Author: Marketplace

In August, Americans spent more than they made for the third month in a row. Thanks to tariff-induced price bumps, consumers are dipping into savings and using credit cards to keep up with their typical spending. In this episode, how long can consumers stay resilient? Plus: LA businesses prepare for ongoing ICE raids, a ski group vies to manage U.S. surfing at the 2028 Olympics, and an artist’s work changes in the age of e-commerce. 

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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 signed an executive order yesterday that paves the way for TikTok to be controlled by U.S. interests, avoiding a Congressional ban. TikTok's owner, ByteDance, has not acknowledged that this transaction is taking place. We'll parse the details we know of the plan, including who's purchasing, what it means for the app's algorithm, and more. And later, we'll learn why so much foreign investment is still flowing to the U.S.

Earlier this month, a company called Tricolor abruptly filed for bankruptcy. The Texas-based firm offered auto loans to buyers with poor (or no) credit ratings. That so-called “subprime” auto market has grown to $80 billion. But Tricolor's collapse could make it harder for some buyers to get car loans. We hear more. Plus, President Donald Trump unveils a new batch of tariffs, and D.C. braces for more economic pain ahead of a looming shutdown.

From the BBC World Service: President Donald Trump has announced new tariffs, including a 100% levy on branded or patented drug imports from Oct. 1 onward — unless a company is building a factory in the United States. Which countries will be most affected? Then, Ethiopia has opened a controversial megadam built on the Nile River after 14 years of construction. It's at the center of a diplomatic spat with countries that fear their water supplies could be affected.

On this week’s Marketplace Tech Bytes: Week in Review, Nova Safo speaks with Axios tech policy reporter Maria Curi about the details and lingering unknowns of President Donald Trump's new, $100,000 fee on incoming H-1B visas, how secret service authorities dismantled a network of more than 100,000 SIM cards that could have been used to disrupt communications on a massive scale and why French fans of the video game franchise “Tomb Raider” were up in arms over an AI-generated voice.

Turns out the economy grew faster than we initially thought in the second quarter of 2025. Between a slowing job market and uncertain trade policies, an upward revision to GDP came as a bit of a surprise. In this episode, a quick lesson on how GDP is calculated and why consumer spending drove the acceleration. Plus: Hiring-related text scams get more believable, the housing market stays stuck, and companies ramp up spending on durable goods.

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.

Today we’re diving into the business of music. Trapital founder Dan Runcie joins Kimberly to explain what Anthropic’s recent copyright settlement with authors could mean for record labels who’ve sued AI companies, the “fair use” debates dominating the music industry, and why even the biggest stars are struggling to create chart-toppers these days. Plus, we’ll celebrate a win from one of our listeners.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "The Generative AI Music Sweepstakes" from Trapital 
• "Anthropic Agrees to Pay Authors at Least $1.5 Billion in AI Copyright Settlement" from Wired
• "Labels Claim Suno Pirated Songs From YouTube in Bulked-Up AI Copyright Lawsuit" from Billboard
• "YouTube copyright fight: Rick Beato warns UMG claims over short music clips could end his channel" from TechSpot 
• TikTok from Lizzo

• "Kneecap, Faye Webster & 400 Other Artists Remove Their Catalogs From Israel: ‘No Music for Genocide’" from Billboard 

  
  

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

A lunch out may give you sticker shock, but a popping boba won't pop the budget, right? While some consumers are trying to be more money-conscious, many are still spending big on eating and drinking out. Chains like Chick-fil-A, Taco Bell, and McDonald's are all trying to cash in — in part by offering fancier, pricier, non-alcoholic drinks. Also on the program, we'll check in on New England's economy.

The Office of Management and Budget sent out a memo with stark instructions for heads of federal agencies: They should consider layoff notices for all employees in programs that haven’t been funded yet for the government’s 2026 fiscal year, which starts Oct. 1. Also on the show: The U.S. is in negotiations to lend $20 billion to Argentina’s central bank, and climate change is treatening New Mexico's centuries-old irrigation system.

From the BBC World Service: Apple has called for the European Union's antitrust watchdogs to scrap some of its tech regulations, which it says lead to a worse experience for users. It's not the first time Apple has voiced its opposition to Europe's Digital Markets Act. We hear more. Plus, China has — for the first time — set a target for reducing carbon emissions. And, a Dutch village famous for its windmills is planning to charge visitors to see them.