Marketplace

Though first-time unemployment filings barely ticked up last week, continuing claims hit a high not seen since 2021 and nearly 1.9 million Americans are receiving jobless benefits. What gives? A mix of hiring freezes, the time of year and choosy job seekers. Also in this episode: We compare today’s labor market to how things looked just before the pandemic began. Plus, three cities where rents are falling and a visit to a 24-hour diner.

How is the consumer-spending sausage made? Not impulsively — today’s shoppers are value- and credit-savvy. Procter & Gamble attributed its sales growth to bulk purchases against a backdrop of rising consumer debt delinquencies. Is the strong, spendy economy not what it seems? Also in this episode: Cash donations may be the best way to help LA fire victims, a poorly worded Trump executive order puts transportation officials in a tizzy and an apple farmer talks about immigration and the labor supply.

President Donald Trump’s first day back in office came with dozens of executive orders and announcements. In this episode, we dig into why some of these decisions aren’t in domestic industries’ best interests. A 25% tax on goods from Canada and Mexico could create havoc in American automakers’ spiderwebbed production chain, and plans to boost domestic oil production could actually undermine profitability. Plus: Netflix’s subscriber numbers and a steel mill byproduct is a natural form of carbon capture tech.

The economic data of the last few months has reflected more than the typical turbulence. Labor strikes, natural disasters and political uncertainty have affected  consumer sentiment surveys, producer prices, mortgage rates and more. In this episode, we asked economists how they’re separating the significant from the irrelevant. Plus, Sudeep Reddy at Politico talks Trump’s economic messaging, Los Angeles wildfires intensify the region’s housing shortage and bond yields are up globally.