Marketplace

As high gas costs pile up for drivers, Big Oil is getting jumpy. That’s because one way to bring prices down, at least temporarily, is an oil export ban. The Trump administration hasn’t signaled support for such a ban, but oil firms are being proactive, by lobbying the White House to find alternatives. Also in this episode: CEOs are sour on this economy, a major university invests big in artificial intelligence, and we analyze the difference between Fed Chair Warsh and former Fed Chair Powell’s public statements.

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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:

Big oil is not up for another export ban
Can you spot the difference between Warsh and Powell's FOMC statements?
Why you should care about CEOs' confidence in the economy
The FIRE movement: How soon can I quit?
USC pushes to expand AI research with $200 million gift

You know how wages have, on average, stagnated when you account for inflation? Well there’s one group that saw some actual wage growth last month: Job changers. Pay growth for people who switched jobs was 7% in July, according to ADP. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean the entire labor market is heating up — some in-demand labor sectors might be accounting for most of that bump. Also in this episode: Gen Z bucks the K-shaped economy trend, insurance billing errors can add up for employers, and Kai visits a used EV auction.

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:

Job-changers are seeing their highest wage increases in nearly a year
Gen Z is spending more across all income brackets
In healthcare, catching errors from insurers is a growing industry
The entrepreneur building a marketplace for used EVs

In July, the manufacturing sector grew at its fastest month-to-month rate in four years. A new tax law likely boosted company spending to some degree, but AI investment packed the biggest punch — demand is strong and the money is flowing. Also in this episode: McDonald’s suffers a sales slump, the latest JOLTS data points to a steadily improving labor market, and Kai talks to one economist behind a Trump administration investment 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:

Manufacturing sector benefits from continued AI demand
Tracking down the Trump administration's $27.6 billion in investments
Why job openings have been rising slowly this year
McDonald's sales soften as diners spend cautiously
Where did China's oil imports go?

Permian Basin oil companies are reporting strong quarterly earnings, as the Iran war keeps prices up and supply restricted. West Texas, formerly in a slump, has seen an uptick in hiring and new rigs. But oil companies are moving cautiously — they want to avoid a bust after the boom. Also in this episode, more caution: Small businesses carefully weigh workforce expansion, the U.S. invests billions to prop up the Japanese yen, and a Colorado peach farmer preps for a water shortage.

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:

Why did the U.S. just spend billions to prop up the Japanese yen?
What the bond market is trying to tell us
How small- and medium-sized firms are navigating this labor market moment
Becoming a freelance court reporter helped this mom find herself
High oil prices lift all boats in the Permian Basin, but companies remain cautious
Peaches pay the bills for Western Colorado farmers, but drought makes their future uncertain

Amazon’s autonomous vehicle company, Zoox, can now roll out 2,500 of its vehicles annually in the next two years. Are more robotic cars coming, or will there be more speed bumps? But first, we’ll look at the market impact of the Fed’s decision to keep interest rates steady in our Weekly Wrap. Plus, the effect of rising health insurance costs for employers, a retiree returning to the workforce for a family business, and a look at how Boulder, Colorado is making room for the Sundance Film Festival.

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:

Weekly Wrap: Kevin Warsh's dilemma on interest rates
Rising health insurance costs may take a bite out of your paycheck
Leaving retirement for a new family business
Amazon's self-driving Zoox taxis are about to hit the roads
When a legendary film festival comes to Colorado, will homeowners open their doors?