analysis from Brown University's Watson School of International and Public Affairs. The costs go beyond just what Americans pay at the pump; higher diesel costs are factoring into rising prices for other consumer goods, too. This morning, we'll do the numbers. Plus, after a slowdown, "vertical dramas" are putting some Hollywood crews back to work.

Hydropower is one of the oldest forms of energy creation, and uses the flow of rushing water to create electricity. The province of Québec, Canada, has historically had an abundance of it and, later this spring, will start supplying hydropower to New York City.This is the second big hydropower line to link Québec and the Northeast U.S. this year, after a line to Massachusetts came on board this winter.Right now, the power is going one way, from Canada to the U.S., but some are thinking that the U.S. could eventually sell renewable wind energy back to Canada and let that country hold on to its hydropower for when it's really needed, creating a “regional battery,” says Marketplace's Henry Epp, who's been reporting on this.

New consumer data shows alcohol sales were down over 5% in April. And, as you've probably noticed, gas prices were up. Is there any correlation? In this episode, why high fuel prices may exacerbate existing consumer trends — like cutting back on beer. Plus: Cerebras' successful IPO signals hunger for AI stocks, Hollywood is buying more short stories, and we discuss the week's economic headlines.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.

Tomorrow is the Preakness Stakes, the second event in the Triple Crown. Betting on horse racing in the U.S. has declined by more than 50% over the last few decades. And while you might think platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket would see opportunity in horse racing bets, they haven't made inroads. Why don't prediction markets have a horse on that race? We explain. And later, we'll do the numbers on defense lobbying.

"LNG is the next growth story of the next decade," says Kent Britton, CEO of the Port of Corpus Christi. Liquefied natural gas exports are expected to grow 30% in the U.S. in the next year and a half. That growth is driven mostly by new and expanding LNG export projects along the Gulf Coast. What does it mean for the global energy market and coastal economies? But first: inflation, imports, and U.S.-China trade deals.

This week, WhatsApp is offering private chats with its AI. Plus, Princeton will now hold supervised exams after a rise in AI-fueled cheating.But first, Google's self-driving car division Waymo opted to do a voluntary recall of 3,800 of its robotaxis. This comes after a Waymo drove into a flooded road in San Antonio, Texas. The car was empty and no one was hurt, but Waymo is now updating its software to address how its cars deal with flooded roads. Will Oremus at The Atlantic joins Marketplace's Stephanie Hughes for these stories.Check out our YouTube page to watch more episodes of “Tech Bytes.”

President Trump arrived for trade talks in China this week with a gaggle of corporate CEOs in tow. One expert tells us Trump's body language, tone, and the C-suite entourage all hint Chinese President Xi has the upper hand in any negotiations. In this episode, what we expect the two world leaders to discuss. Plus: Consumers and retailers show signs of caution, the EU rethinks fiber optic cable routes in conflict zones, and traditional TV comapnies try out AI-driven ad programming.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.

Recent controversy surrounding the rock band Geese and a digital marketing firm Chaotic Good Projects has sparked debate over the tactics firms use to drum up hype for artists online. How can we tell if online hype is real or fake? And does it really matter? Trapital founder Dan Runcie joins Kimberly to break it down. Plus, a final thank you from Kimberly.Here's everything we talked about today:"Geese psyop debate: Rock band raises questions about music marketing" from Fast Company"Fake Fans" from Eliza McLamb"The Fanfare Around the Band Geese Actually Was a Psyop" from Wired"If Geese are a psy-op, so is everything else" from Dazed "Are Chaotic Good's marketing practices bad for listeners?" From CBC Arts“Make Me Smart” is a public media program. Show your support with a donation today and keep economic news available to everyone. Donate now: https://bit.ly/mkp_mms_pod

Retail sales in April were up 0.5% compared to the month before and are up 4.9% from a year ago, according to the Census Bureau. So are retail sales higher because consumers are resilient and buying more stuff, or are we spending more just because prices are higher and the stuff we want is more expensive? We discuss. Then, in search of cleaner energy, two new power transmission lines are connecting Quebec to New York and Massachusetts.

Kevin Warsh is officially the next chair of the Federal Reserve. The Senate voted to confirm him to a four-year term on Wednesday. He'll replace Chair Jerome Powell, who led the central bank for the last eight years. He'll face a challenging economic environment, worsening inflation, and pressure from President Donald Trump to cut rates. Plus, a look at how median actually rents fell in April and why one Arizona coffee roaster is unable to claim tariff refunds.

Voice cloning is the use of artificial intelligence to generate a clone of a real person's voice, imitating the sound, when they pause and what words they typically emphasize. And it can be hard for people to identify voices as being AI-generated.Research last year from UC Berkeley professor Hany Farid, an expert in digital forensics, found that people correctly identify a voice as AI-generated only 60% of the time. Marketplace's Stephanie Hughes spoke with Farid about the rapid sophistication of audio deepfakes, why it's so hard to tell the difference between a real voice and an AI-generated one right now, and some tips to help you spot voice clones.

How far would you go to participate in a boycott? Cancel your concert tickets? Spend 25% more on groceries? What about refusing to visit your family? This week, Reema speaks to Canadians who are going to great lengths to boycott the United States. Plus, a conversation with financial therapist Lindsay Bryan-Podvin about how to practice “good enough” boycotting. If you liked this episode, share it with a friend. And let us know what you think by emailing uncomfortable@marketplace.org or calling 347-RING-TIU.Follow us on Instagram and Tiktok! Support This Is Uncomfortable with your donation today: https://bit.ly/mkp_tiu_pod

The cost of goods for the producers of this economy was up a whopping 6% in April, according to the latest PPI. That means consumers can expect more inflation down the road. Plus: Treasury yields are creeping up, the global oil stockpile is shrinking by about 4 million barrels a day, and diesel pickup truck drivers are shelling out at the pump. In this episode, it all goes back to President Trump's war in the Middle East. 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.

This week, we're sharing an episode of another podcast we like — from another journalist named Amy.Award-winning climate journalist Amy Westervelt returns with a new season of Drilled, a true-crime podcast about the deception, disinformation, and power structures standing between us and real climate solutions. This season is called “Carbon Cowboys,” and exposes how Republican corn ethanol mogul Bruce Rastetter sold his “sustainable aviation fuel” to world leaders, from North Dakota to Brazil.The problem? His “clean energy” project does nothing to help climate change. “Drilled: Carbon Cowboys” follows the land grabs, pipelines, and political power stopping real progress from being made.Here's episode one. Find “Drilled” wherever you get podcasts, and hear episodes early and ad-free with a Pushkin+ subscription. Sign up on the “Drilled” show page on Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus.

To address pain at the pump, President Donald Trump and some Congressional Republicans are floating the idea of temporarily pausing the federal gas tax. The thing is, that gas tax helps pay for the construction and maintenance of roads, bridges, and more. Today, we delve into how the tax shows up in our everyday lives. Then, we head to Boston to hear how a small college there is serving low-income, first-generation students.

Household debt ticked up slightly in the first three months of this year, increasing by $18 billion, according to the New York Fed. Credit card debt is actually down slightly, but mortgage balances, home equity lines of credit, and car loan balances all grew. We unpack. Plus, later in this morning's show, how might economic tensions appear at the summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping?

In order to write her new book “I Am Not a Robot: My Year Using AI To Do ‘Almost' Everything," journalist Joanna Stern decided to invite artificial intelligence into every aspect of her life — including her family life. She has a wife and two sons. On their spring break, she took them to Phoenix, where it's easy to hail a driverless car. They rode in a bunch of them, including one that totally freaked out.She brought home an AI-powered toy (which her four-year-old quickly tired of), and says she realized her kids will "grow up never knowing a world without computers as smart as them.” Marketplace's Stephanie Hughes spoke with Stern about how she hopes her children will navigate that world.

Inflation was up 3.8% in April, according to the latest CPI. Economists say the war with Iran has caused “transitory” inflation — that's short-lived inflation from a specific inflationary event. It's also how experts characterized Trump's tariffs and the COVID-19 pandemic. But if inflation stays put for, say, five years, is it really still transitory? Also in this episode: Small business owners fret over rising costs, MIT students graduate with majors in AI, and Quebec brings hydropower to the Northeast U.S.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.

After a pandemic-era boom, the fine art market is going through something of a bust. Many galleries have closed due to climbing overhead costs and sales just aren't what they used to be. Author and freelance journalist Julie Belcove joins Kimberly to demystify the inner workings of the global art market and what a slump could mean for the those who work in the arts.

Prices in the U.S. were up 3.8% year over year in April. That's a faster rate of annual inflation than we saw in March. A main driver was higher energy prices, a result of the war with Iran. Those price increases are taking a bite out of consumer wages, but the pain may be temporary. Plus, small businesses are hanging in there. And, we'll preview President Donald Trump's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

In late February, mortgage rates dipped below 6%, and affordability was beginning to improve. In April, people bought and sold more homes than they did the year before, but not by much. The reason? A whole new source of uncertainty brought on by war in the Middle East. Later in the show: While specialty farmers aren't caught in trade war crosshairs the way commodity farmers are, they still have plenty to worry about domestically.

Imagine if you invited robots - smart ones or “smart-ish,” at least - into every aspect of your life. Your emails and texts are all composed by an AI, the bots look at a photo of what's in your fridge and figure out what you can make for dinner. They even become emotional support, providing advice and sometimes companionship. Journalist and founder of media company New Things, Joanna Stern, decided to try this and she wrote about it in her new book “I Am Not a Robot: My Year Using AI To Do Almost Everything.” Marketplace's Stephanie Hughes spoke with Stern about how AI did and didn't help her and ultimately what she sacrificed by inviting AI into her life.

Today, we're resharing an important episode from our archive! We're answering Sadie's question about why there is so much gold at Fort Knox. (And, we're releasing a special new episode next week all about gold too. We can't wait for you to hear it!) Fort Knox is one of the most secure places in the world. In today's episode, Bridget and Ryan are determined to get inside! But just as the pair lands a special tour to the top-secret gold vault, a couple of mysterious Fort Knox enthusiasts throw a wrench in their plans.

Inflation and employment are the dual pillars of this economy's health, which the Federal Reserve is mandated to evenly manage. Last week saw sunny news for the latter category, when the April jobs report was better than expected. Economists anticipate the opposite for the upcoming consumer price index, as the war in Iran inflates prices at home. In this episode, we brace for a dreary CPI. Plus: Adult education programs promise higher wages, retail investors pile on to the chip market, and climate change makes food less nutritious.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.

Younger workers typically feel more optimistic about the job market than older ones, but a new Gallup poll found that only 43% of Americans aged 15 to 34 thought that last year was a good time to find a job. That's compared to 64% of those above the age of 55. The optimism of young workers has dropped by 27 points since 2023, potentially signaling the influence of AI. Plus: a breakdown of the costs, both human and financial, of Nebraska's Medicaid eligibility rollout and a look into the impact of rising gas prices on inflation.

An announcement from Meta that information about employees' keystroke and mouse movement would be collected and used to train its artificial intelligence has reportedly caused turmoil within the company. But the concept of harvesting data from everyday digital interactions isn't new. “Marketplace Morning Report” Host Sabri Ben-Achour spoke with Panagiotis Ipeirotis, a professor of Technology and Business at NYU Stern, about how seemingly innocuous online activity can be used to train AI. But first: rising gas prices are making some Americans cut back, but the k-shaped economy knows no bounds.

There's a new flex in Silicon Valley: how big is your AI agent swarm? They can work on your behalf, autonomously, 24/7, on whatever goal you give them. You might think having an army of AI minions could free up some time, maybe make work more chill. But, you'd be wrong, as Marketplace's Meghan McCarty Carino reports.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has begun processing applications for tariff refunds after the Supreme Court ruled against swaths of President Trump's import taxes. But limitations on who can file have left some business owners out of luck, and those who are eligible must weigh how much of the refund they should pass down the line. Also on the program: the jobs report, tech layoffs, and what the Spirit Airlines shutdown could mean for a Florida airport. Plus: a look into Sparrow's Nest Studio, Manhattan's “home for mahjong.”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.

As Kimberly gets ready to step into her new role as the host of “Marketplace Morning Report,” her predecessor David Brancaccio joins her to talk about his years on the morning shift and what he's looking forward to on his new beat covering future effects for Marketplace. Plus, the two swap summer reading recommendations and play a round of Half Full/Half Empty!Here's everything we talked about today:"Liar's Poker" by Michael Lewis"Number Go Up" by Zeke Faux"Pattern Recognition" by William Gibson "The Sum of Us" by Heather McGhee"Public pools used to be everywhere in America. Then racism shut them down." From Marketplace"Open to Work: How to Get Ahead in the Age of AI" by Ryan Rolansky and Aneesh Raman"Want to make new friends? There's an app for that" from Marketplace"Why online courses sold by influencers have become so popular" from Marketplace"The Roomba Guy's Second Act: A Robot You'll Want to Snuggle" from The Wall Street Journal "The Spirit Airlines Comeback Story No One Saw Coming" from Inc.“Make Me Smart” is a public media program. Support “Make Me Smart” with your donation today and keep economic news available to everyone. Donate now: https://bit.ly/mkp_mms_pod

President Donald Trump has tried to pressure foreign countries to invest in the U.S. by threatening tariffs. But for decades, the federal government has also been putting on the SelectUSA Investment Summit, a giant trade show where states and businesses try to attract foreign investors. We have a dispatch from this year's Investment Summit. Plus, some of Trump's latest tariffs have been deemed illegal. And: a better-than-expected jobs report and some slower-than-expected World Cup hotel bookings.