Marketplace

Permian Basin oil companies are reporting strong quarterly earnings, as the Iran war keeps prices up and supply restricted. West Texas, formerly in a slump, has seen an uptick in hiring and new rigs. But oil companies are moving cautiously — they want to avoid a bust after the boom. Also in this episode, more caution: Small businesses carefully weigh workforce expansion, the U.S. invests billions to prop up the Japanese yen, and a Colorado peach farmer preps for a water shortage.

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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.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

Why did the U.S. just spend billions to prop up the Japanese yen?
What the bond market is trying to tell us
How small- and medium-sized firms are navigating this labor market moment
Becoming a freelance court reporter helped this mom find herself
High oil prices lift all boats in the Permian Basin, but companies remain cautious
Peaches pay the bills for Western Colorado farmers, but drought makes their future uncertain

Amazon’s autonomous vehicle company, Zoox, can now roll out 2,500 of its vehicles annually in the next two years. Are more robotic cars coming, or will there be more speed bumps? But first, we’ll look at the market impact of the Fed’s decision to keep interest rates steady in our Weekly Wrap. Plus, the effect of rising health insurance costs for employers, a retiree returning to the workforce for a family business, and a look at how Boulder, Colorado is making room for the Sundance Film Festival.

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.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

Weekly Wrap: Kevin Warsh's dilemma on interest rates
Rising health insurance costs may take a bite out of your paycheck
Leaving retirement for a new family business
Amazon's self-driving Zoox taxis are about to hit the roads
When a legendary film festival comes to Colorado, will homeowners open their doors?

Since 2020, the cost of groceries has risen 26%. But contrary to what you might think, cash-strapped consumers aren’t necessarily staying away from pricier options. In this episode, why Americans are doubling down on organic — even as the cost of their overall grocery haul rises. Plus: Why more customers are choosing chargebacks, what economists predict about inflation two years from now, and how a Maine nonprofit is bringing lobstering to the next generation.

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.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

The Fed doesn't have an inflation crystal ball, but it does have "sticky-price CPI"
In spite of price hike fatigue, consumers are still snapping up organic foods
Credit card chargebacks are on the rise — part of the reason is fraud
Multiple wars drive up the price of diesel
"Never would have expected to be here": Young Mainers consider the lobster

The Trump administration’s war in the Middle East has driven up fuel prices globally. As drivers pay more at the pump, some oil-rich states like New Mexico and Alaska are experiencing a tax revenue windfall. In this episode, one man’s gas spend becomes another man’s state budget booster. Plus: The Fed holds rates steady despite internal disagreement, “kidulting” and collectibles fuel growth in the toy retail space, and a line dancing resurgence driven by social media launches one instructor’s boot scootin’ career.

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.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

Oil-producing states benefit from war-driven windfall
Adults are spending big on toys
What happens if the AI bubble pops?
How one entrepreneur is riding a wave in popularity for line dancing

President Trump insists his economic policies have supported a reshoring of manufacturing jobs. At a rally held at a Michigan GM facility on Monday, he doubled down. In reality, the U.S. has lost 75,000 manufacturing jobs since Trump took office in 2025. In this episode, we fact check the President’s claims, and consider the future of Michigan’s auto industry. Plus: Companies begin to offer insurance for AI mistakes, the U.S. trade deficit shrank a bit in June, and UPS winds down its Amazon delivery fulfilment partnership.

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.

Read the stories in today’s episode:

Trump says his aggressive trade policy is bringing back factory jobs. Is it?
No really, what is Kevin Warsh thinking?
New insurance products cover damages caused by AI
UPS and FedEx are moving from higher volumes to higher margins
The trade deficit fell in June, but remains high
As mortgage rates stay high, this lender is seeing buyers accept the new normal