Marketplace Morning Report

South Korean boy band BTS is currently in the U.S. as part of their first world tour after a four-year hiatus. Their fans, known as ARMY, are extremely loyal, and the concerts are attracting hundreds of thousands of attendees. That includes Susan Schmidt, portfolio manager at Exchange Capital Resources and a regular "Marketplace Morning Report" contributor. Today, Schmidt joins the show to explain the economic impacts of BTS and its fans. Plus, what's with the global bond selloff?

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Stories featured in this program:

Understanding the economic impact of BTS — and its ARMY of fans

Ultra-fast fashion company Shein started trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange today. Once valued at about $100 billion, the company went public at closer to $27 billion. The Shein IPO has been years in the making. This morning, we'll delve into what took so long, where the brand stands within the fashion retail landscape, and what the IPO could mean for customers. But first: what a jump agriculture export prices means for farmers.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace Morning Report 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.

Stories covered in this episode:

Crop export prices are up. Are farmers reaping the benefits?
What Shein's IPO means for customers

Sixty-two years ago today, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Food Stamp Act into law, making food stamps — now known as SNAP benefits — permanent. But Congress approved major funding cuts to SNAP last summer and introduced new work requirements. So what does the future of SNAP look like? Plus, what's on Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's agenda for G20 and, from "Marketplace Tech," a look at ICE's massive DNA collection.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace Morning Report 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.

Stories included in this episode:

More than six decades after it was signed into law, the program known as SNAP is at risk

More than 1,500 new independent bookstores have opened nationwide since 2020, according to the American Booksellers Association. And the pace is accelerating: the ABA recorded more than 600 new store openings in 2025 alone. Paradoxically, the big drivers of the boom are online retail and social media. We'll explain. Also on this morning's show: what Canadian tariffs mean for cars and housing, plus a preview of this week's G20 summit in Asheville, North Carolina.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace Morning Report 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.

Stories featured in this episode:

How BookTok is powering a brick-and-mortar bookstore boom

Consumer confidence is down in the dumps. We got lots of retail earnings reports this week, and they hinted at the continued K-shape of our economy, where wealthier consumers spend and buoy retailers while lower-income consumers scale back. What does this mean for retailers like Dollar General, Kohl's, Walmart, and Amazon? Then, we'll recap escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and Canada and how they could hit the automotive industry particularly hard.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace Morning Report 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.