Author: Marketplace

The Tea app is a place for women to share red or green flags about men, but it recently suffered a major data breach. Plus, why some members of Congress are protesting a deal with China to allow Nvidia to sell its H20 chips to the country. And YouTube is rolling out new age estimation technology to protect younger users. Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino is joined by Maria Curi, tech policy reporter at Axios, to discuss all this.

Employers announced around 62,000 job cuts in July, according to a report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas. That’s up nearly a third from June, and more than double the number of July 2024 layoffs. In this episode, we dissect whether this just a blip, or something to stress about. Plus: Federal data erosion comes with consequences, prices rise but stay behind wage growth, and private equity takes notice of the youth sports market.

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The Federal Reserve left its benchmark interest rate unchanged after meeting yesterday, despite repeated pressures from President Trump to cut rates. But not everyone at the Fed was happy about it. On the show today, Marketplace’s Nancy Marshall-Genzer joins Kimberly to fill us in on the recent debate over lowering interest rates and the political tension surrounding the Fed. Plus, thriving raspberry bushes make us smile.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "The Federal Reserve leaves interest rates unchanged" from Marketplace 
• "Fed's Powell sticks with patient approach to rate cuts, brushing off Trump's demands" from AP News
• "Could Trump use Fed HQ renovations as a pretext to fire Powell?" from Marketplace 

• "What’s Holding Trump Back From Firing Powell" from The Atlantic

  
  

  We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Meta and Microsoft shares jumped Thursday morning following strong quarterly earnings, with both companies attributing the gains to AI-driven productivity and revenue growth. Susan Schmidt at Exchange Capital Resources weights in. Also on the show: inflation picked up in June, challenging hopes of a cooldown. Diane Swonk at KPMG explains the implications. And later, Marketplace's Jennifer Pak looks at what Chinese consumers are (and aren't) spending on this summer.

The guardians of interest rates at America's central bank chose not to cut interest rates, given the uncertain effects of tariffs and a resilient overall economy. But the committee's decision was not unanimous. Also on the show: the July Jobs report. The U.S. labor force shrank by 755,000 in May and June, and that's partly what accounts for June's drop in unemployment. We look into why this trend will likely to be a persistent feature of the U.S. labor market later this year and into 2026.

From the BBC World Service: Goods from South Korea will face a 15% tariff under a new trade deal. Meanwhile Brazil will be harder hit, with a 50% tax on imports. Plus, we hear how Chinese electric vehicle makers are targeting foreign consumers with affordable luxury.

Simon Johnson, Nobel-winning economist, joined Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino to explain his current thinking about AI and inequality. He says the tech could bring productivity gains, but they might not benefit everyone.

U.S. GDP grew at a healthy clip in the second quarter of 2025. But a mathematical equation can’t convey nuance — like, say, six months of tariff chaos. Clear away the trade drama, and the country’s economic growth was more subdued. Also in this episode: The Fed keeps rates as-is despite historic “no” votes from committee members, crypto firms campaign for stablecoin to be the new credit card, and the private sector added about 70,000 service sector jobs in July.

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.

The United Nations this week warned that “widespread starvation, malnutrition and disease” are contributing to a rise in hunger-related deaths across the Gaza Strip. This comes as the flow of aid into Gaza has slowed in recent months and the price of food has increased drastically. On the show today, Reema shares what life looks like for her family there right now. And, we’ll get into the growing international pressure on Israel to lift barriers that organizations have faced in delivering aid.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "In Gaza, mounting evidence of famine and widespread starvation" from UN News
• "How Food Supplies in Gaza Have Dwindled Under the New Israeli Aid Plan" from The Wall Street Journal 
• "The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation Can Feed Starving Gazans" from The Wall Street Journal 
• "What’s Happening in Gaza? FAQ: Hunger and Humanitarian Aid" from World Food Program USA
• "A famine hasn't been declared in Gaza, but that may not matter, experts say" from ABC News

• "A conversation with Baba" from “This Is Uncomfortable”

  
  

  We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

This morning's GDP figure showed that the U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 3% in Q2 — a higher-than-expected rebound. But there's more than meets the eye. "The headline number is showing the volatility in trade and imports and exports, but the numbers underneath are showing very much a slow slowing of the U.S. economy," says economist Kathryn Anne Edwards. We'll discuss. And later: South African entrepreneurs are bringing power generation within reach to lower-income families and small businesses.