News
Small businesses cautious on hiring amid economic uncertainty
1+ hour, 55+ min ago (506+ words) While overall job numbers have stayed pretty flat in the past year, private payroll processor ADP reported a substantial uptick in job creation by small businesses in February. The March jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics comes out…...
March consumer sentiment shows warning signs for the economy
3+ day, 2+ hour ago (473+ words) The war in Iran has sent consumer sentiment diving 6%, according to the University of Michigan's monthly survey. The war in Iran over the last four weeks has sent consumer sentiment into a deep dive. The University of Michigan's monthly survey…...
The national debt is ballooning. Americans are getting more worried about it.
3+ day, 10+ hour ago (252+ words) The U.S. national debt crossed $39 trillion last week, and it's growing fast. Racking up the most recent $5 trillion of that total only took two years, and the last trillion took less than six months. And Americans are worried. A new survey…...
Why a 1% remittance tax could cost more than it seems
4+ day, 9+ hour ago (990+ words) While the tax appears small, it's added on top of existing costs, which can drive up the price of sending money. People in the U.S. send a lot of money abroad: In 2024 alone, about $93 billion in formal remittances were sent overseas....
Import prices are sky-high. Why?
5+ day, 1+ hour ago (209+ words) What's behind higher import prices, and what do they mean for inflation? Plus: mortgage rates, jewelry prices, "sleepcations," and why the Opening Day baseball game is on Netflix. The prices reflect efforts to move supply chains to avoid tariffs " and…...
The price of imported goods rose in February, signaling inflation even before the war
5+ day, 1+ hour ago (499+ words) The prices reflect efforts to move supply chains to avoid tariffs " and a surge in fuel import costs driven by the cold weather this winter. The latest U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes summary from the Bureau of Labor Statistics came…...
Despite revisions, labor productivity is still A-OK
6+ day, 55+ min ago (317+ words) The Bureau of Labor Statistics revised labor productivity in Q4 of 2025 downward from 2.8% to 1.8%. "Marketplace" host Kai Ryssdal breaks down the numbers and what they could mean for the future of this economy. Despite downward revisions to fourth quarter labor productivity…...
How war in Iran is disrupting what bond markets expected from the Fed
6+ day, 10+ hour ago (346+ words) The Treasury Department is holding several government bond auctions this week. Those auctions often provide a clue as to what investors expect the economy to do in the future. The Treasury Department is holding several government bond auctions this week....
Weekly jobless claims are another sign the labor market is holding up
1+ week, 4+ day ago (363+ words) Unemployment insurance claims dropped more than expected last week. The number of people filing for jobless benefits for the first time fell to 205,000, the lowest level since January. Claims for unemployment dropped more than expected last week. The number of…...
Beef prices and the beef of tomorrow
5+ mon, 1+ week ago (266+ words) Alex is a producer for the "Marketplace Morning Report." He's based in Queens, New York. Alex joined Marketplace in 2020, working as MMR's digital producer. After a little over a year, he became the show's overnight producer, getting up far before…...