Author: Marketplace

The U.S. national debt hit a new record this week: $38 trillion. As we head toward the fifth week of a government shutdown over a congressional budget disagreement, we explain why the growing national debt matters and how it affects your wallet. Also in this episode: Where does surplus oil go as demand drops? How might a wearable AI device affect your relationships? And, why are credit card companies offering more perks?

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 climate crisis has a lot to do with what we eat. That’s what the latest season of Marketplace’s climate solutions podcast “How We Survive” is all about. On today’s show, host Amy Scott joins Kimberly to share her big takeaways from the season. We’ll get into the business of cell cultivated meat and the tradeoffs that come with regenerative farming. Then, we’ll do some smiles. Plus, Kimberly’s PSA to use your fancy china!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "How We Survive" from Marketplace
• "State of Climate Action 2025" from Systems Change Lab
• "I paid $65 for a giant collection of vintage dishes at a thrift store. Then I found out it's worth almost $1,000." from Business Insider

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

As the weather gets colder, many lower-income Americans will depend on LIHEAP, a program that helps them heat their homes. Receiving LIHEAP assistance to keep the heat on was a reality for over 5 million American households in fiscal year 2024. But existing funds are running low, and future funds are stalled during the shutdown. Also: markets react to the continued federal shutdown, and the Trump administration plans to take stakes in several quantum computing companies.

In a Truth Social post on Wednesday, President Donald Trump said cattle ranchers “have to get their prices down.” Trump also claimed that the high tariffs he placed on imports from Brazil are the reason ranchers are doing well, but the reality is more complicated. Today, we'll explore why there’s no quick fix for high beef prices. We'll also learn what role regenerative farming can play in meeting consumers' beef demands going forward.

From the BBC World Service: In an effort to pressure Moscow to negotiate a peace deal in Ukraine, the United States has announced new sanctions on Russian oil. The sanctions effectively blacklist two of Russia's major oil export companies, and that has big implications for both India and China, which rely heavily on Russian oil imports. And then recent talks to make the shipping industry greener have stalled. So what’s the industry doing to cut emissions?

The promise has been titillating: quiet, electric taxis taking off vertically, floating over urban traffic. The consulting firm McKinsey says in a matter of five years, flying taxi fleets could rival airlines in size.

Well, maybe. It's already taking longer than predicted. Marketplace’s Henry Epp has been tracking the industry and its evolution.

The U.S. just agreed to spend $20 billion on a currency exchange with Argentina. The hope? To put a lid on inflation before Javier Milei, an ally of President Trump, is up for re-election. How does that work? What’s in it for the U.S.? Later in this episode: AI firms juice the stock market, an economist explains Trump’s flavor of state capitalism, and sports betting sites push the boundary between state and federal regulation.

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.

Earlier this month, Tesla unveiled cheaper versions of some of its most popular cars. Other automakers are also promising to discount EVs or roll out more affordable models. This all comes following the end of federal tax credits that knocked as much as $7,500 off the price of a new EV. Also: a proposal that could grant crypto firms access to Fed infrastructure and a check-in with Cuba's tourism minister.

Netflix is trying a new strategy to make more money: It's worked out a deal to stream some podcasts from Spotify, which have both audio and video. The deal means access to more consumer data and a new audience. And it's a move against a common competitor: YouTube. Also on the show: a change in tune on crytpo from a Federal Reserve leader and OpenAI's very own web browser.

From the BBC World Service: Experts have estimated that the cyberattack on Jaguar Land Rover — which halted car production there for multiple weeks — cost the carmaker roughly $2.55 billion, making the breach the most expensive in the country’s history. We'll do the numbers. And later in the program, tourism has long played a central part in Cuba’s economy. So what impact have the Trump administration’s new sanctions had?