Marketplace

Productivity — the rate at which companies make what they make, or do what they do — has been a reliably bright spot in this economy. But wage growth hasn’t kept up. In this episode, what’s hampering compensation growth while overall productivity rises at a clip? Plus: Is AI actually to blame for recent layoffs? Is rising global debt bad news? And, the partial government shutdown will delay crucial employment data.

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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.

Activists called for a nationwide shutdown of economic activity Friday, Jan. 30, following another killing by immigration officials. But in this unforgiving economy, small business owners who support the cause faced a difficult decision. Today, a few told us how they navigated the moment. Plus: Sluggish big oil earnings show why Venezuela investment isn't popular, Trump announces his pick for Fed Chair, and parents pay a price for snow days.

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.

Electricity prices have increased by approximately 40% since 2021, far outpacing inflation. Despite AI data centers making headlines as energy-suckers, that price growth comes from a multitude of factors — including upticks in demand and aging infrastructure. In this episode, you aren’t alone in energy bill price hikes. Plus: Caterpillar benefits from all that AI infrastructure investment, private equity eyes a new form of health care, and salary “lowballing” in a tough job market may be tempting.

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.

We keep hearing how the U.S. dollar has been “weakening.” Put another way, the euro is getting stronger: It hit $1.20 earlier this week. But the language is a bit misleading — a stronger euro isn’t necesarily good news for people living in the European Union. In this episode, how currency fluctuation can mess with delicately balanced trade. Plus: Consumer confidence fell sharply among older Americans, the Federal Reserve held rates steady, and we checked in with a few businesses ahead of the Supreme Court decision on Trump’s tariffs.

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.

Artificial intelligence companies raised enormous amounts of money in 2025, and made major investments in development and infrastructure. What’s next? To understand more about the role AI could play in our futures, “Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal and “Marketplace Tech” host Meghan McCarty Carino visited an AI company and an AI data center in Silicon Valley. In this episode, the next phase of AI innovation won’t come without obstacles.

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.