PLAY PODCASTS
Marketplace Minute

Marketplace Minute

50 episodes

Consumer sentiment declines

Consumers feel frustrated with inflation; Surveyed economists think inflation would worsen under Donald Trump; Dollar General reaches a safety settlement.

Jul 12, 20241 min

Wholesale inflation rose in June, even as consumer prices fell

The producer price index increased 0.2%; economists worried Trump will worsen inflation, WSJ survey finds; PepsiCo, Conagra signal limits to price increases; IMF predicts Fed rate cuts by end of year.

Jul 12, 20241 min

Higher prices eat into snack sales

Markets close mixed; PepsiCo blames “price conscious” shoppers for falling sales; Mortgage rates tick down; GM will retool a Michigan plant for EVs, with federal help.

Jul 11, 20241 min

Consumer prices decline for the first time in four years

The consumer price index fell 0.1% between May and June; initial jobless claims remain low at 222,000; Biden administration to distribute $1.7 billion to modernize old auto plants; Apple to open Apple Pay to competitors in two weeks.

Jul 11, 20241 min

Powell says rate decisions won’t be influenced by the election

Stocks close higher; Powell says the election won’t impact rate decisions; Wholesale inventories rise; Intuit pivots to AI.

Jul 10, 20241 min

Biden administration imposes new steel, aluminum tariffs

The tariffs cover steel and aluminum shipped from Mexico, but made elsewhere; Powell opens door to interest rate cuts; Microsoft leaves OpenAI board; Samsung workers in South Korea go on strike.

Jul 10, 20241 min

Powell testifies before Congress

Markets mixed; Powell says labor market has cooled; Drug middlemen under fire; Non-alcoholic beer brand doubles in value.

Jul 9, 20241 min

Small business owners are a bit more optimistic

A measure of small business optimism hit its highest point of the year in June; Hurricane Beryl leaves Texas oil infrastructure largely unscathed; Purdue Pharma creditors ask for authorization to sue Sackler family members; Boeing 737 planes to be inspected for potential faulty oxygen mask systems.

Jul 9, 20241 min

Stocks extend run

Markets hit new highs; Markets anticipate inflation data; Corning pops on AI strength; TSA screens record number passengers.

Jul 8, 20241 min

Boeing is set to plead guilty to criminal fraud

Boeing deal covers conduct before Max crashes; Texas ports, oil platforms close as Hurricane Beryl strikes; Skydance, Paramount agree to merger; France, Britain elect left-leaning leaders promising economic improvements.

Jul 8, 20241 min

Unemployment ticks up

Markets hit new highs; Unemployment rose to 4.1% in June; Fed report emphasizes independence; Air travel complaints rise.

Jul 5, 20241 min

There’s a bit less sizzle in the labor market

The Labor Department said today that 206,000 new jobs were created in June and the May jobs number was revised down; wages rose 0.3% last month; stocks, bonds and the British pound all rose today after the Labour Party’s resounding victory; Saks Fifth Avenue is buying Neiman Marcus Group.

Jul 5, 20241 min

Fed to wait and see on inflation

Markets hit new highs; Fed minutes show a wait and see approach to rate cuts; Labor market shows more signs of slowing; Skydance-Paramount deal back on.

Jul 3, 20241 min

Lower travel costs mean we’ll be doing more of it this Fourth of July

A record 71 million expected to travel during holiday period, AAA forecasts; continuing claims continue to climb; trade deficit widened in May; auto sales were sluggish in May.

Jul 3, 20241 min

Fed guarded on rate cut

Markets hit new highs; Fed Chair says more cooling needed before rate cut; Google’s emissions grew 50% since 2019; FTC blocks mattress deal.

Jul 2, 20241 min

U.S. employers increased job openings

Job openings rose to 8.1 million; American Airlines pledges to buy hydrogen-electric engines; Redbox parent company files for bankruptcy protection; Google to require ID of political ads that use AI content.

Jul 2, 20241 min

SCOTUS skeptical on social media constraints

Markets up; SCOTUS asks lower courts to review Florida and Texas social media laws; Manufacturing contracts again; Roaring Kitty sued.

Jul 1, 20241 min

Property insurance companies are facing lower costs

Global reinsurance rates are declining, which could save home insurers money; Boeing to recombine with Spirit Aerosystems; California law to take effect in effort to track gun purchases; major banks hike dividends after passing Fed stress tests.

Jul 1, 20241 min

Supreme Court curbs regulators

Markets slip; Supreme Court curtails federal agencies; Nike takes a hit; Tractor Supply ditches DEI.

Jun 28, 20241 min

Inflation cooled in May

The Fed’s preferred inflation gauge shows 2.6% annual gain, getting closer to the target 2%; inflation, economy were big topics in last night’s debate, with both Trump and Biden claiming successes; debate response muted in overseas markets; federal judge levies nearly $5 billion in antitrust damages against NFL.

Jun 28, 20241 min

Supreme Court rules on opioid settlement, SEC powers

Markets inch up; Supreme Court throws wrench in Purdue Pharma bankruptcy; SEC powers limited; another AI lawsuit.

Jun 27, 20241 min

A number of economic indicators are pointing to a lull

Business investment in new capital goods fell in May; continuing jobless claims rose to the highest level in almost three years; Q1 GDP growth revised higher, but still slow; Boeing sanctioned over release of Max investigation details.

Jun 27, 20241 min

Amazon is now in the $2 trillion club

Markets finish up; Amazon joins an exclusive club; Supreme Court rules for Biden; home sales slump.

Jun 26, 20241 min

An ongoing cyber attack likely dented auto sales, industry report says

June auto sales are forecast to be down as much 7%; higher interest rates and crushing debt causes chaos in Kenya; union representing film, TV crews reached labor deal with Hollywood studios; Verizon bundles streaming services to hang onto cable internet customers.

Jun 26, 20241 min

Consumer confidence takes slight dip

Another muddled day for Wall Street; consumer confidence weakens; Tesla and Ford issue recalls; Google’s self-driving cars expand in San Francisco.

Jun 25, 20241 min

Airline passenger volumes are hitting new records

Busy July Fourth air travel to kick off strong summer; global workforce still quitting for greener pastures; home prices continue to climb; Spain removes tax on olive oil, in inflation fight.

Jun 25, 20241 min

Record labels sue AI music companies

Mixed bag for Wall Street; RIAA alleges copyright infringement by AI; fast-fashion giant Shein may relocate IPO out of U.S.; Ozempic plant to open in North Carolina.

Jun 24, 20241 min

The Federal Reserve is testing banks’ ability to withstand economic shocks

The Fed is scheduled to release the results of its annual bank stress tests on Wednesday; the European Union is charging Apple with antitrust violations; the Treasury Department is creating a new affordable housing fund; more U.S. car dealerships say they’re being impacted by a cyberattack.

Jun 24, 20241 min

Existing home prices hit a record

Stocks close mostly down; The median price of existing homes keeps climbing; Four major banks need to revise their “living wills; Jet fuel production rises amid the summer travel season.

Jun 21, 20241 min

U.S. economy appears to be on solid ground

S&P Global’s flash PMI reading hits 26-month high; TikTok strikes back at U.S. divestiture law; China asks Visa, Mastercard to lower fees; campaign donations poured into presidential race in May.

Jun 21, 20241 min

Housing starts drop to a four-year low

Markets close mixed; New housing construction drops to the lowest level since 2020; TikTok argues against a ban in court; Car dealerships grapple with a software outage.

Jun 20, 20241 min

Nvidia is now the world’s most valuable public company

The chipmaker’s market value surpasses Microsoft’s; Russia’s Putin signs trade deals with Vietnam; Supreme Court upholds tax on foreign investments; OpenAI founder Sutskever starts new A.I. company, promising safety focus.

Jun 20, 20241 min

EV startup Fisker files for bankruptcy

Stock markets rise; manufacturing output goes up; EV startup Fisker goes bankrupt; Nvidia becomes world’s most valuable company.

Jun 18, 20241 min

Consumers snap shut their wallets

The Commerce Department says retail sales last month rose just a tenth of a percent last month; New York Fed Chair John Williams says the economy is moving in the right direction; another whistleblower for Boeing; a new poll shows about half of Americans say it’s extremely or very important for the government to provide debt relief for medical bills.

Jun 18, 20241 min

Nasdaq, S&P 500 hit record highs

Stocks climb to new heights; The Justice Department sues Adobe; China launches a retaliatory investigation into European pork imports; Ultium workers ratify a new contract..

Jun 17, 20241 min

An encouraging report on manufacturing

The New York Fed’s June Empire State Manufacturing Survey is out this morning; Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari says predictions the Federal Reserve won’t cut interest rates until December are “reasonable;” the U.S. surgeon general calls for a warning label on social media; Disney estimates the new “Inside Out 2” film made $155 million.

Jun 17, 20241 min

Consumer sentiment slips

Markets mostly flat; Consumer sentiment down again; Congressional inquiry into Boeing; Cava shares grew 300% in first year.

Jun 14, 20241 min

Import prices provide another encouraging inflation sign

Import prices in May fell 0.4%; U.S. manufacturers and labor group urge quicker China import tariffs; possible fake titanium used in Airbus, Boeing planes, The New York Times says.

Jun 14, 20241 min

Tesla shareholders vote

Markets mixed; Tesla shareholders likely approve Elon Musk’s pay package; SCOTUS ruling could affect unionization; GameStop shareholder meeting overloads servers.

Jun 13, 20241 min

Producer prices decline in further sign of cooling inflation

The producer price index in May fell 0.2%; jobless claims rise to 10-month high, but still at a healthy level; Federal Reserve signals just one interest rate cut in 2024; G7 leaders agree to $50 billion Ukraine loan backed by Russian assets.

Jun 13, 20241 min

Fed holds back on rate cuts

Markets mixed; Fed signals one rate cut this year; Inflation cools in May; Sony buying Alamo Draft House theater chain.

Jun 12, 20241 min

Consumer prices rose at a slower rate in May

The consumer price index rose 3.3% in May; gas prices decline 9 cents in a week, AAA says; mortgage applications jump as interest rates dip; E.U. moves closer to hiking tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.

Jun 12, 20241 min

All eyes on inflation and the Fed

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq closed at record highs for a second straight day; Federal Reserve governors began a two-day interest-rate-setting meeting; Apple unveiled its latest AI play.

Jun 11, 20241 min

Small businesses are more optimistic

The Small Business Optimism Index hit a high for 2024; federal agencies team up to stop illegal e-cigarette sales; Apple unveils A.I. features; GameStop stock rally appears to be ending.

Jun 11, 20241 min

Apple joins AI race

Markets climb; Apple announces AI features; Activist investor shakes up Southwest; WNBA gets Caitlin Clark boost.

Jun 10, 20241 min

Wall Street firms predict September interest rate cut

Latest predictions come as Fed officials prepare to meet; Nvidia completes stock split; Norway sovereign wealth fund is latest shareholder to oppose Tesla’s Musk pay; Supreme Court to hear Meta appeal of lawsuit sparked by Cambridge Analytica scandal.

Jun 10, 20241 min

Job growth surprise

Markets edge down; May jobs report shows strong growth; Emissions standards less ambitious; GameStop plunges despite meme stock attention.

Jun 7, 20241 min

The monthly jobs report paints a brighter picture than expected

The economy added 272,000 jobs in May; Fed officials to meet next week; GameStop announces quarterly sales decline; China’s exports increase.

Jun 7, 20241 min

Markets steady

Markets were steady; Initial jobless claims rise; European Central Bank lowers rates; AI companies investigated.

Jun 6, 20241 min

Solar power generation hits milestone in U.S.

The U.S. added a record amount of new solar energy generation, an industry report says; European Central Bank lowers its key interest rate; initial jobless claims inch up to 229,000; Nvidia overtakes Apple as second most valuable company in the world.

Jun 6, 20241 min