Author: Marketplace

Late Monday, President Trump announced plans to remove Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve Board of Governors over unproven allegations of mortgage fraud. The move is part of his months-long effort to reshape the central bank and pressure it to lower interest rates. But meddling with the Fed's independence could backfire. On today's show, we look at the implications of political interference at the Fed, from the bond market to the U.S. and global economies. Plus, how FEMA's elimination of hazard mitigation programs will affect the country.

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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.

Americans drink some 450 million cups of coffee each day. Coffee beans from Brazil face a 50% U.S. import duty. And while President Donald Trump's tariffs aim to reshore American production and manufacturing, coffee beans can't really be grown around the U.S. We'll hear what sort of trouble's brewing for coffee sellers as a result. But first, we'll break down the attempted firing of one of America's central bankers.

That's the conclusion of Karen Petrou at Federal Financial Analytics after President Donald Trump moved to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook last evening. That follows unproven allegations of mortgage fraud. Whether or not the move is legal, it raises additional concerns over the independence of America's central bank and the dollar's role as the global reserve currency. And later: What's the relationship between the Fed's benchmark rate and mortgage rates?

From the BBC World Service: Japan and Australia are among the latest countries suspending some postal deliveries to the United States. And it's all down to confusion over tariffs. President Donald Trump signed an executive order last month ending the global import tax exemption on small packages worth under $800 entering the U.S. duty-free, a change due to take effect on Friday. Also, Boeing and Korean Air have announced a deal worth $36 billion for over 100 planes.

Across Europe, postal services are grappling with declining letter volumes, amid a rise in digitalization. In Demark, where the decline has been particularly steep, the publicly-owned national postal service, PostNord, is bringing an end to 400 years of letter deliveries, to focus solely on parcels from 2026. And while a private firm will step into the gap, letters are a shrinking business. So as digitalization grows, do letters have a future? The BBC’s Adrienne Murray reports from the Danish capital with more details.

Hi Million Bazillionaires. While we’re working on a brand-new season, we’ve got a special treat for you. Today, we’re sharing an episode from our friends over at “The Big Fib.” In this gameshow, a kid contestant will try to spot which adult expert is lying about … the stock market. What do you call the person who buys and sells stocks for a fee? How many stocks get sold in a day? Which stock is less risky to buy? Do you know the true answers to these questions? Play along and see if you can guess who is telling fibs and who’s telling the truth on “The Big Fib” gameshow. For more great shows for kids and families visit GZMshows.com.

President Trump's recent deal with Intel gives the U.S. government a 10% ownership stake in the company. But today, Intel responded with a regulatory filing, outlining all of the ways this deal could go sideways. We take a look at the unintended consequences of governments owning companies. Also on the show: why prices have been slow to rise in response to tariffs and what to expect from the fall retail season.

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.

After celebratory markets late last week following indications that the Federal Reserve will lower interest rates at its September meeting, this week is starting with a bit of a headache. Markets are eager for a rate cut, but signs of a weaker labor market and uncertainty from tariff and immigration policy are complicating the economic picture. Then, Australia is hoping to ease the rare earths bottleneck after China said it's tightening controls on mining and processing.

Keurig Dr Pepper plans to acquire the coffee and tea company JDE Peet's for about $18 billion. The idea is to shore up Keurig’s coffee business. But the brands coming under one umbrella would be Dr Pepper, 7UP, Canada Dry, Yoo-hoo, A&W, Stumptown, and Maxwell House, to name a few. We'll learn more about the deal. Plus, why the Fed's focus is shifting from inflation to the job market, and how colleges are bracing for a higher ed recession.

From the BBC World Service: Chinese property giant Evergrande's shares have been delisted from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange; it was once China's largest real estate firm but collapsed under a mountain of debt. Today, we'll trace its spectacular rise and fall. Rare earths have been a major sticking point in trade negotiations between China and the United States. China has dominated the rare earths market, but could Australia become a rival?