Marketplace

Diesel costs have nearly doubled over the last year, breaking record highs. In fact, some lawmakers are calling on the Trump administration to halt all diesel exports until they cool off. But experts say it's a recipe for price chaos that will leave us right back where we started. Also in this episode: A wide crude oil spread persists, butter and cheese become a bright spot on grocery receipts, and local bank consolidations leave customers frustrated.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

The difference between the "paper" price of Brent crude and what refiners pay for it
Trump and Xi meet this week. What can we expect?
As grocery prices rise, cheese and butter get cheaper
"Not such a good idea": How banning diesel exports to lower prices could backfire
As banks consolidate, some customers aren’t so sure they’re happy

President Trump will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, and AI safety is likely to define the agenda. But what about those pesky tariffs? In this episode, we lay out the fraught trade relationship between the U.S. and China. Plus: Airlines trim their flight schedules to combat high fuel prices, the price of copper may tell us less about global economic growth than it used to, and Ohio cities court recent grads looking for job opportunities and affordability.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

Trade tensions between U.S. and China simmer ahead of Trump-Xi summit
Is "Dr. Copper" becoming less reliable?
Starting a new career? Start in Ohio, report says
Airlines are trimming routes as fuel prices soar
Sorry brunch, but you're old news

The Trump administration has doubled down on its trade war with our neighbors to the North — the U.S. is set to ban the import of several Canadian products, including beer and whey protein, in a few weeks. Small businesses on both sides of the border are caught in the middle. In this episode, we visit a few of them to understand how they’re coping. Plus: Banks stand to lose money as Treasury bond yields keep rising, Linkedin has changed the job hunt in this tight labor market, and we break down the week’s economic headlines.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

The Fed makes a move
Rising rates mean Treasurys are worth less. That's putting pressure on banks
As the U.S.-Canada trade war heats up, businesses find themselves caught in the crossfire
Do you need to be a "LinkedIn lunatic" for your career?
She sold her home, just to keep living in it

Retail sales jumped 1.2% in August after falling in July. But building materials stores — think Home Depot or Lowe’s — still saw a dip. That’s because stretched consumers are putting off “nice-to-haves,” like home renovations. Also in this episode: The future of global energy demand will be driven by a mix of renewables and fossil fuels, high school students take a new AP class melding business and personal finance, and neighbors organize to cooperatively buy their mobile home park.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

The countries driving energy demand growth can't wait for renewables to get cheaper
Kevin Warsh isn't a "data point-dependent guy"
Home improvement stores take a housing market hit
High schoolers take new AP business with personal finance class
Residents of a mobile home park try to buy their community before someone else does
Turning a childhood home into a place to share with strangers

The yield on 10-year T-notes climbed to its highest point since 2007 on Wednesday, as the Fed raised its key rate for the first time since July 2023. Swirling inflation and uncertainty have put all eyes on the bond market. So what’s it like to be a bond trader, suddenly at the center of attention? In this episode, we check in with a few of them. Plus: Higher borrowing costs will likely further stall the housing market, we explain “fiscal dominance,” and young people navigate “repayment avoidance.”

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

What it's like to work in the bond market these days
A Fed rate hike will make buying a home even more expensive
Surviving a stroke meant leaving her career behind
What “fiscal dominance” would mean for the U.S. economy
Venmo ghosting, just in time for spooky season