Author: Marketplace

Changes in the interpretation of campaign finance law could be on the horizon. It's been 15 years since the high court decided that corporations and unions can give unlimited amounts of money to candidates. But political parties have to work within separate limits when it's money used in tandem by the party and the candidate. Also on the show: the state of news consumption in the U.S. and a new approach to homeless encampments in Northern California.

From the BBC World Service: President Trump’s so-called One Big Beautiful Bill, has squeaked through Congress. It boosts military and border spending and extends Trump-era tax cuts, but makes deep cuts to healthcare and food aid. Saturday marks a year in office for the Labour Party in the UK, so what’s the economic verdict of the past 52 weeks? And it's been 10 years since Ireland became the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage by popular vote, and same-sex couples are contributing significantly to the wedding industry when, overall, marriage numbers are falling.

On this week’s “Marketplace Tech Bytes: Week in Review,” Marketplace’s Nova Safo and Paresh Dave, senior writer at WIRED, discuss Amazon releasing its 1 millionth robot at one of its warehouses. Plus, lawmakers contended with provisions dealing with artificial intelligence and renewable energy in that big tax and spending bill, recently passed by Congress, that consumed Washington this week.

On California farms, ICE raid fears persist — at least half of the state’s crop workers are undocumented. As a result, the farms that grow three-quarters of U.S. fruits and nuts are experiencing worker shortages as harvests begin. In this episode, Trump's immigration policy clashes with the realities of labor-intensive farm work. Plus, growth on the June jobs report may be overstated, lower tariffs are still tariffs, and we check in on the import sector.

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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.

The Labor Department today reported the United States added 147,000 jobs in June. The number beat economists expectations, and it sits in stark contrast to yesterday’s ADP report which showed private sector lost 33,000 jobs last month. So what gives? We’ll explain what the two reports can tell us about the labor market right now. And, President Trump’s immigration crackdown could lead to more federal surveillance on all Americans. Plus, we want to hear about the wins in your life!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "ADP report June 2025: Private sector lost 33,000 jobs, missing expectations" from CNBC
• "Republican Budget Bill Signals New Era in Federal Surveillance" from Tech Policy Press
• "Steady Hiring Added 147,000 Jobs to U.S. Economy in June" from The Wall Street Journal
• "Can We Trust a Jobs Report From the Trump Administration? Yes, With Caveats." from The New York Times

Got a question for the hosts? Call 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

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.

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.