Week of July 21st, 2025

The Federal Reserve has stayed the course, stalling rate cuts as they wait to see the impact of President Donald Trump’s Tariffs. Vivian Gueler, CFO of Pacific Trust Group, spoke about mortgage rate expectations for the coming year.

Candace Monaghan is the founder of the Beaver Dam Farm Sunflower Festival, an annual event at her family’s farm in Botetourt County, Virginia.

It costs millions each day to detain a migrant in an ICE facility, and that’s not counting the billions it would cost to deport them.

Dynamic pricing isn't new, but AI and our personal data have made it more widespread.

Deal or no deal?

Fast, efficient analysis of customers’ shopping and social media habits gives companies a leg up when it comes to dynamic pricing.

Memesters took the likes of Kohl’s and Krispy Kreme on a wild ride.

According to Princeton international economics professor Gene Grossman, "it's not clear exactly what the purposes are, and many of them are in contradiction with each other."

The last count showed 422 active U.S. oil rigs in operation. That’s comparable to when the pandemic depressed demand for crude.

What do flat-rate tariffs across so many countries accomplish? Is it about trade imbalances, reshoring manufacturing, revenue, or something else?

The Trump administration’s tariffs roughly break down into one of two categories. What do each of them mean for the global economy?

The central bank doesn’t directly control the interest rates that the president is concerned about.

From the BBC World Service: There were big trade talks in Beijing yesterday, where the EU raised concerns with China about trade imbalances.

Jewel Burks Solomon, managing partner at Collab Capital, joins Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams for “Tech Bytes: Week in Review.”

It depends what region they work in, but overall they're finding ways to help buyers navigate a market full of expensive homes, high interest rates and, in some cases, soaring insurance costs.

President Trump wants lower interest rates now, but what could that mean for the economy? Also: an end to taxes on tips. We look at who qualifies and who doesn’t.

The tax breaks will help some workers, but come with limits.

Japan is already the biggest foreign investor in the U.S.

International corporate travel leads the way.

It’s not the tax relief many workers believe it to be.

Uber is rolling out a new feature allowing women drivers and passengers to request to be connected only with other women.

Bell Labs is credited with inventions like the transistor, the laser, and more.

The rideshare company hopes to improve safety and recruit more women drivers.

The price hike is hitting U.S. manufacturers and contractors that rely on steel components.

In an unusual move for a commander-in-chief, President Donald Trump is slated to visit the Federal Reserve this afternoon.

From the BBC World Service: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in London sealing a major trade deal with the United Kingdom worth $6.5 billion.

Increased military budgets are helping to skew drone development away from civilian applications and toward defense.

Also, Japan is not that big of a market for U.S. exports.

From perfumes to shampoo and detergent, AI is already being used in the world of scent.

At the age of 40, Brandon Adams bought his first home in Durham, North Carolina. He chose a townhome as he felt it would be an easier transition from being a renter.

A sophisticated new program from one Texas company monitors prices, weather and consumer patterns to maximize efficiency — and save customers money.

American consumers will now face a 15% tax on Japanese imports — a major jump from the 1.5% rate set back in 2019.

Revenues earned abroad mean more dollars because of the greenback’s decline.

Gut health is finally becoming cool, which means more brands are touting the fiber available in their products.

They can create perverse incentives that end up boosting foreign manufacturing.

Plus, the push to deregulate workplaces.

At a time when homeownership is out of reach for many lower-income individuals and families, manufactured homes could provide a path forward.

Tesla is slated to release earnings today, but Elon Musk’s focus has been pulled in multiple directions as of late.

Tesla reports its quarterly results on Wednesday. They’re not expected to be pretty.

Today, we'll learn more about the Trump administration's plans for AI guardrails, government use of AI, and more.

From the BBC World Service: After weeks of tense negotiations, the U.S. will cut its import tax on Japanese cars and parts from 25% to 15%.

ProPublica investigative reporter William Turton explains how a proposed data sharing program between the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Homeland Security could give ICE enforcement officials expanded access to taxpayer data.

More cities are allowing driverless taxis on their streets. But one struggle? How to help these cars navigate the streets when there’s an emergency, like a fire or a big crash. 

High stocks and rising crypto are pushing investors to junk bonds.

The lack of an independent U.S. central bank could shake both the U.S. economy and global financial markets.

Companies are rerouting supply chains, sharing costs with suppliers, and, yes, raising their prices.

The sandwich chain may end up having to relocate or close some locations.

Tech giants are pouring hundreds of billions into the construction of new data centers. What becomes of the communities they build in?

As trade talks continue, crossings are down between the two countries. That could lead to a multi-billion-dollar hit to the U.S. tourism industry.

Who should the head of the Federal Reserve be accountable to? We’ll discuss that and more with Karen Petrou of Federal Financial Analytics.

Homes are likely to remain expensive for the foreseeable future because of persistently high interest rates and the fact that homes are not being built fast enough to meet demand.

Businesses are confused by conflicting information about how and when to use it.

Employers have been encouraged to recheck workers' legal status as thousands of immigrant work authorizations have been canceled.

From the BBC World Service: AstraZeneca says it’ll invest $50 billion in the United States by 2030 as President Donald Trump threatens steep tariffs on drug imports.

Tech firms big and small have reportedly been hiring AI engineers away from other companies with salary offers worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Natasha Mascarenhas, reporter at The Information, explains how this is changing the economics of Silicon Valley and startup culture.

It’s kind of like digging a hole…

This week, some major companies will report their second quarter earnings, giving us insight into where this economy is headed.

Insurers are looking to raise premiums, and the enhanced federal subsidies that have made buying coverage more affordable are set to expire.

The stock market is not the economy, but it can help tell us how the economy’s doing.

Last week’s Beige Book noted the effects of poor growing conditions and stricter loan practices, among other things.

Monica Leo, managing director and lead puppeteer at the Eulenspiegel Puppet Theater Company in West Liberty, Iowa, talks about her craft and how she’s navigating a cloudy economy for the arts.

In Burlington, Vermont, extensive construction on Main Street has left many small businesses struggling to stay afloat.

Major League Baseball's Athletics are temporarily in Sacramento. How's it going so far?

Plus, a look at consumer spending through the tariff haze.

While the new spending and tax law boosted the Child Tax Credit by $200, child care costs have risen 30% since pre-COVID times.

President Donald Trump has threatened tariffs on drugs coming from overseas, but it might take more than that to reroute the global supply chain.

Oil production near Guyana is ramping up while production in places like the Permian Basin appears to be approaching a plateau.

Today, we'll map out pharmaceutical manufacturing and explore what it'd take to reshore drug supply chains.

From the BBC World Service: Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's governing coalition lost its majority in the upper house of parliament, but Ishiba said he's not going anywhere

President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” will roll back numerous Biden-era clean energy incentives aimed at energy production and manufacturing. Jeremy Michalek, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, says the global transition from fossil fuels to clean energy will happen regardless.