Author: Marketplace

President Donald Trump remarked offhandedly over the weekend that “we will not allow a windmill to be built in the United States.” Recent policy changes in Washington could indeed make it harder to build new wind power projects in the U.S., but it’ll still likely continue to be an attractive source of power. And later in the program, a dispute between Mexico and Texas over water is threatening to turn ugly.

Two behemoths of freight rail are joining forces: Union Pacific is acquiring Norfolk Southern for $85 billion. The deal creates the largest freight rail network in the country and will attract the attention of antitrust regulators. Also on the show: U.S.-China trade negotiators meet in Sweden for trade talks, and the U.S. sets a new deadline for Russia to end its war in Ukraine or face new economic sanctions.

From the BBC World Service: Parents in China are being offered a little extra help, about $500 a year for every child under three. It's the government's first nationwide subsidy in a bid to increase birth rates. State media says around 20 million families are eligible for the payments. But will it work? Plus, with northern Mexico in the middle of a severe drought, the country is falling behind on water deliveries to the U.S. promised by a treaty. The Trump administration isn't happy.

In Canada, road freight is part of the backbone of the economy — historically moving about four-fifths of all goods across the country, with demand growing. But trucking is changing, with digital freight-matching platforms reshaping how drivers find work and how goods get delivered. The BBC’s Sam Gruet reports.

Bridget and Ryan get swept up in a cyberpunk adventure as they try to answer Cooper’s question about how online data thefts can lead to real world consequences for your bank account. With the help of longtime friend of the program, Scam Slammer Host Brenda Hammer, the duo travel inside the internet to follow the trail of our digital bread crumbs, and see how advertisers and fraudsters get to know more about us than we might think.

Since it’s unlikely the Fed will make any interest rate moves at this week’s meeting, it’s safe to assume rates will stay up for at least a while longer. That means potential borrowers are weighing whether to wait out the Fed or get access to capital now, despite the cost. In this episode, local bankers tell us about the current lending climate. Plus: The EU promises to increase U.S. energy spending, credit card issuers lean in to premium cards with high fees, and Congress makes major changes to vehicle fuel efficiency regulations.

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.

Over the weekend, President Trump announced a new trade deal with the EU: 15% tariffs on most goods in exchange for the EU’s promise to purchase U.S. energy. But a court case brought by a group of small businesses could derail Trump’s tariff agenda. We’ll explain what’s at stake. Plus, a reminder to get outside and enjoy what nature has to offer. (But stay cool!)

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "EU-US tariffs: five key takeaways from the trade deal" from The Guardian
• "US and EU reach tariff agreement" from “Marketplace Morning Report” 
• "EU's pledge for $250 billion of US energy imports is delusional" from Reuters 
• "Japan Expects Only 1-2% of $550 Billion US Fund to Be Investment" from Bloomberg
• "Trump's economy faces historic week on interest rates, trade, jobs and more" from Axios
• "Trump's trade deals and tariffs are on the chopping block in court. What happens next" from CNBC
• "Texas buys land for new state parks that will be developed using $1 billion voter-approved fund" from The Texas Tribune 

• "A 100-year-old on a bike? Yes. ‘The right to wind in your hair’" from The Washington Post 

  
  

  
  We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

High home prices and high mortgage rates have been holding buyers — and the market — back for a long time now. Now, economic uncertainty is shaping people's house hunt. More would-be buyers have paused their home searches recently, and there’s been a nearly 50% increase in people listing then de-listing their homes. Also: how markets are responding to the U.S.-EU trade deal, and how Chile's ramped-up lithium processing might impact the environment.

Government data is at risk. Federal funding for the main statistical agencies, like the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Commerce Department, has been tight for years. But since the Trump administration took office, threats to the availability and comprehensiveness of federal data have reached a whole new level — impacting everything from national health and crime statistics to key economic reports. We'll learn about the impacts. But first: a look at what's in the U.S. trade deal with the European Union.

From the BBC World Service: EU leaders are being briefed today on a new deal with the United States that halves the tariff President Donald Trump threatened to put on European goods, but the compromise still means a 15% import tax on most products. And not everyone is happy with the deal. We'll hear more. Plus, lithium extraction uses huge amounts of water and can devastate local ecosystems. Can new technology make mining more environmentally friendly?