Author: Marketplace

From the BBC World Service: Argentina’s president Javier Milei announced a change of course, with plans to increase spending on pensions, health and education. There's a drive in some African countries — including Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa — to create more AI products in different languages, to open up the new tech to more people across the continent. And automaker Jaguar Land Rover confirmed its factories in the UK will stay shut for another week following a cyber hack.

It's the start of a whole new season and Bridget and Ryan have a great question from listener, Dina: What is a chain restaurant? Some chain restaurants work a little differently than other chains — they're "franchises" and individual people can open a location of their own! To answer Dina's question, Bridget and Ryan try their hand at opening their own location of the incredibly popular and beloved chain, the International House of Clams. Together, they’ll learn how the chain restaurant business works and what makes it different from starting a restaurant from scratch. Plus, keep an ear out for cameos from some of your favorite Million Bazillion characters!

If your family is interested in learning even more about today’s question, check out our website. We’ve got conversation starters and a tip sheet!

This episode is sponsored by Greenlight. Sign up for Greenlight today at greenlight.com/million.

A recent report put out by the tech giant claims its AI model consumes very little electricity and water for a single query. Emma Strubell, an assistant professor at Carnegie Mellon's Language Technologies Institute, says that might not tell the whole story. This episode was produced by Jesús Alvarado.

It’s been five-and-a-half years since lots of workers retreated to home offices at the height of the pandemic. Now, about 35% of Americans work from home at least once a week. In this episode, why employers’ demands to "return to office" are growing. Plus: A sociologist expresses concern about AI’s long-term effects on the American labor market, import prices reflect an uptick in “undervaluation,” and President Trump wants reduce earnings report requirements for public firms.

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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.

Federal Reserve watchers feel pretty sure the Federal Open Market Committee will cut interest rates by a quarter of a percent this week. The real question? Whether Jay Powell and co. have more rate cuts planned, or if they’re taking it meeting by meeting. Also in this episode: An Atlanta non profit helps refugee women become entrepreneurs and the U.S. TikTok deadline approaches.

The import price index, which keeps track of the price of imports before tariffs are applied, comes out tomorrow. You can tell by looking at it who exactly is paying for tariffs. Prices in certain categories have fallen in recent months — a sign that some foreign exporters are trying to offset the cost of tariffs. But first: The U.S. and China are talking trade, and consumers continue to spend despite economic anxieties.

From the BBC World Service: As U.S. and Chinese officials hold trade talks in Spain’s capital, the deadline approaches for TikTok, which U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to ban over security worries. Then, the U.S. and U.K. have lined up a string of deals aimed at speeding up nuclear power projects. And, Ghana is the world’s largest importer of used clothing, but about 40% is too damaged to resell. How can the problem be addressed?

Borders may be invisible to most shoppers, but for businesses, they often mean delays, extra costs, and reams of paperwork. And amid Trump’s trade war, global trade is now faster and more complex than ever. Those new pressures have sparked a boom in new "customs tech" companies promising to speed things up. The BBC’s Leanna Byrne reports.

The Russell 2000, a stock index of smaller companies or “small caps,” has fallen behind the S&P 500 over the past few years. A Fed rate cut, which may come as soon as next week, could change their luck. In this episode, why interest rates have an outsize effect on smaller companies. Plus: Homebuilding is harder under President Trump’s tariffs and immigration policies, brands lean into the power of scent, and we recap the week’s economic headlines.

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’s news comes with a side of pawpaws. Kimberly is joined by Laura Blessing, senior fellow at the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University, to break down the moves President Trump is making to exert more control over government spending. As Congress faces the possibility of another shutdown head on, it’s souring the mood. Plus, we’ll play a new game! Can you guess which headline is fake?

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "What is a pawpaw, and will I ever be able to buy it at the grocery store?" from Marketplace
• "‘Don't even bother dealing with them,’ Trump says of Democrats’ shutdown demands" from Politico
• "What to know about Trump’s ‘pocket rescission’" from The Hill 
• "Paris Hilton mini-fridges recalled due to fire, burn hazards" from The Hill  
• "Musk got DOGE's mission "backward," Lutnick says" from Axios  

• "Trump announces crackdown on pharmaceutical advertising" from Politico 

  
  

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