Week of March 3rd, 2025

Common economic measurements, like GDP growth, tell us how fast the economic pie is growing. But they don’t tell us how the pie is getting distributed.

Trump vs. Capitol One.

Employment dropped in February, but the number of jobs went up. Confused? We’ll explain.

One reason for all the part-time work is the instability in the broader economy, one expert says.

The monthly jobs report is actually two reports based on two surveys that use different sources for different information.

The retailer reported positive results in its latest earnings report.

The league’s labor agreement has put a lot of red tape around how much players can get paid, leading to a tangled net of trades.

The New York Fed found that auto loan delinquency rates increased in 2024 across all income levels.

As spring approaches, many farmers are unsure what crops they should plant and what the effect of tariffs could be.

Nondairy milks are increasingly popular, especially among younger consumers. Coffee shops like Dunkin’ and Starbucks are nixing surcharges.

This week, Dunkin’ dropped its surcharges on drinks with nondairy milk — a move that follows other coffee shops and chains.

From the BBC’s World Service: Imports to China fell more than 8% in January and February, compared to the same period last year.

Natasha Mascarenhas, reporter at The Information, joins Marketplace’s Stephanie Hughes to discuss some of this week’s biggest tech headlines.

Talking about money can be awkward, but a little practice can make all the difference.

This week, we’re sharing a new series from Marketplace and APM Studios

High inflation expectations complicate things for Jay Powell’s Fed. Plus, banks are stuck with depreciated bonds and job searchers should prepare to be “in it for the long haul.”

Outside of chronically short-staffed sectors, many firms are finding qualified workers easily. Openings are scarce in some white-collar fields.

Cutting these jobs indiscriminately will “substantially damage the economy,” experts say.

And, why no data is better than manipulated data.

The main difference is inflation.

Onetime Uber executive Mark Moore based his company, Whisper Aero, in Tennessee and had the staff live together in a former lakeside resort.

Those losses have stayed elevated ever since the Federal Reserve started raising interest rates.

New Congressional Budget Office calculations suggest a difficult path ahead for Republicans as they seek to find billions in budget cuts.

There’s been a lot happening that could affect the job market. But what impacts will actually show up in the numbers?

Analysts say the firm’s decision to stick with DEI commitments could influence different consumers in different ways.

Costco, which has publicly dug in on its push for DEI initiatives, releases quarterly earnings later today.

From the BBC World Service: Bond yields have risen in Germany, France, Italy and the U.S. Why?

The Maryland Age-Appropriate Design Code is meant to safeguard children’s privacy and prevent geotracking and the selling of personal data, according to State Delegate Jared Solomon. “This is really about the algorithms and the way companies are manipulating people with those algorithms,” he says.

Lee Hawkins traces the history of the Minnesota suburb he grew up in.

Plus, how to handle the stress of stock market jitters.

The softening labor market, falling Treasury yields and a fuzzy service sector can all point to the multiplying economic unknowns. Plus, entrepreneurship booms and a soybean farmer worries.

Private-sector hiring slowed down in February and small businesses cut jobs. Plus, new unemployment claims were up last week.

What’s good for consumers looking for loans could be bad news for the economy.

ISM data was mostly positive, while S&P Global reported weakness. The discrepancy may be down to who’s responding — and when they’re doing it.

The president wants farmers to sell more in the U.S., but “you don’t build those markets domestically overnight,” says Iowa corn and soybean farmer April Hemmes.

Many entrepreneurs are starting businesses adapted to the post-pandemic economy.

The two groups, which existed for decades, gave expert advice to federal data scientists and played a role in government transparency.

Adam Grant of The Wharton School describes evidence-based strategies for getting the best out of employees.

U.S. businesses added 77,000 jobs in February, according to ADP. That figure came in far below expectations.

Many people are taking shorter vacations or booking at the last minute. The cruise industry, however, is thriving.

After the fires, contractors are likely to choose higher-value properties in Pacific Palisades than less lucrative projects in Altadena.

The second Trump administration is reportedly working on a plan to dramatically reduce the workforce at the Internal Revenue Service.

From the BBC World Service: Germany’s future coalition partners want to relax its strict debt rules in order to boost its defense budget.

Meetali Jain of the Tech Justice Law Project says companion chatbots are offered as a solution to loneliness and that some users are as young as 13. She calls the trend fascinating as well as dangerous.

The National Women’s Soccer League is in expansion mode.

President Trump’s tariffs on Mexico and Canada are here. Plus, why chain drug stores are struggling to stay afloat.

Ben Chehebar is trying to challenge industry giants like Nike and Adidas with his soccer brand Eleven. But bringing a design to life has been full of trial and error.

Texas has a $300 billion trade relationship with Mexico all on its own.

An avocado importer and a building equipment maker are bracing for impact. A trade expert says the policy uncertainty has already taken a toll.

Economic uncertainty and previous overexpansion are prompting companies to be careful about leasing space, said Liz Young at The Wall Street Journal.

They’re stuck in a downward spiral.

In Valley County, Idaho, for example, data show that the Forest Service is the area’s third largest employer — ahead of a school district, the local hospital and a major ski resort.

With new tariffs in place against Canada, Mexico and China, which industries will be hit the hardest?

Being able to successfully navigate disagreement — including tricky political conversations — is an attractive skill to many employers.

Chinese manufacturers tell Marketplace how they are coping with the additional U.S. tariffs.

New tariffs on China have doubled to 20% under President Donald Trump. This is forcing trading partners to adapt.

From the BBC World Service: Fears of a trade war ramp up as tariffs go into effect on Chinese, Mexican and Canadian imports to the U.S.

We talk to a mom who’s feeling the stress of regulating her children’s social media use. Ravi Iyer, a technologist and psychologist, says the industry should better accommodate parents’ preferences.

Today, we’re talking about one of Kai’s favorite topics: bonds!

The Soybean Innovation Lab addressed poverty in sub-Saharan Africa, but it was also “a huge opportunity” for U.S. growers, says Peter Goldsmith of the University of Illinois.

Public health experts say the government should bolster incentives for farmers and farmworkers to test for and report cases of the virus.

Government spending is tied up with consumer and business spending. Not reporting it as part of GDP would breach global accounting standards.

S&P Global’s Purchasing Managers’ Index went up – and the Institute for Supply Management’s went down in February, as firms anticipate tariffs.

The Biden administration spent upwards of $2 billion on bird flu monitoring and prevention. Trump’s administration just announced another billion. Where is it money going?

New text-to-image generative AI tools raise ethical and economic questions for working artists. But some see new business opportunities.

Expect prices to go up across a variety of categories, including food, clothing and cars.

Nearly three-quarters of respondents who said they’re taking measures to protect themselves have been targeted.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick says he wants to take government spending out of GDP measurements. We’ll unpack the implications.

Natural gas could play a role in the green energy transition, but additional natural transmission pipelines are critical to meet growing electricity demand.

The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage shot up to nearly 8% in late 2023. It fell to just above 6% last fall, bounced back above 7% in mid-January, and declined again recently.

President Donald Trump has named five digital tokens to be included in a national stockpile.

From the BBC World Service: When new U.S. import duties take effect on Tuesday, China says it’ll be ready to hit back with its own.

“Adolescents are glued to their phones around the clock,” reports Eva Telzer of the University of North Carolina. In our new series “The Infinite Scroll,” Telzer says that later in life, many wish they’d had help disconnecting.