Marketplace All-in-One

Business owners aren’t too optimistic about the labor market, according to an NFIB survey. About a third are struggling to fill an open position, and around a quarter said labor quality was their most pressing issue. In this episode, we scrape together a picture of today’s labor market, sans government data. Plus: Cities issue bonds at a record pace, we explain the consequences of Trump’s proposal to back 50-year mortgages and one report shows real wage growth has slowed to 2%.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.

It’s Singles Day in China: a retail holiday that runs circles around Black Friday and Cyber Monday. By comparison, single Americans are an untapped market according to Peter McGraw, behavioral economist and host of the podcast “Solo: The Single Person’s Guide to a Remarkable Life.” But as the single population grows in the United States, will that change? We’ll get into it. Plus, the realities of the “singles tax.”Here’s everything we talked about today:"Singles’ Day is a $150B holiday in China. Here’s why I think ‘11/11’ will catch on in the US" from The Conversation "The rise of singlehood is reshaping the world" from The Economist"The rise of the ‘solo economy’ is driving new consumption patterns" from Futures Platform "The ‘singles tax’ means you often pay more for going it alone. Here’s how it works" from The Conversation We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

The Trump administration is moving to levy tariffs of over 90% on popular Italian pasta brands on “anti-dumping” grounds. We look at how the move could impact grocery prices for the pantry staple. Plus, even though we don’t have a government jobs report this month due to the shutdown, private sector numbers give us an idea of the state of the labor market. And, as New Mexico moves to provide free childcare, a look at how daycare benefits businesses.

From the BBC World Service: A Chinese woman will be sentenced in London later for her role in a Bitcoin scam worth billions of dollars. Qian Zhimin was convicted of trying to launder more than sixty thousand bitcoins, now worth around six-and-a-half billion dollars, following Britain's largest ever seizure of cryptocurrency. We hear from some of the investors who were scammed as part of the fraud.

The Senate passed a deal last night to end the record-setting government shutdown. But that hasn’t yet translated into relief for the beleaguered air travel industry, which has seen thousands of canceled flights in response to air traffic controller shortages. Plus, we talk with economist Peter Atwater, one of the economic researchers who first helped popularize the “K-Shaped” economy concept, about inequality in post-pandemic America.

Some AI companies are turning to nuclear power to meet demand for electricity. But traditional nuclear plants can take decades to bring online. Now some tech companies are partnering with startups trying to build small, modular nuclear reactors, designed with speed in mind. One such company, Kairos, has a deal with Google to build a fleet of modular reactors. To do so, it’s relying on a technique first developed in the mid-20th century: molten-salt cooling.

It’s karaoke night for Bridget and Ryan, but something stops them from belting their favorite tunes on their podcast: the law. It’s the perfect setup to answer a question from Garrett, who wants to know about copyright, trademarks, and royalties. We all know people deserve to be paid for their creative ideas. But how does it actually work? Together, we’ll find out how creators protect their ideas and make money from them. Plus, will Ryan be able to turn what he’s learned into a lucrative musical career?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!This episode is sponsored by Greenlight. Sign up for Greenlight today at greenlight.com/million.

Despite expectations surrounding President Donald Trump’s tariffs, inflation doesn’t seem to be speeding up — though it’s hard to say for sure without all that reliable federal data. You can thank cooling services inflation (where most consumer spending goes) and a softer labor market, which has reduced some companies’ ability to raise prices. Also in this episode: Corporate earnings look bright and sunny, Visa and Mastercard reach an agreement with merchants over credit card fees, and retailers revive physical holiday catalogs.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.

Commercial real estate has been struggling in the years since the pandemic. Office attendance has risen, though not as much in smaller cities. And while big banks might not be voicing concerns over this, lending for commercial real estate is a major deal for regional and community banks. We discuss. Also on today's program: markets react to a potential end in sight for the shutdown, and big movies around the holidays could drive ticket sales.

There’s movement in Washington toward ending the government shutdown. The Senate held a procedural vote yesterday. Seven Democrats and one independent senator voted yes with Republicans, which finally broke the logjam and will allow final votes on a bill to reopen the government. It's progress, but there's still potential for derailment. Plus, New Mexico is offering free universal child care starting this month. We'll hear what that means for one family.

From the BBC World Service: China has lifted export controls on computer chips that are vital to car production, marking an easing of trade tensions between China and the U.S. Automakers Volvo, VW, Ford, and Honda had all warned they could face severe supply chain disruptions if the ban wasn't overturned. China has also paused an export ban to the U.S. of some materials that are crucial in the semiconductor industry. Plus, a major cybercriminal reveals all.

Extreme weather caused by climate change is affecting agriculture and raising the cost of foods like coffee, olive oil and chocolate. Cocoa prices have been hitting record highs due to extreme rainfall, drought and heat. And some experts say most of the land used for cocoa production won’t be usable in the future. Marketplace’s Amy Scott, host of our podcast "How We Survive," explores a new way tech entrepreneurs are making chocolate so that we can keep enjoying it for years to come.

Consumer sentiment — as in, how everyday people feel about the economy — fell to a low not seen since 2022, according to the University of Michigan’s Surveys of Consumers. The decline was consistent across demographics, except among the wealthiest Americans (as measured by volume of stock market holdings). In other words, economic mood just became another k-shaped indicator. Also in this episode: Colleges shutter satellite campuses to cut costs and small and midsize businesses shrink their headcounts.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.

On today’s edition of Economics on Tap, we’re heading to Virginia! The state held major elections this week, and affordability was top of mind for voters. VPM News reporter Patrick Larsen joins Kimberly to debrief the election results and explain why rising energy costs were a key campaign issue—and what data centers have to do with it. Plus, we’ll play a round of Half Full/Half Empty!Here’s everything we talked about today:"How do data centers figure into Virginia's 2025 elections?" from VPM News"Virginia’s Rural Voters Shift 12 Points Toward Democrats" from The Daily Yonder"Soaring energy prices gave Democrats a winning message" from Semafor"Pumpkinscaping could be coming to a porch near you" from Marketplace"iRobot Is in Trouble, but Roomba Is Already Dead" from Wirecutter"How is this novelty team outselling over half the MLB?" from Marketplace "What Travelers Need to Know About the Shutdown, Flight Reductions and Delays" from The New York Times We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

The value of Pokémon cards soared during the pandemic, and some have climbed in value nearly 4,000% over the past two decades. For some, Pokémon cards are a source of nostalgic joy, but others are seeing them as alternative assets — joining the likes of sneakers, comics, and even crypto. Also, hundreds of flights are cancelled today at airports across the country. And, from Marketplace's "Million Bazillion," little listeners reflect on the role of the $2 bill.

Starting today, the Federal Aviation Administration is requiring airlines to reduce flights at 40 airports because of the strain that air traffic controllers are under during what's turned into the longest federal government shutdown ever. Fewer flights mean reduced supply, just as demand is about to ramp up for the holidays. And there’s gonna be consequences for both airlines and consumers — including likely price increases. Plus, what constitutes a "workplace emergency" these days?

From the BBC World Service:

On today's “Tech Bytes: Week in Review,” we discuss federal cybersecurity cutbacks that affected this week’s elections and a caucus of Midwestern states pushing to join the AI boom. Plus, Sens. Josh Hawley and Mark Warner introduced a bipartisan bill requiring some companies to report when AI replaces workers. Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino spoke with Axios tech policy reporter Maria Curi about these headlines and more.

The firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas counted over 153,000 job cuts in this country last month — the most October layoffs since 2003. Are companies pivoting to save money in light of over hiring and AI, or we are we moving toward a more serious slowdown? Also in this episode: A training center in China narrows the gap between tech manufacturing labor supply and demand, the FAA orders flight cuts, and “green” data centers face expensive challenges.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.

Quantum computing is still in an experimental phase, but tech companies say it could eventually have an enormous impact on the global economy. How long is that going to take? On today’s show, science journalist Dan Garisto joins Kimberly to break down the basics of quantum computing and why it could take many years for the technology to move out of the lab and into the real world.Here’s everything we talked about today:"This Year’s Nobel Physics Prize Showed Quantum Mechanics Is a Big Deal—Literally" from Scientific American  "The Next Big Quantum Computer Has Arrived" from The Wall Street Journal "Google Measures ‘Quantum Echoes’ on Willow Quantum Computer Chip" from Scientific American "Futuristic quantum computing stocks take speculators on roller-coaster ride" from Reuters"Here’s How Quantum Computing Could Change the World" from The Wall Street Journal Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.