Week of January 26th, 2026

Plus: Snow days, big oil earnings, and non-alcoholic cocktails.

Sometimes there are real calculations behind its tariff rates. But those calculations don’t make sense to economists.

What you need to know before watching the Milan Cortina Games.

Exxon Mobil and Chevron posted their lowest annual profits since 2021 in their earnings reports on Friday, a sign that now is not really a time when big oil is looking to make any kinds of sizeable investments in new oil production.

People have participated in collective work stoppages to raise the pressure on employers for more than 150 years.

Amber Suzanne Pennington, co-owner of Free Spirited in Alhambra, California, talks about opening up her sober craft cocktail lounge, how she’s managing increased prices, and her plans to hire soon.

This week’s winter storm means working parents tried to do their day jobs with kids in the mix.

Many businesses who support the shutdown are considering their options: Stay open because they can't afford to lose the income, close and absorb the costs, or stay open and devote some proceeds to immigration causes.

A campaign against ICE is asking people to “join a nationwide day of no school, no work and no shopping.” 

In an interview on Fox News, Warsh said he thinks the new Fed chair needs to go in and break some heads.

Today, we’re digging into the background and perspective for President Donald Trump’s next pick for chair of the Federal Reserve, Kevin Warsh.

Ever since the Civil War, unions and others have used mass slowdowns and work stoppages to advocate for changing things, especially in times of economic uncertainty.

More recently, Kevin Warsh has become harshly critical of the Fed, calling for “regime change” at the central bank.

Today, we head back to the classroom to hear about finlit lesson plans, as a growing number of students voice skepticism about capitalism.

From the BBC World Service: Panama’s Supreme Court has annulled a contract allowing for a Hong Kong company to operate two ports on the major shipping route.

A growing number of states require high schools to teach the basics of free-market capitalism in their financial literacy courses. Here’s how teachers and students are tackling the subject.

Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino speaks with Professor David A. Kirsch, co-author of the book "Bubbles and Crashes: The Boom and Bust of Technological Innovation" to discuss the AI boom and whether it could go bust.

“It's something I've done myself and have seen amongst other younger female job seekers,” said freelance writer Megan Robinson. “But in my own case, and in the other women I interviewed, it didn't help any of us get a job.”

Electricity prices have increased by approximately 40% since 2021, one report showed. Plus: salary lowballing, social media lawsuits, and AI infrastructure investment.

In trials starting this week, Meta and YouTube will defend themselves against claims that their social media platforms are knowingly addictive and harmful to children.

Haitian workers play a key role in the U.S. health care sector. Soon, they could lose their right to work.

There are a multitude of reasons including an aging electric grid, the rising price of natural gas, and other factors accelerating demand.

Data centers are built on 21st-century technology, but they’re often powered by 20th-century engines.

The Senate just voted down a bill that would allocate an additional $10 billion to the agency. 

Consumers can now use health savings accounts dollars for direct primary care fees, making the business model more attractive to investors.

As more hospitals stop offering transition-related care to trans kids, some providers are trying to find solutions.

The number of Latino-owned businesses grew almost seven times faster than non-Latino companies from 2007 to 2023.

The Trump administration held a summit yesterday, all about Trump Accounts. What are they and who do they benefit?

The accounts are not opened automatically. Families must opt to open them — and experts worry that some low-income kids may get left out.

Today, we hear how federal attempts to end gender-affirming care for people under 19 is impacting health care providers.

From the BBC World Service: Chinese President Xi Jinping told U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer that Beijing is ready to develop a long-term strategic partnership.

Redwood Materials, an EV battery recycling startup, recently expanded its operations to offer energy solutions to AI data centers.

What would you sacrifice to raise your kids a certain way?

It could make some European exports prohibitively expensive for other nations. Plus: Amazon Web Services, consumer confidence, and Fed Chair Powell.

It all has to do with your perspective: how much you remember what things used to cost and how far in the future you're planning.

It makes European exports more expensive at a time when European economies are already anemic.

Two officials dissented from the decision, with governors Stephen Miran and Christopher Waller preferring another quarter-point reduction.

After years of concerns about safety and quality control, especially involving the 737 Max, Boeing’s airplane delivery numbers are up.

Are economic forecasts worth paying attention to? Are they a waste of time? Maybe a little bit of both?

The U.S. has tightened vetting of foreign visitors — and banned them outright from four participating nations. But there is a special visa program for FIFA ticketholders.

Economic forecasts tend to be unreliable. The news is fast paced, and predictions can quickly grow stale. But there’s still something to be gained.

There's a chance that the federal government will shut down late this week over reform and funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which includes ICE.

From the BBC World Service: Cisco’s Chuck Robbins is warning of “carnage" if a bubble in AI share prices bursts.

Paul Vixie, an early internet innovator, takes us on a trip down memory lane, to a time when the dot-com boom led to a rapid expansion of internet infrastructure similar to what we're seeing today with AI.

Kai Ryssdal and Meghan McCarty Carino visit a future data center and an AI startup for a look at our AI future — and the trade-offs that come with it.

“Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal and “Marketplace Tech” host Meghan McCarty Carino visit an AI company and an AI data center in Silicon Valley.

Where do Transatlantic relations go from here?

The Trump administration has floated a proposal that would allow homebuyers to withdraw from their retirement plans.

President Donald Trump has a laundry list of plans to make housing more affordable, but more homes need to be constructed.

President Trump is rolling out plans to tackle housing affordability. Along with a series of policy proposals, he continues to pressure the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates.

Tesla, Microsoft, Meta, and Apple all report Q4 results this week. Investors will be watching closely for how billions in investment in AI has impacted their bottom lines.

Freezing temperatures and ice of the past weekend have impacted industries from timber to sugar cane, crawfish to cattle.

This morning: a check-in on agricultural sectors, a look at U.S. insurance company stocks, and the evolving state of federal student loans.

From the BBC World Service: India and the European Union have agreed to a major trade deal after nearly two decades of on-and-off negotiations.

For nearly a century, 529 Bryant Street in Palo Alto, California, has been an information connection point.

Also in this episode: Durable goods orders, the price of gold, and we tour an urban AI data center.

U.S. dollars and treasuries seem to be losing their luster, comparatively.

New durable goods orders shot up more than 5% in November, according to delayed federal data.

While people may find the tools useful and impressive, many simultaneously worry about job displacement, deskilling, the breakdown of human connection, and the rise of data centers.

As AI increases demand for data centers, many will get built in dense metropolitan areas close to where people live and work.

How can advertisers get in front of users when AI is making click-throughs less common?

Today, we’ll discuss the Senate's defense bill, the Japanese yen, and the hiring outlook for the year ahead.

The bill represents a 1% increase over last year, but additional government funding will bring the defense budget close to $1 trillion.

Along with the economic impact in the Italian host cities of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, NBCUniversal says it has more advertisers lined up for their broadcasts than any past Winter Olympics.

Some smaller businesses in Minnesota have temporarily closed or reduced hours as employees and customers worry about being stopped or profiled by ICE.

Employees and customers are staying home, business owners are cutting hours, and entire communities are feeling the ripple effects of the ICE crackdown.

From the BBC World Service: A group of European countries is committing to build an offshore wind power grid in the North Sea.

From massive data centers to minuscule fiber optic cables, the AI economy depends on infrastructure.