Author: Marketplace

Digital banking is often seen as a smoother, less costly way to deliver financial services. But where there’s tech, there are sometimes outages. Bank customers in the U.K. and other countries have seen an increasing number of banking interruptions, often with costly impacts.

The WNBA’s first expansion team in 18 years, the Golden State Valkyries, played its first game last week to a crowd of 18,000 fans. Though this uncertain economy may not be ideal for most new businesses, professional women’s basketball is soaring to new heights: three brand-new teams joined the league this season. In this episode, why WNBA franchises are emphasizing community over star power to attract new fans. Plus: falling international student enrollment is bad news for the job market and locals push back against lithium mining in the Andes.

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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.

 

Should it be the federal government or the states? The GOP tax bill, now headed to the Senate, would have states pick up more of the tab — meaning states would likely have to raise taxes or cut spending. We'll hear more. But first: Tariff drama is back. Then, after the murder of George Floyd, corporate America pledged billions of dollars to help fight racial inequality. How much has actually been spent?

Sales of existing homes fell in April to about 4 million a year. For comparison, almost 7 million existing homes were sold each year from 2020 to 2022. The reasons? Home prices are high, mortgage rates are high, and there's lots of economic uncertainty. And later in the program: A proposed law could help people who lost homes in this year's Los Angeles wildfires avoid "vulture capitalists."

From the BBC World Service: Japan's inflation rate is heating up, hitting its fastest pace in more than two years: 3.5% in April. That could mean higher interest rates for the first time in years. It's a big shift for a country used to falling prices and a major challenge for the government and central bank. Plus: flooding in Australia, a raised retirement age in Denmark and cash use in Sweden.

On this week’s episode of Marketplace Tech Bytes: Week In Review, President Donald Trump signed the "Take It Down" Act, which requires internet publishers to take down intimate images like revenge porn or deepfakes within 48 hours of a complaint. Google unveiled a suite of new AI products, upgrades and projects at its annual I/O developers conference. And the game Fortnite finally returns to the Apple App Store after a long legal drama. Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino spoke with Paresh Dave, senior writer at WIRED, to discuss all these topics and more.

The supply of homes for sale hit a nearly five-year high in April, but prospective buyers aren’t exactly taking the bait. Some may feel they’re swimming in options, but many can’t afford what’s available. In this episode, why the spring housing market is feeling unbalanced. Plus, online restaurant reservation platforms duke it out with the help of credit card companies, big cities grow bigger and investors see U.S. Treasuries as an increasingly risky option.

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.

 

It’s Kai’s last day as a regular co-host of “Make Me Smart” and he’s got a solid rant (and two bleeps). We’ll get into the Trump administration’s push to block international students at Harvard, thretening one of American’s biggest exports: higher education. Plus, we’ll unpack the Supreme Court’s 4-4 split over a separation of church and state case. And, could penguin poop be a tool against global warming?

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Supreme Court deadlocks, blocking creation of first religious public school” from The Washington Post
• “Trump Administration Halts Harvard’s Ability to Enroll International Students” from The New York Times
• “Harvard University Loses Student and Exchange Visitor Program Certification for Pro-Terrorist Conduct” from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• “Stop making cents: US Mint moves forward with plans to kill the penny” from AP News
• “Penguin Poop Could Limit Global Warming’s Impact on Antarctica” from Bloomberg

“Make Me Smart” is going on a break! Kimberly and Reema will be back with new episodes June 9. We’d love to hear from you while we’re away. Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

When newlyweds Chantal and Travis Lisback started searching for their dream home in Seattle, they weren’t entirely on the same page. Chantal was eager to settle down as soon as possible, while Travis was more comfortable waiting a few years. As the search dragged on, what began as a shared dream started to feel more like a standoff. 

This week, a story about how a big life decision can bring to light the money and communication issues you didn’t know were there. Plus, later in the episode, Chantal and Travis sit down with financial therapist Aja Evans to unpack what’s happening beneath the surface, and how to approach money fights with more care and intention. 

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In the wake of protests following the murder of George Floyd, corporations made big promises on diversity, equity and inclusion. Now, five years later, some are backing away from DEI commitments. Others are not — including Costco, which is doubling down on diversity. But first: The GOP tax and spending bill passed the House this morning by one vote. It extends the 2017 tax cuts and would also start forcing most adults enrolled in Medicaid to work.