Author: Marketplace

Marketplace’s “This Is Uncomfortable” is back with new episodes about life and how money messes with it. Today, host Reema Khrais joins Kimberly to share some of what she’s learned from conversations on how to survive job hunting in today’s brutal labor market and what it really means to have “enough” money. Plus, how anxiety about money can actually hold you back financially.

Check out new episodes from “This Is Uncomfortable:”

• "We're back: How much money is ‘enough’?" from “This Is Uncomfortable”
• "Surviving job hunting hell" from “This Is Uncomfortable”
• "The number of long-term unemployed is growing. What does that tell us about the economy?" from Marketplace 

Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

2025 was a tough year for homebuyers. Two things happened over the last three months of the year that helped people trying to buy a home: Housing prices grew more slowly, and mortgage rates fell. We'll unpack and discuss other housing news. Also on today's program: how the wealth effect is supporting our K-shaped economy, and how the bond market is responding to pressures on the Fed to lower interest rates.

Saks Global — the luxury retail conglomerate that owns brands like Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Bergdorf Goodman — filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this week. But given that higher-income consumers are driving so much of spending, why is a chain of luxury department stores struggling? Then, the Trump administration is ending a special protected status for 350,000 Haitians, and the elder-care industry is expected to lose thousands of workers as a result.

From the BBC World Service: Despite Wednesday’s inconclusive talks between the U.S., Denmark, and Greenland, investors are starting to examine how Greenland’s extensive mineral resources might be tapped. Currently, there are only two active mines on the island, but many investors think there is potential in Greenland for additional commercial projects. Then, thanks to the climbing popularity of Korean skincare, South Korea has surpassed the U.S. to become the world's second-largest cosmetics exporter after France,

Job hunting has a way of testing your limits. It can be hard not to question yourself (or spiral) when the process stretches on far longer than you imagined. 

Reema is joined by career coach Phoebe Gavin and writer Rachel Meade Smith to talk about the emotional side of the job hunt -- practical ways to navigate it, and how to get through it without losing yourself. 

Do you have a job hunting horror story you want to share with us? Or general work drama that you’d want advice on? Give us a call at 347-RING-TIU or send us an email at uncomfortable@marketplace.org.

What does it mean to have “enough” money? Reema Khrais explores the feeling behind this question — the fear, comparison and the way “not enough” can follow us around even when things technically look okay on paper.

She talks with experts and people who’ve landed on very different answers, including someone whose definition of “enough” meant closing her bank account and giving up money altogether.

If you liked this episode, share it with a friend. And let us know what you think by emailing uncomfortable@marketplace.org or calling 347-RING-TIU.

When it comes to AI, educators biggest worry: cheating.

With the click of a button, students can form papers, generate test answers or even finish their homework. Leading educators to address its use directly and the expectations for their students.

But Kristi Girdharry, director of the writing center and associate professor at Babson College, has gone a step further. She’s actively integrating AI into her coursework. All in the hopes that her students learn to outwork their robot counterparts.

“I have a mantra going with my students now,” said Girdharry. “I always say, ‘you have to be better than a robot.’”

The unemployment rate in December among people aged 20 to 24 was 8.2%. That’s up nearly a full percentage point from 2024, and much higher than the overall unemployment rate of 4.4%. The job market is tough, and getting tougher, but why is it particularly hard for Gen Z? Also in this episode: Trump’s focus on Venezuelan crude could redirect Canadian oil, companies use surveillance data for “personalized” pricing, and China’s trade surplus grew by 20% last year, in spite of U.S. tariffs.

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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 traveled to Michigan yesterday to tout the economy's performance during his second administration. He spoke at the Detroit Economic Club for about an hour, but the speech included false or misleading information about inflation, wage growth, drug prices, tax breaks, and more. Today, we'll provide some fact-checking. Also on today's program, we'll learn about bank earnings, China's trade surplus, and what happens when Social Security funding runs out.

The data centers needed to power AI are controversial in many communities. People worry about that extra demand driving up their electricity bills, which are already up almost 7% in a year. In response, Microsoft is pledging to pay extra for electricity to power its data centers and says it’ll work to prevent water resources from being drained by giant server farms. And later, we'll discuss the Trump administration's plan to control Venezuela's oil.