Author: Marketplace

The government reported today that 147,000 more people were on payrolls in June compared to May — a stronger outcome than initially forecasted. This data comes despite all the tariff-related uncertainty that many business execs have been speaking about lately. We’ll discuss. Plus, AI scraping could fundamentally break the business model of the internet, and an oasis of merch and pop-up stores is appearing ahead of the Oasis reunion tour kick-off.

Rebuilding a business after a natural disaster can be slow and arduous. That’s certainly the case in Asheville, North Carolina, where Hurricane Helene engulfed hundreds of structures in mud, water and debris last fall. In some parts of the city, damage was so severe that many businesses won't rebuild. Others, however, believe it’s worth the risk and are rebuilding with resilience in mind. But first: a U.S. trade deal with Vietnam, and resumed semiconductor chip business with China.

From the BBC World Service: President Donald Trump says that under the deal, goods from Vietnam will face a 20% tariff — significantly lower than the 46% levy he announced in April. Then, seen as a safe-haven, platinum has been riding high recently. Last week, it climbed above $1,400 per troy ounce for the first time since September 2014. And the long-awaited Oasis reunion tour kicks off in Wales on Friday. We'll check out the merch economy.

In today’s episode, Marketplace’s Nova Safo speaks with Sharon Lurye, a data reporter at the Associated Press, about her recent investigation into “ghost students” — scammers who use AI to pretend to be college students in order to steal financial aid and loan money.

Consumer spending sputtered in May, likely thanks to tariffs and related uncertainty. Not only does that give us a clue as to where GDP is headed, it could also help us predict the labor market's next move. Later in this episode: Slowed hiring could have a silver lining (depending on your perspective), the U.S. dollar is down 10% so far this year, and we visit a pop-up brewery focused on racial equity.

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On today’s show, we’ll discuss some headlines that might’ve slipped under the radar this week. First, most staff at the U.S. Agency for International Deveopment officially marked their final day with the agency. What might the dismantling of USAID mean for U.S. influence abroad? Plus, school districts are scrambling as federal education dollars are on hold. Then, we’ll smile about Andy Weir’s latest sci-fi novel being adapted for the big screen and the WNBA expanding into more cities!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Bush, Obama and Bono Commend USAID Staff Members on Their Last Day” from The New York Times
• “The US says 'little to show‘ for six-decade aid agency. Supporters point to millions of lives saved” from The Associated Press
• “USAID cuts could lead to 14 million deaths over the next five years, researchers say” from NBC News
• “Education Department freezes cash for school districts, teacher training, migrant students” from POLITICO
• “Watch the first trailer for ‘Project Hail Mary’” from Popular Science
• “WNBA adds three more franchises as league’s popularity continues to grow” from The Washington Post
• “‘Friendship’ Review: Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd Hit Maximum Cringe” from The New York Times

If you have a question, give us a call: 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org

The House of Representatives could vote as soon as today on President Donald Trump’s big tax and spending bill. Trump says the legislation gets rid of taxes on Social Security benefits, but it’s not quite that simple. We'll unpack. Then, we’ll discuss this morning’s surprisingly weak private payroll data. And, we'll travel to London ahead of the city's Pride festival, which has been hit by declining corporate sponsorship.

An ADP report providing a reading on the strength of the job market comes out today. Meanwhile, another measure shows the labor market treading water: job churn. Do we have the confidence to leave and take a different job? Amid continued economic uncertainty, many workers seem to be staying put, and employers seem hesitant to let workers go. Also on the show: the financial burden of deployment for military families.

From the BBC World Service: Australia, India, Japan, and the U.S. have launched a new push to secure supplies of critical minerals, especially the "rare earths" used in many tech products. Pride events in both the U.S. and the United Kingdom have been hit by falling corporate sponsorship. What effect will this have on events? Plus, the Australian airline Qantas says it's investigating a data breach, although it insists flights won’t be impacted.

What once was taboo has now gone mainstream. As television and print audiences have dwindled over recent years, social media is now the No. 1 place for Americans to get their news updates.

Detailed in the report from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford, Americans across the political spectrum are using social media for news consumptions over traditional avenues. However, conservative influencers have seen the largest audiences and most engagement.

Marketplace’s Nova Safo spoke with Nic Newman, a co-author of the report, to talk about the state of news consumption in the U.S.

More on this

“Overview and key findings of the 2025 Digital News Report” — from the Reuters Institute and the University of Oxford