Author: Marketplace

The Senate is working through the massive tax and spending bill. The House has passed its version, but the two plans still have to be reconciled. Today, we'll dig into what the legislation could mean for your own personal tax bill and the national deficit. Also on the show: Inflation remains tame despite pricier shipping rates, and booming sales of the Nintendo Switch 2 bode well for the gaming industry.

Many labor unions were once wary of immigrants, viewing them as low-cost competitors for union jobs. Now, changing demographics and common interests have resulted in unions playing a more prominent role in immigrant workforces and communities. We'll hear more. Plus, a bill before the House would claw back more than $9 billion in funding, and a United Nations report shows nearly 138 million children are working worldwide.

From the BBC World Service: U.S. President Donald Trump's economic policies have rattled markets and dented consumer confidence. Few corners of the American market have been spared, from fast food chains to high-profile horse racing events — including the Preakness Stakes, one of three races comprising the Triple Crown. We went along last month to learn what the attitude of race-goers can reveal about the current economic mood. Plus, a review of Washington's multibillion-dollar submarine deal with Britain and Australia.

Building work has started in the Finnish capital Helsinki on what’s expected to become the biggest startup campus in Europe. Finland’s government says it wants the small Nordic nation to offer the best startup ecosystem in Europe. The BBC’s Maddy Savage has this story.

Prices rose 0.1% in May, according to the latest consumer price index — that’s less than some analysts anticipated. It seems tariffs haven’t quite hit consumers’ wallets yet. We’ll explain what might be going on. Later in the episode: Retailers have cut close to 76,000 jobs so far this year, a 274% increase from the same period in 2025, and Kai and Nela visit a truss manufacturer juggling H2-B visas, automation and tariffs.

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President Trump announced a new trade deal with China after days of negotiations. Here’s the thing: Trump’s tariffs on China will stay the same. So what did the two countries actually agree to? We’ll get into it. And, after Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired a panel of experts that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccines, doctors and insurance companies are wondering who they should look to for guidance. Plus, a life-sized stuffed moose on Capitol Hill makes us smile.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Trump Hails Progress With China, but Details Are Sketchy"  from The New York Times
• "RFK Jr. just fired the government’s vaccine experts. What do you do now?" from Vox
• "Former CDC director reacts to RFK Jr.’s firing of entire vaccine advisory panel" from PBS News
• "If you move a moose through the Senate" from Roll Call

• "An 84-Year-Old Woman on a Pony Inspires Awe—and Concern—in the U.K." from The Wall Street Journal

  
  

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Hurricane season starts in two and a half weeks. Last year, hurricanes caused $124 billion in damage. This year, the Trump administration is making cuts to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Today, we head to Houston to hear how community "hub houses" offer support during disasters. Plus, the U.S and China appear back on track toward a trade truce and Trump administration policies are causing chaos for rural solar businesses.

A summertime gig can be a rite of passage for many, and summer hiring of teenagers crests right about now. Seasonal jobs may be harder to find this year though amid tariffs, travel restrictions and general economic uncertainty. And when teens don't find a summer job, there can be long-term consequences. Also on the show: the Forest Service is down firefighters ahead of wildfire season and a look at what's next for cooling U.S.-China trade relations.

From the BBC World Service: The U.S. and China say that, during talks in London, they’ve sketched out a framework to dial down their trade fight after slapping big tariffs on each other. But those trade tensions aren’t doing the global economy any favors; the World Bank has slashed its global growth forecast. And later, we hear how a tea plantation in India is fighting climate change with rock dust.

There's a trial run taking place over a type of digital wallet for data. Consumers are in control, and they can sell their data to the highest bidder. This trial run is taking place in Brazil, the first country to try something like this on a national scale. Marketplace’s Nova Safo spoke with Sao Paolo-based journalist Gabriel Daros. He's been covering the story for the news site Rest of World.