Author: Marketplace

On Tuesday, the Conference Board reported a slight drop in consumer confidence, driven by worries about available jobs and future incomes. But a dip in confidence doesn't always mean people spend less. Also on the show: Where have all the working moms gone? "Marketplace" host Amy Scott talks with Abha Bhattarai from the Washington Post about how women are losing workforce participation gains made during the pandemic. Plus, what ending the 'de minimis' exemption could mean for overseas retailers and online shoppers.

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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.

While Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook's lawyer says she will sue to challenge the president's move to fire her, the White House is reportedly getting ready to appoint Cook’s replacement. Today, we'll unpack how this battle is impacting markets as the Trump administration continues to test the limits of its authority. And later, we'll hear about tariff-related anxiety from India, including from a South Indian hub supplying global clothing brands and Mumbai’s diamond workshops.

You may have heard that big things come in small packages. Now, tariffs do too. The "de minimis" tariff exemption for purchases less than $800 ends Friday. Parcels will then be subject to the tariff for whatever country from which they’re shipped. Plus, why Nvidia's quarterly results are a big deal and how a less independent Federal Reserve could affect the value of the U.S. dollar.

From the BBC World Service: It's a tough day for India. Most of its exports to the United States will now face a 50% tariff. It's a major shift between the two countries, which used to be partners, especially in tech and defense. We'll learn about the impacts. Plus, European carmakers are claiming that hitting the EU’s 2035 CO2 emissions targets is no longer realistic. Plus, a K-pop-themed musical has become the most-watched movie on Netflix.

Job growth in the economy has slowed, and the ranks of the long-term unemployed are growing. It makes the indignities of the modern hiring process even more frustrating for those in the market. Job-seekers are navigating a gauntlet of automated application systems set up to whittle down the hundreds — sometimes thousands — of applicants. Only for many to never hear from a human. Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino has more from the front lines of algorithmic application hell. 

Late Monday, President Trump announced plans to remove Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve Board of Governors over unproven allegations of mortgage fraud. The move is part of his months-long effort to reshape the central bank and pressure it to lower interest rates. But meddling with the Fed's independence could backfire. On today's show, we look at the implications of political interference at the Fed, from the bond market to the U.S. and global economies. Plus, how FEMA's elimination of hazard mitigation programs will affect the country.

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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.

Americans drink some 450 million cups of coffee each day. Coffee beans from Brazil face a 50% U.S. import duty. And while President Donald Trump's tariffs aim to reshore American production and manufacturing, coffee beans can't really be grown around the U.S. We'll hear what sort of trouble's brewing for coffee sellers as a result. But first, we'll break down the attempted firing of one of America's central bankers.

That's the conclusion of Karen Petrou at Federal Financial Analytics after President Donald Trump moved to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook last evening. That follows unproven allegations of mortgage fraud. Whether or not the move is legal, it raises additional concerns over the independence of America's central bank and the dollar's role as the global reserve currency. And later: What's the relationship between the Fed's benchmark rate and mortgage rates?

From the BBC World Service: Japan and Australia are among the latest countries suspending some postal deliveries to the United States. And it's all down to confusion over tariffs. President Donald Trump signed an executive order last month ending the global import tax exemption on small packages worth under $800 entering the U.S. duty-free, a change due to take effect on Friday. Also, Boeing and Korean Air have announced a deal worth $36 billion for over 100 planes.

Across Europe, postal services are grappling with declining letter volumes, amid a rise in digitalization. In Demark, where the decline has been particularly steep, the publicly-owned national postal service, PostNord, is bringing an end to 400 years of letter deliveries, to focus solely on parcels from 2026. And while a private firm will step into the gap, letters are a shrinking business. So as digitalization grows, do letters have a future? The BBC’s Adrienne Murray reports from the Danish capital with more details.