Marketplace All-in-one

How much do you share with your partner about your finances? Sometimes, a little privacy starts to look a lot like a secret. And secrets (especially the money kind) have a way of becoming problems.On this week’s episode, Reema talks to people on the streets of Portland about their real-life money secrets, and chats with divorce lawyer Randy Kessler and couples counselor Jeff Guenther, who’ve seen how financial secrecy can fracture relationships — and sometimes bring people closer.If you liked this episode, share it with a friend. And let us know what you think by emailing uncomfortable@marketplace.org or calling 347-RING-TIU. Have you ever kept a big money secret from your partner? We want to know! And follow us on Instagram and Tiktok!

A landmark lawsuit that accuses social media companies of intentionally designing their platforms to be addictive — and causing harm to children and teenagers' mental health — is in court this week in Los Angeles.The defendants in this case are Meta and YouTube, both of which dispute the allegations. Snap and TikTok both settled in advance of the trial.Some are calling this social media's "Big Tobacco" moment. Eric Goldman, co-director of the High Tech Law Institute at Santa Clara University, discusses this as well as a series of lawsuits against the social media giants.

“Retail theft” often conjures Hollywood-esque heist scenes or sleight of hand at self-checkout. But 2025 was likely the biggest year on record for another, less glamorous kind of shrinkage: cargo theft. In this episode, how goods stolen right out of a truck raise costs for producers, logistics firms, and yes, consumers. Plus: More data centers plan to build their own natural gas plants, private sector data shows labor market growth is slow but steadying, and Kai visits an award-winning chef in South Los Angeles.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 Small Business Administration will no longer allow green card holders to apply for SBA loans. The new policy was announced on Monday and takes effect next month. This program doesn’t lend money directly to businesses; it provides loan guarantees to lenders, and the loans are usually cheaper than traditional borrowing. We learn more. Then, for older people, financial strain may be a warning sign of dementia — before doctors or families start noticing symptoms.

Is a degree in economics, long considered a path to stable employment, even worth it in the age of AI? Recent research suggests entry-level economics and business jobs may be especially exposed to automation. That could leave college students wondering if their degree will be outdated by the time they hit the job market. Today, we'll hear how students and schools are adapting. Plus, work requirement changes to SNAP benefits could impact millions of recipients.

From the BBC World Service: Shares in the Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk tumbled 17% on Wednesday after the weight-loss drug pioneer warned of a decline in sales this year amid increasing competition and pressure on prices. Then, the United States renewed an agreement that gives 32 African countries duty-free access to the U.S. market. And later, the prime minister of Spain says he intends to ban social media for children under 16.

You can get a pretty good workout plan from a chatbot, but the tech is also being incorporated into all kinds of existing fitness apps, from Apple's Workout Buddy, which motivates you through earbuds, to the Fitbit AI health coach, to Peloton's AI-enabled camera that tracks your form.Nicole Nguyen, personal tech columnist at The Wall Street Journal, gave some of the most popular ones a spin. She spoke with “Marketplace Tech” host Meghan McCarty Carino about her experience.

It's a big week for major televised events: The Winter Olympics kick off Wednesday and Super Bowl Sunday is nigh. Brands used to save their biggest, splashiest ad for such a slot. But this year, firms are pulling out all the stops to avoid controversy, or so much as hinting at a current event. Plus: Disney shows CEO selection is tricky business, PepsiCo announces price cuts on key salty snacks, and retail construction booms in Texas.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.

Hey Smarties! We recorded today’s episode before the House passed a spending package that will end the partial government shutdown. We’re monitoring the situation as it develops.President Trump has shown no signs of easing his pressure campaign on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. But this could spell trouble for Trump’s pick for Powell’s successor, Kevin Warsh. Marketplace’s Nancy Marshall-Genzer joins Kimberly to explain. Plus, we’ll get into what you should know about Warsh’s history at the Fed and more of the latest news from the central bank.Here’s everything we talked about today:"Trump’s Political Drama With Powell Overshadows Fed Rate Decision" from The New York Times "What would Kevin Warsh bring to the Federal Reserve?" from Marketplace"Fed keeps interest rates unchanged, despite pressure from Trump" from Marketplace"Trump Needs an Off-Ramp for Powell Feud to Speed Warsh Into Fed" from Bloomberg"The economic headache that's coming for Kevin Warsh" from PoliticoWe love hearing from you. Leave us a

Of course, we mean "What would Kevin do?" — Kevin Warsh, that is, President Donald Trump's nominee for Federal Reserve chair. And it's a question plenty of investors are asking as they try to feel out his views on inflation and Fed independence. We'll unpack. Plus, we'll head to Venezuela, where acting President Delcy Rodríguez signed a law last week opening the oil industry there to private ownership after two decades.

Layoff announcements have been coming fast and furious: 16,000 at Amazon; up to 30,000 at UPS; more at Dow Chemical, Pinterest, T-Mobile, and more. These latest workforce reductions won’t show up in the January jobs report, but they do suggest a labor market under increasing stress. This morning, we'll dig in. But first, tech companies like Google are considering putting power-hungry data centers used to fuel AI into space. What would that look like?

From the BBC World Service: President Donald Trump announced tariff cuts on goods imported from India and said that, in return, India promised not to buy any more Russian oil. But when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the tariff reduction, he didn’t mention anything about Russia or its oil. What gives? Then, following the U.S. military action in January, a bill currently before Venezuela's National Assembly aims open its state-dominated oil industry to foreign investment.

In his new book, Wall Street Journal tech columnist Christopher Mims offers a guide for getting the most out of the technology. He's compiled two dozen "Laws of AI" to shed light on the best ways to use these generative tools.Yesterday we talked about how individuals can improve their productivity with AI, and today we're digging into how organizations can use — or sometimes misuse — it.

Productivity — the rate at which companies make what they make, or do what they do — has been a reliably bright spot in this economy. But wage growth hasn’t kept up. In this episode, what’s hampering compensation growth while overall productivity rises at a clip? Plus: Is AI actually to blame for recent layoffs? Is rising global debt bad news? And, the partial government shutdown will delay crucial employment data.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 precious metals market has been on a tear, but experienced a severe correction last week. Part of it has to do with the nomination of Kevin Warsh as Fed chair. We'll discuss it, plus preview this week's big hiring and unemployment reports. Plus, from our partners at the BBC, one out of every five people over 65 in Japan is living with dementia or has early symptoms. How are businesses responding?

In January, five states enacted laws restricting people who receive food aid from buying sugary beverages and snacks. About a dozen more will follow suit later this year. This morning, we'll learn about how that affects SNAP recipients and grocery stores. Plus, last week, gold and silver had their worst declines in decades. Then, as part of Marketplace's "AI and You" coverage, we'll look back at when the dot-com boom led to a rapid expansion of internet infrastructure — similar to what we're seeing today with AI.

From the BBC World Service: After a historic rally, gold has seen its biggest drop in more than a decade. Silver is also down after sharp swings in Asian trading. The rapid decline comes after President Donald Trump announced Kevin Warsh as his nomination for Federal Reserve chair, a pick many hope can continue to preserve Fed independence. Then, we head to Japan, where local tech firms are helping seniors living with dementia.

With all the fanfare surrounding AI these days — the utopian dreams and dystopian nightmares — it can be hard to see the technology as simply a tool that anyone can use to improve their lives.That's what tech columnist Christopher Mims at the Wall Street Journal focuses on his new book "How to AI: Cut Through the Hype. Master the Basics. Transform Your Work.” In it, he outlines two dozen “AI Laws” for how consumers and organizations should think about AI.First up: AI is an assistant, not a replacement.

Activists called for a nationwide shutdown of economic activity Friday, Jan. 30, following another killing by immigration officials. But in this unforgiving economy, small business owners who support the cause faced a difficult decision. Today, a few told us how they navigated the moment. Plus: Sluggish big oil earnings show why Venezuela investment isn't popular, Trump announces his pick for Fed Chair, and parents pay a price for snow days.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 Winter Olympics kick off next week in Milan, Italy. On today’s show, Kimberly is joined by Jackie Wong, self-described skate nerd and host of “The Rocker Skating Podcast” to break down the basics of Olympic figure skating and who to watch at the Milan Cortina Games. Despite the sport’s popularity, figure skaters frequently struggle financially off the ice. We’ll get into it. Plus, you pick: real hockey or “Heated Rivalry”? Here’s everything we talked about today:"Winter Olympics 2026 guide: All you need to know about the Milan Cortina Games" from AP News"Milan Cortina Olympics: Figure skating could have multiple American golds" from Yahoo Sports"What Should I Watch at the 2026 Winter Olympics?" from The Cut"Around 5 billion people - 84 per cent of the potential global audience - followed the Olympic Games Paris 2024" from the International Olympic Committee "To Go for the Gold, These Olympians Went Into the Red" from The Wall Street JournalWe love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or