Category: 4-FrequentNewsStreams

Later this week, the U.S. Treasury will auction off billions of dollars worth of 30-year bonds. While that may seem yawn-worthy to most of us, the outcome of that sale has big ramifications for consumer borrowing costs down the road. We’ll explain. Also in this episode: Targeting of international students hurts public and private universities, “core goods” is where tariff-driven inflation might show up first, and students at a fast-growing high school in Utah run their own soda shop.

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.

The LGBTQ+ Intergenerational Dialogue Project brings together LGBTQ+ elders and younger adults in Chicago to share stories, build community, and bridge generational divides. Since 2019, it has engaged more than 130 participants through dialogue sessions, collaborative art projects, and university partnerships — helping to preserve the history of LGBTQ+ lives across generations. Reset learns about the project with its co-founder Karen Morris and participants Jonni Pepper-GoLions and Holly Davis. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

For decades, going to college has been seen as a reliable path to good jobs and economic success in the United States. But a recent Indeed survey reported that over half of Gen Z respondents beg to differ. As tuition prices continue to rise and the Trump administration takes aim at higher education institutions, is the way we view college changing? On the show today, Bryan Alexander, a higher education writer and senior scholar at Georgetown University, explains why college is still a worthy investment for most students, why more people are considering certificate programs and technical schools, and how President Trump’s attacks on elite universities are a risk to higher education as a whole.

Then, Kimberly breaks down the difference between the reconciliation bill and government spending bills in Congress. And, Casey Johnston, author of “A Physical Education,” answers the Make Me Smart question.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Report: 51% of Gen Z Views Their College Degree as a Waste of Money" from Indeed  
• "Against college for all: the AFT president" from Bryan Alexander 
• "Americans Are Losing Faith in the Value of College. Whose Fault Is That?" from The New York Times
• "Good Jobs Project" from Georgetown University
• "House considers Trump cuts as Senate Republicans work on reconciliation bill" from Roll Call
• "Deal or no deal? Inside reconciliation and gov’t funding" from Punchbowl News
• "A muted backlash to Trump’s new travel ban" from Politico 
• "Have Americans grown numb? Trump’s new travel ban met with muted reaction" from MSNBC

• "Finding Strength in a Bigger Body" from The Cut 

  
  

  
  Got a question about the GOP’s reconciliation bill? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Bridget convinces Ryan to launch a new side business, solving money problems. Today’s problem - a local fifth-grader is facing competition with her slime business from a rival school. Could a tariff help solve her problem? With the help of a not-so-spooky-ghost, they’ll learn what tariffs are, and why they make the price of things go up, and how tariffs can lead to…a trade war.

If your family is interested in learning more about the questions we answered in this episode, check out our website. We’ve got discussion questions and tips!

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

Undocumented workers form a key part of the economy in a number of industries — including domestic work, agriculture, hospitality and construction. As immigration raids and protests in Los Angeles continue, we'll examine what increased immigration enforcement will mean for the job market, both locally and nationally. Plus: a dispatch from a supermarket in Japan amid rising rice prices and a trial in London with big implications for the business of AI.

After over a decade of litigation, a federal judge has signed off on a settlement allowing schools in the power conferences to issue direct revenue-sharing payments to athletes. Now, universities face large costs and hard choices about which sports benefit and which are left behind. But first: Hedge fund manager Ray Dalio shares why he's worried about government debt and the potential for a "bond market heart attack."

From the BBC World Service: Japan is facing a rice emergency. Prices are soaring, supplies are tight, and it's already cost one government minister his job. So what's going on? It's a mix of bad weather, fewer rice-farming households, and booming demand from tourism and dining out. We'll unpack. Plus, a Danish drugmaker is closing a Copenhagen factory that produces antibiotics for Europe. We'll learn about the causes and implications.

If you’ve ever wondered about the who, what, and where of Chicago’s fish species, you’re in luck. A new field guide gives a complete account of nearly 170 species of fish in northern Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan. Reset learns more about the field guide Fishes of the Chicago Region with co-author Philip Willnick. We also pick the brain of Sun-Times outdoor columnist Dale Bowman. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

The International Energy Agency projects the global market value of critical minerals could reach almost $800 billion by 2040. That's because we must have them for the electrified future. And right now, China is a dominant supplier.

The Trump administration wants to find other sources, and it's looking to U.S. and international waters to mine minerals on the ocean floor.

Marketplace contributor Daniel Ackerman has been reporting on the deep-sea mining companies that are working to figure out how to harvest in unforgiving terrain.

Consumer credit rose $17.9 billion in April — $6 billion more than projected, the Fed says. Americans may be anxious about tariffs, but low unemployment means a lot of us still have the cash to pay a credit card bill or car payment at the end of the month. But a few debt warning signs are flaring. Also in this episode: Warner Bros. announces a corporate split, the cycling industry shifts gears and we visit a town where the majority of businesses are inside homes.

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.