Marketplace Morning Report Stories

Later this week, we’ll get quarterly earnings from Costco, the nationwide warehouse-discounter. The chain offers a limited number of items — premium and private-label — priced to sell. So how is the company faring as it faces an ever-more competitive retail landscape for brick-and-mortar and online sales? Click the audio player above to hear the full […]

While the city of Amsterdam only has a population of around 850,000 people, it gets around 18 million visitors each year. That has consequences for the quality of life of the people who live there. To curb the worst effects for local people the city authorities are adopting some new measures, like limiting the number of days […]

As the summer travel season gets under way, a look at hotel security. One of the largest providers of hotel locking systems recently updated a bug in its software after a security company found its key cards, used in 7 million hotel rooms, could be hacked. What are options for hotels trying to ensure that […]

Despite Texas’ reputation as a business-friendly state, a survey last year from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas found access to capital is the number one concern for women and non-white small business owners in the state.   There’s a good reason for that. According to the U.S. Minority Business Development Agency, people of color are three […]

Last year was the most damaging hurricane season on record, with storms Harvey, Irma and Maria wreaking hundreds of millions of dollars of destruction across the United States. The 2018 season gets underway in June, and some forecasters are predicting a normal to above-normal season. What does that mean for getting flood insurance coverage? Click […]

Foreign visitors to the United States are on the decline after six straight years of growth, according to the Department of Commerce. Mexico is the U.S.’s second main source of visitors, but the number of travelers from there to the U.S. fell about 7.5 percent in September 2017, compared to the previous year. Some states are […]

There’s a shortage of existing homes for sale in some parts of the country and prices are going up steadily. Part of the problem is that people aren’t moving and there aren’t enough new homes being built.   Click the audio player above to hear the full story. 

Plastic straws could be banned in New York City if a new bill introduced in the city council this week goes through. Similar restrictions are being considered for California. Several cities there have already banned the plastic straw. And both the U.K. and Taiwan have announced plans to eliminate them. Today McDonald’s shareholders are scheduled […]