Discretionary spending has had a good run recently, and the purchases aren’t skewing practical. Furniture retailers, for example, had a lousy 2023 — splurgy shoppers were more focused on Swift tickets than sofas. And looking to 2024, consumers plan to steer clear of big-ticket items and instead buy affordable luxuries like cosmetics. In this episode: Americans are in their “joy spending” era. Plus, financial planners are wary of the new spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds and everything seems to always be on sale.

In this economy, we’re focusing on the little things

Every weekday, host Kai Ryssdal helps you make sense of the day’s business and economic news — no econ degree or finance background required. “Marketplace” takes you beyond the numbers, bringing you context. Our team of reporters all over the world speak with CEOs, policymakers and regular people just trying to get by.

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Fast-casual sit-down restaurant chains have a lot on their plates right now. They’re unpopular with Gen Z customers, struggling to maintain reasonable prices and can’t compete with made-to-DoorDash options like Chipotle. Meanwhile, at the other end of the restaurant spectrum, reservations at trendy spots are hot tickets in resale markets. Also in this episode: The Port of Baltimore hopes for a return to normalcy, Texans gear up for a sweltering summer and homeowners in extreme weather-prone areas turn to state governments for insurance.

The future of dining

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 40,000 for the first time on Friday. As we say regularly on this show, the stock market is not the economy. But it can still be a good indicator of how some folks are feeling about the state of the economy. Also in this episode: Competition for small-business spending heats up, EV sales take a dip, and purchasing power for all income levels rises.
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“The granddaddy of all stock indices”

Staying ahead is tough if you run a business — especially in this odd economic moment, where even affluent shoppers are picking low-cost alternatives. Whether you’re selling furniture, home goods or sheep’s wool, sometimes you have to adapt by targeting new markets. In this episode, three businesses doing just that. Plus, what a dip in weekly jobless claims might signal, why currency carry trades are risky, and how the bees made a comeback.
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Walmart, Wayfair and . . . wool?

Looking at fresh economic data, retail sales were flat and some categories of food dropped in price from March to April. That indicates both falling inflation and a consumer spending pullback — good things if you’re the Federal Reserve. We’ll dig into the consumer price index and hear from Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee about the stickiest part of inflation right now. Plus, more women are employed than ever. Could that change as pandemic support programs expire?
The next $50,000 in donations to Marketplace will be matched, thanks to a generous gift from Dr. Joe Rush of Florida. Give now and double your impact.

The inflation cooldown we’ve been waiting for?

President Joe Biden announced a slate of new tariffs on $18 billion worth of Chinese goods today, including electric vehicles, semiconductors, steel and aluminum. We’ll look at how the tariffs compare to those implemented under the Donald Trump administration and what they mean to business owners. Plus, the latest on salvage efforts in the Port of Baltimore, and a new federal rule encourages more long-distance power lines.
The next $50,000 in donations to Marketplace will be matched, thanks to a generous gift from Dr. Joe Rush of Florida. Give now and double your impact.

In this economy, we’re focusing on the little things

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