You know how wages have, on average, stagnated when you account for inflation? Well there’s one group that saw some actual wage growth last month: Job changers. Pay growth for people who switched jobs was 7% in July, according to ADP. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean the entire labor market is heating up — some in-demand labor sectors might be accounting for most of that bump. Also in this episode: Gen Z bucks the K-shaped economy trend, insurance billing errors can add up for employers, and Kai visits a used EV auction.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:Job-changers are seeing their highest wage increases in nearly a yearGen Z is spending more across all income bracketsIn healthcare, catching errors from insurers is a growing industryThe entrepreneur building a marketplace for used EVs

In July, the manufacturing sector grew at its fastest month-to-month rate in four years. A new tax law likely boosted company spending to some degree, but AI investment packed the biggest punch — demand is strong and the money is flowing. Also in this episode: McDonald’s suffers a sales slump, the latest JOLTS data points to a steadily improving labor market, and Kai talks to one economist behind a Trump administration investment tracker.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:Manufacturing sector benefits from continued AI demandTracking down the Trump administration's $27.6 billion in investmentsWhy job openings have been rising slowly this yearMcDonald's sales soften as diners spend cautiouslyWhere did China's oil imports go?

Permian Basin oil companies are reporting strong quarterly earnings, as the Iran war keeps prices up and supply restricted. West Texas, formerly in a slump, has seen an uptick in hiring and new rigs. But oil companies are moving cautiously — they want to avoid a bust after the boom. Also in this episode, more caution: Small businesses carefully weigh workforce expansion, the U.S. invests billions to prop up the Japanese yen, and a Colorado peach farmer preps for a water shortage.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:Why did the U.S. just spend billions to prop up the Japanese yen?What the bond market is trying to tell usHow small- and medium-sized firms are navigating this labor market momentBecoming a freelance court reporter helped this mom find herselfHigh oil prices lift all boats in the Permian Basin, but companies remain cautiousPeaches pay the bills for Western Colorado farmers, but drought makes their future uncertain

Amazon’s autonomous vehicle company, Zoox, can now roll out 2,500 of its vehicles annually in the next two years. Are more robotic cars coming, or will there be more speed bumps? But first, we’ll look at the market impact of the Fed’s decision to keep interest rates steady in our Weekly Wrap. Plus, the effect of rising health insurance costs for employers, a retiree returning to the workforce for a family business, and a look at how Boulder, Colorado is making room for the Sundance Film Festival.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:Weekly Wrap: Kevin Warsh's dilemma on interest ratesRising health insurance costs may take a bite out of your paycheckLeaving retirement for a new family businessAmazon's self-driving Zoox taxis are about to hit the roadsWhen a legendary film festival comes to Colorado, will homeowners open their doors?

Since 2020, the cost of groceries has risen 26%. But contrary to what you might think, cash-strapped consumers aren’t necessarily staying away from pricier options. In this episode, why Americans are doubling down on organic — even as the cost of their overall grocery haul rises. Plus: Why more customers are choosing chargebacks, what economists predict about inflation two years from now, and how a Maine nonprofit is bringing lobstering to the next generation.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 doesn't have an inflation crystal ball, but it does have "sticky-price CPI"In spite of price hike fatigue, consumers are still snapping up organic foodsCredit card chargebacks are on the rise — part of the reason is fraudMultiple wars drive up the price of diesel"Never would have expected to be here": Young Mainers consider the lobster

The Trump administration’s war in the Middle East has driven up fuel prices globally. As drivers pay more at the pump, some oil-rich states like New Mexico and Alaska are experiencing a tax revenue windfall. In this episode, one man’s gas spend becomes another man’s state budget booster. Plus: The Fed holds rates steady despite internal disagreement, “kidulting” and collectibles fuel growth in the toy retail space, and a line dancing resurgence driven by social media launches one instructor’s boot scootin’ career.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:Oil-producing states benefit from war-driven windfallAdults are spending big on toysWhat happens if the AI bubble pops?How one entrepreneur is riding a wave in popularity for line dancing

President Trump insists his economic policies have supported a reshoring of manufacturing jobs. At a rally held at a Michigan GM facility on Monday, he doubled down. In reality, the U.S. has lost 75,000 manufacturing jobs since Trump took office in 2025. In this episode, we fact check the President’s claims, and consider the future of Michigan’s auto industry. Plus: Companies begin to offer insurance for AI mistakes, the U.S. trade deficit shrank a bit in June, and UPS winds down its Amazon delivery fulfilment partnership.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:Trump says his aggressive trade policy is bringing back factory jobs. Is it?No really, what is Kevin Warsh thinking?New insurance products cover damages caused by AIUPS and FedEx are moving from higher volumes to higher marginsThe trade deficit fell in June, but remains highAs mortgage rates stay high, this lender is seeing buyers accept the new normal

More than 330,000 Haitians lost their ability to legally live and work in the U.S. this week. A recent Supreme Court ruling allowed the Trump administration to end Temporary Protected Status for refugees from certain countries. In this episode, why the policy change will deliver a swift blow to the healthcare sector. Plus: Economists weigh the Fed’s next interest rate move, businesses report cautious optimism in new survey, and a Baltimore club redistributes wealth to neighbors in need.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:Economists share their Fed expectationsBusinesses report optimism, despite all the economic uncertaintyA new kind of club wants people to share the wealthWhat the end of TPS for Haitians could mean for the labor forceTo reduce their climate impact, airlines target contrailsCircus school balances world-class programs with small town values

Intel’s sales jumped by 25% last quarter, the largest increase in over a decade — making the U.S. government’s stake in the company around $40 billion after the administration invested last year. In this episode: Was Trump’s Intel deal a win-win? Plus: Why Gen Z’s not drinking regular soda, rates on business loans might climb, and a 63-year-old pivoted to statue restoration after a career in tech.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:Weekly Wrap: Are tariffs just white noise?Rates on business loans have held steady, but they might climb soonIntel is booming a year after the U.S. government bought a stake. Is that a win-win?Mushroom soda and other functional drinks make a splash in the beverage marketHow a 63-year-old took statue restoration from a side hustle to full-time job

Sounds rosy, right? Not if you’re long-term unemployed, underemployed, or a new grad. In this episode, the labor market’s low-hire, low-fire status quo reaches a new extreme. Plus: States sue over new Medicaid work requirement protocols, Uber lays off a tenth of its customer service workers with plans to replace them with AI chatbots, and a family travel boom reshapes luxury resorts.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:It's still a tight job market, despite record-low initial unemployment claimsAs yields on Treasury notes rise, the bond market is changingStates sound alarm over new Medicaid work requirement ruleAn AI customer service agent will take your call nowThe life of a Hollywood freelancerFamilies are crashing honeymoon hot spots