Author: Marketplace

We’re dropping into your feeds today to share this special bonus episode.

It’s a conversation between host Amy Scott, Marketplace host Kai Ryssdal and Pulitzer Prize-winning science writer Elizabeth Kolbert. 

We talk about how the accelerating climate crisis is creating economic disruption. And we get into some of the solutions that are giving us hope right now.  

This conversation was recorded live, over Zoom, in front of an audience. It’s presented by Odoo with additional underwriting support from The Economist. 

President Trump and congressional leaders are meeting at the White House on Monday to try and avoid a government shutdown. But both sides are digging their heels in. This brinksmanship is happening the same week we are set to get some pretty important government data. Julia Coronado, founder and president of MacroPolicy Perspectives, and a professor at the University of Texas-Austin, joins us to talk about it. Plus, has Canada lost its trade dispute with the U.S.?

Texas oil and gas firms are feeling pessimistic about the upcoming year. In the latest Dallas Fed survey, energy firms reported lower production, increased costs and heightened uncertainty. Oil is a good chunk of the Texas economy, and the Texas economy is a good chunk of the U.S. economy — around 9%. Also on the show: auto parts manufacturer First Brands files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and the USDA revives its farm-to-school grant program.

From the BBC World Service: The decision at Toyota in Brazil comes after intense storms halted production at its factories in the state of Sao Paulo, and many of the workers will be paid in full during the closed period. Hackers have attempted to recruit the BBC's cyber correspondent into helping them infiltrate the broadcaster's systems. And has Canada lost in the trade war with the U.S.? Over the past month, it’s removed billions of dollars in retaliatory tariffs on American goods.

Researchers at several universities tested how successful artificial intelligence can be at political persuasion, and found some AI chatbots were 40-50% more successful than a static message at getting people to change their views. And those views often stayed changed weeks later.

Marketplace’s Nova Safo spoke with David Rand, one of the researchers involved in the study who’s also a professor of information science and marketing management at Cornell University.

On today’s show, Alaska Public Media reporter Ava White joins Kimberly to make us smarter about Fat Bear Week and the issues that are top of mind for Alaskans right now. Alaska residents receive an annual check funded by the state’s oil royalties. But its purchasing power is lower than ever. We’ll get into it. Plus, we’ll weigh in on AI live translations and a rise in Hamburger Helper sales during a round of Half Full/Half Empty!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Meet the superfans going wild for Alaska’s fattest bears" from Alaska Public Media
• "Alaska ignored warning signs of a budget crisis. Now it doesn’t have money to fix crumbling schools" from KYUK
• ”The 2025 Alaska Permanent Fund dividend will be $1,000” from Alaska Public Media
• "North Slope leaders applaud tax breaks for whalers in the GOP megabill” from KNBA
• "Why are restaurant chains opening beverage-focused spinoffs?" from Marketplace
• "AI is taking on live translations. But jobs and meaning are getting lost." from The Washington Post
• "Touchscreens in cars are finally on their way out. Good riddance" from Fast Company
• "Hamburger Helper Sales Rise as Americans Try to Stretch Their Food Dollars" from The New York Times

It’s Half-Priced Hoodie Weekend! Give $10 a month to support our journalism today, and we’ll thank you with a cozy Marketplace zip-up hoodie: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn

In August, Americans spent more than they made for the third month in a row. Thanks to tariff-induced price bumps, consumers are dipping into savings and using credit cards to keep up with their typical spending. In this episode, how long can consumers stay resilient? Plus: LA businesses prepare for ongoing ICE raids, a ski group vies to manage U.S. surfing at the 2028 Olympics, and an artist’s work changes in the age of e-commerce. 

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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.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order yesterday that paves the way for TikTok to be controlled by U.S. interests, avoiding a Congressional ban. TikTok's owner, ByteDance, has not acknowledged that this transaction is taking place. We'll parse the details we know of the plan, including who's purchasing, what it means for the app's algorithm, and more. And later, we'll learn why so much foreign investment is still flowing to the U.S.

Earlier this month, a company called Tricolor abruptly filed for bankruptcy. The Texas-based firm offered auto loans to buyers with poor (or no) credit ratings. That so-called “subprime” auto market has grown to $80 billion. But Tricolor's collapse could make it harder for some buyers to get car loans. We hear more. Plus, President Donald Trump unveils a new batch of tariffs, and D.C. braces for more economic pain ahead of a looming shutdown.

From the BBC World Service: President Donald Trump has announced new tariffs, including a 100% levy on branded or patented drug imports from Oct. 1 onward — unless a company is building a factory in the United States. Which countries will be most affected? Then, Ethiopia has opened a controversial megadam built on the Nile River after 14 years of construction. It's at the center of a diplomatic spat with countries that fear their water supplies could be affected.