In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons - WBEZ’s Weekly News Recap: Oct. 17, 2025
Marketplace All-in-One - Regional bank jitters
Global stocks took a hit today. There was red across the board from New York to Japan as investors have started to worry about the health of regional banks in the U.S., and the recent bankruptcies of an auto lender and car parts manufacturer. We'll learn the latest. Also, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is suing to block the Trump administration's planned visa charges, and fewer international travelers are opting to come to the States.
Marketplace All-in-One - It’s home improvement time
Rates on 30-year mortgages fell again this week to an average of 6.27%, according to FreddieMac. That could boost consumer spending on home improvements in 2026, new research finds — and be driven by homeowners locked in with lower rates who recognize that an addition or coat of paint is less daunting than starting over in this housing market. Also on the show: a check-in on regional banks and a bite of a carbon fat croissant, from the latest season of Marketplace's "How We Survive."
Marketplace All-in-One - U.S. tries to block a global emissions deal for shipping
From the BBC World Service: A landmark agreement to reduce carbon emissions from global shipping is in danger of collapsing after President Donald Trump intervened. We'll unpack. Then, Singles' Day — China's biggest online shopping event — typically takes place on Nov. 11 but has started early this year as weak consumption dogs the world's second-largest economy. Plus, the global tattoo industry could grow to $6.5 billion by 2033. We talk with artists about the state of the tattoo biz.
Marketplace All-in-One - Bytes: Week in Review — Instagram to limit content for teens, Walmart lands OpenAI deal, and Apple rebrands streaming service
AppleTV+ ditches the plus in its name. Plus, Walmart announced an e-commerce deal with OpenAI so customers can shop through ChatGPT.
But first, Instagram announced what it called PG-13 settings for teen accounts. Marketplace’s Nova Safo spoke with Joanna Stern, senior personal technology columnist at the Wall Street Journal, to discuss all these topics and more.
Marketplace All-in-One - The Uncanny Valley of Meat
If you have ever bitten into a plant-based burger and felt dissatisfied, or even grossed out, you’re not alone. In this episode, we explore the uncanny valley of meat and dive deep into what makes meat so … meaty. Plus, “The Splendid Table” host Francis Lam joins Amy Scott for a taste test of cultivated meat and shares his go-to recipes for climate-friendly proteins.
PBS News Hour - World - Trump weighs land strikes in Venezuela following attacks on suspected drug boats
Marketplace All-in-One - CEO confidence sinks
CEO confidence fell in the latest quarter of 2025. Executives surveyed by The Conference Board voiced concerns over inflation, tariffs, and global trade uncertainty. In this episode, how the economic mood of corporate leaders could affect everyday Americans. Plus: Chipmaker TSMC reported a profit surge amid increased demand, a career tech program in Alabama trains the next generation of skilled workers, and the NFL remains a cultural and economic powerhouse despite ongoing challenges.
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Marketplace All-in-One - This labor market is ripe for job scams
In this rough labor market, job seekers are more vulnerable to scams. We’ve all seen those texts, right? The ones offering jobs with suspiciously high pay for suspiciously little work? On today’s show, Marketplace’s Kristin Schwab joins Kimberly to share what happened when she replied to one of these scam messages. Plus, why AI and the shift to remote work has fueled the rise in job scams.
Here’s everything we talked about today:
- "Job scam texts have become more frequent and more believable" from Marketplace
- "Who experiences scams? A story for all ages" from the Federal Trade Commission
- "Job Scam Texts Are Duping Gen Z, Millennials Amid Unemployment Fears" from Business Insider
Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
