Author: Marketplace

When revenue grows, hiring grows — usually. But in November, retail sector job cuts were up nearly 140% year over year, according to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, in spite of strong consumer spending. What gives? Mostly, more automation. Also in this episode: Medium-term bonds send hints about Fed interest rate decisions, an AI bubble burst will come with new jargon, and small business owner optimism is up.

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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.

Rare-earth elements help power our everyday electrical devices, and that’s because most batteries are made with minerals like lithium, nickel, cobalt and graphite. As of now, China has the largest reserve of these minerals. But some mining companies are eyeing the deep sea’s floor, says Marketplace contributor Dan Ackerman, because such rare earths form organically way down there. Plus, the ethical concerns that come with this deep-sea mining.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Companies are betting on deep sea mining for critical minerals” from Marketplace Tech
• “New policies may part the waters for ocean mining” from Marketplace Morning Report
• “In the depths of the ocean, a new contest between the US and China emerges” from The Guardian
• “Trump’s New Executive Order Promotes Deep Sea Mining in US and International Waters While Bypassing International Law” from Inside Climate News

Today, we're walking you through the Hollywood drama currently unfolding over Warner Bros. Discovery. The studio's board has already approved an acquisition deal with Netflix, but now Paramount is launching a hostile takeover bid. We'll outline the stakeholders and talk about what comes next. Plus, as New York City leads the nation in office-to-housing conversions, other cities are looking to encourage their own affordable developments.

Walmart is moving from the New York Stock Exchange to the Nasdaq market. It's the biggest company ever to make the switch. Thing is, Nasdaq has a cool-kids, growth-through-tech kinda vibe and is home to Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Nvidia stocks. This morning, we'll help you understand what’s behind Walmart’s decision. Plus, consumers expect inflation to remain steady, and President Donald Trump looks to block state laws regulating AI.

From the BBC World Service: A new law comes into force in Australia today, banning children under 16 from some of their favorite social media platforms, including Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram. And as you'd expect, most teens aren’t happy about it, though many parents see it as the government standing up to American Big Tech. Also, Nvidia is now authorized to sell advanced AI chips to China, and President Donald Trump says the U.S. government will be taking a 25% cut of sales.

Prosthetic limbs can be expensive, costing thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars. So the industry seemed ripe for disruption when 3D printing came along. The technology requires little labor and uses economical materials. But the reality of 3D printing prosthetic limbs isn’t that straightforward, according to writer and University of California, Berkeley, lecturer Britt Young, who uses a prosthetic arm.

Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino spoke with Young about why 3D printing has yet to bring down prosthesis costs.

We now know some details about the Trump administration’s promised agricultural relief package. Central to the plan is billions in one-time payments to U.S. farmers, who have been hurting under new trade policies and rising equipment costs. Is it enough? Also in this episode: What FOMC members are likely contemplating ahead of this week’s meeting, who will be most hurt by rising ACA health insurance premiums, and why home builders overestimated new construction demand in 2025.

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.

First up on the show: Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, says the economy is doing well. After all, consumers are chugging along, and the stock market is continuing a strong run. But that feeling of "doing well" isn't even across the board, and those on the lower end of the income spectrum are feeling pinched. We'll discuss, and later we’ll explore how this is playing out in the restaurant scene, too.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments this morning in Trump v. Slaughter, a case that has broad implications for consumers and workers. The justices are considering whether the president has the power to fire the leaders of independent federal agencies — in this case, the Federal Trade Commission. Plus, we hear about data on consumers' AI use during holiday shopping and visit a Michigan wood factory that hires and houses employees in addiction recovery.

From the BBC World Service: The latest economic data from China shows that while exports to the U.S. crashed over the past year, China's towering annual trade surplus surpassed $1 trillion for the first time last month. The data reveals what economists and Chinese officials have said for a while now: Chinese manufacturers can find other buyers. Then, lawmakers in France's divided parliament have been at odds for weeks over the country's budget.