Week of December 23rd, 2024

Sales of U.S. services to other countries help to redress the balance, along with foreign institutions that invest in the American stock market and debt.

Not quite. We’ll explain — with classical music. Plus, the trade deficit.

The free Atlanta-based program provides hands-on experience with software development and artificial intelligence.

An economic concept known as the Baumol effect helps explain wage increases in industries immune to technological change.

Many companies are rushing to stock up and insulate themselves from likely higher import duties under Donald Trump’s second presidency.

With the threat of tariffs looming, some businesses are looking to stockpile inventory or source alternative suppliers.

More than 40% of Americans have an unused gift card, according to Bankrate.

Leaders need to develop a safety net that will help displaced workers find good jobs, says senior economics contributor Chris Farrell.

We could soon enter a new age of technology disrupting careers thanks to developments in artificial intelligence.

From the BBC World Service: South Korea has voted to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo. What’s the economic fallout?

Marketplace’s China correspondent Jennifer Pak explains the factors that have made Chinese EV makers competitive and could keep them competitive in a high tariff world.

Why do big companies break their businesses into separate entities? Plus, helmet innovation and property tax hikes.

Companies are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence agents to perform some of the complex tasks once assigned to humans.

Parts of companies can be worth more on their own. Spinoffs are happening in quickly changing industries, like cable TV and package delivery.

M1 and M2 figure into consumption and inflation and can be used as a policy lever by the Federal Reserve.

Between campaign promises and concerns about the deficit, updating the tax code in 2025 will be no easy feat.

The sudden rise in property taxes in Chicago’s south suburbs is due in part to commercial disinvestment and a shrinking tax base, experts say.

President-elect Donald Trump has threatened 25% tariffs on Mexican goods unless more is done to stop illegal immigration and illegal drugs.

The growth of online shopping means returns may rise to $890 billion for 2024. Retailers, though, are trying to impose costs on the practice.

The National Retail Federation expects 2024 to be one of the biggest years ever for merchandise returns.

English Premier League fans bet on their favorite teams even against the odds, highlighting the role of emotion rather than rationality.

The banking industry is suing over the way the Federal Reserve conducts its annual stress tests. We’ll hear more.

From the BBC World Service: With less than a month until President-elect Donald Trump assumes office, tariffs are top of the economic agenda.

In the 20 years since the site launched, consumers have come to rely on online reviews — even as fakes make them less reliable.

End-of-year deals abound, and those expensive toys might get more expensive next year. Plus, breakup-driven retail therapy and the costs vs. benefits of line skipping.

Would you pay hundreds of dollars to skip the lines for rides at theme parks like Disney World? More of the travel industry thinks the answer is yes.

“Firms are catching more shenanigans than they did in the past” because of AI, says Callum Borchers of the Wall Street Journal.

Recovering from a breakup costs more than ice cream and a DVD. Well-off exes can hook up with specialized services to rebuild their confidence.

Trump trade proposals may spur early purchasing, considering that companies know consumers will balk at escalating surcharges on imported goods.

End-of-year deals, along with replacement of vehicles lost to hurricanes and anticipation of higher prices in 2025, may be prodding buyers.

Labor shortages may fuel inflation and hurt construction and food service. Some U.S.-born workers, along with the detention industry, may gain.

Artificial intelligence is sure to get most of the hype, but technologists are making progress in realizing the promise of quantum computing.

While AI is the current darling of the tech world, quantum computing is also making gains.

“A Farewell to Arms” is among the works entering the public domain in 2025.

Today, we’ll hear how many U.S. consumers and employers could lose out — while some could benefit — as a result of Trump’s policies in 2025.

From the BBC World Service: “Marketplace Morning Report” host Leanna Byrne and producer James Graham look back at some of the year’s biggest business stories.

Young people surrounded by sports betting ads and promotions run the risk of becoming addicted, says Yanely Espinal of Marketplace’s “Financially Inclined.”

We visit Christmas tree farmers in North Carolina hit hard by Hurricane Helene. Plus, old-school restaurants and the Arctic tundra.

The $7.25 federal minimum wage has not changed for more than 15 years, but state and local increases have proved popular with voters.

Despite hiccups with a boxing match, the ad revenue a live football double bill would bring is one of the reasons it’s worth the gamble.

The region is warming much faster than the rest of the planet and releasing greenhouse gases from its thawing soil. Umair Irfan of Vox explains.

Farmers and scientists are concerned Hurricane Helene floodwaters may have spread a deadly fungus to the region’s beloved Fraser firs.

Many family-owned eateries are built on tradition. This time of year, they host tradition-seeking regulars coming in for holiday get-togethers.

Plus, the “chickenization” of the berry industry.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is accusing Walmart and the fintech firm Branch Messenger of cheating some Walmart gig workers.

Plaintiffs in a 2022 class-action lawsuit against 17 elite colleges who allege the schools colluded in determining financial aid packages are seeking $685 million in damages.

Should Japanese firm Nippon Steel be allowed to acquire U.S Steel? Is that a national security risk? It’s now up to President Joe Biden to decide.

The Nordstrom family will have a majority ownership stake.

With slim majorities, the GOP will likely lean on the budget reconciliation process starting next year. But what is that exactly?

From the BBC World Service: We’re digging into reports that construction workers for the EV-maker lived in conditions comparable to “slavery.”

Pre-pandemic, the industry was eager to invest in DEI. But culture change proved difficult, says Lisa Mae Brunson of Wonder Women Tech.

Consumer confidence dipped this month, thanks to the specter of tariffs. Plus, more Americans are volunteering after a pandemic-induced lull.

About 3 million retirees would get full benefits in addition to pensions. As a result, Social Security could hit insolvency earlier.

The Biden administration’s probe into trade practices would open the door to tariffs on Chinese chips and the products that use them.

Jessie Dean, owner of Asheville Tea Company, has sold out of her Christmas blends but is still waiting for affordable loans to rebuild.

Confidence was expected to continue to rise. Consumers cite inflation, politics and tariffs as factors they see influencing the economy.

Nearly 76 million Americans volunteered in 2023, up from about 60 million in 2021, a survey from AmeriCorps and the Census Bureau says.

It’s “not a blowout holiday season, but it’s not a crash either,” estimates economist Julia Coronado.

A now-cancelled policy change by health insurer Anthem stirred controversy, and it’s emblematic of a broader tension between insurers and health care providers.

But relying only on streaming services can make accessing some shows and movies more challenging for consumers.

A battle between health care providers and insurers sets the scene for a recently canceled but controversial policy change by Anthem.

From the BBC World Service: The incoming U.S. president claims his country is paying excessive fees to use the waterway. We’ll hear more.

In 2005, Apple’s Steve Jobs helped catapult podcasts as mainstream media when the tech giant introduced its native Podcasts app. Vulture podcast critic Nicholas Quah takes us through how podcasting has evolved since then.