Marketplace

OpenAI just announced it will delay its IPO due to ongoing AI safety concerns. But when you’re a company as big as OpenAI, where does your funding come from? In this episode, venture capital doesn’t cut it. Plus: Second quarter GDP was revised up thanks to all that corporate AI investment, Kai breaks down why the labor market is kinda like a bathtub, and farmers turn to agritainment as crop revenue shrinks.

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:

Second quarter GDP growth is brought to you by the letters A and I
Why full employment is like filling a bathtub with water
OpenAI delayed its IPO. That makes private investors happy
Corn mazes, apple picking, and hayrides: More farms are leaning into "agritourism"
Is your Dijon spicy? Heat and drought might be the cause
How "Neon Tom" made a 40-year career out of neon signs

Consumer confidence fell to a 12-year low in September, according to The Conference Board. The index has been trending down for a couple years, but this latest decline was steep. One reason? Upper-middle class respondents are starting to feel the pressure, too. Also in this episode: The economic forces behind GDP growth might run out of steam soon, the low-hire low-fire labor market marches on, and high diesel prices keep some Gulf shrimpers on dry land.

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:

How long can the economy keep growing?
The latest JOLTS survey shows more of the same low-hire, low-fire economy
Consumer confidence falls to its lowest level in 12 years, survey shows
The price tag might be an endangered species
High diesel prices force some Gulf shrimpers to stay docked
New career path, new baby, no problem

Apple used to be the leader in buying back shares. Now, Nvidia has broken the tech company’s record, announcing Monday that it would add $150 billion to its stock buyback program, on top of $80 billion pledged a few months ago. The chipmaker’s profits have continued to surge, as tech companies pour money into data centers and AI infrastructure. Is this a smart way for Nvidia to spend its money? More on Nvidia today, plus how a volunteer firefighter shortage is affecting a rural Wyoming county, why spending is predicted to soar this holiday season despite the energy crisis, and what economists are watching for in the jobs numbers coming out this week.

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 a big week for economic data. Here's what labor economists will be looking for.
Nvidia's record stock buyback funded by cash from the data center boom
There’s a national volunteer firefighter shortage. It’s on display in Wyoming
Early retirement isn't always a choice
Adobe forecasts record U.S. spending online this holiday season
The mall isn't dead, yet

What happens to government debt, the budget deficit, and the overall economy if interest rates stay elevated? For a new report, the Congressional Budget Office crunched the numbers. By 2056, public debt would grow to an eye-popping 222% of GDP. Plus: Trump administration cuts decimated soil conservation programs, a new report highlights the impact of private equity investments on climate risk, and an uneventful Trump-Xi summit ends with a promise of more talks to come.

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:

TTYL? Trump-Xi talks end without much to show
What happens to the deficit and the national debt if interest rates stay high?
U.S. farmers lost conservation experts in Trump’s federal cuts. Now they’re hurting for help
Private equity gets a grade on climate risks

As Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh attempts to limit forward guidance, analysts are zeroed in on other Fed officials’ public comments. Turns out, they’ve got plenty to say. In this episode, central bankers make their voices heard. Plus: Layoffs push workers to pivot careers entirely, catastrophe modelers warn a strong El Niño is brewing, and potato farmers struggle in the wake of an excellent growing season.

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:

Kevin Warsh is against forward guidance. But that hasn't stopped other Fed officials
Laid off? Odds are a change of job title's in your future
A "historic" El Niño is brewing and catastrophe modelers are mapping out the risks
A spectacular 2025 growing season was not so great for potato farmers this year