Marketplace All-in-One

One of the largest supermarket chains in the country wants to eat its competition. Today, Kroger announced a deal to buy Albertsons. Guest host Sabri Ben-Achour talks about what it might mean for your grocery bill and the food delivery industry. Plus, what we know about Germany’s decision to buy natural gas from Russia months before the invasion of Ukraine. And we’ll play a round of Half Full/Half Empty.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

If you’ve got a question for the hosts, leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART. You can also send an email to [email protected]

Think of inflation as a runner. In parts of the economy, that runner is slowing — still going forward, just not as fast. Today, we’ll unpack which sectors are leading the race and which are faltering. Plus, how the Fed is tackling that persistent inflation, what a Kroger-Albertsons merger means for your grocery bill and how China’s economy is doing on the eve of its 20th Communist congress.

This election cycle, “Marketplace Morning Report” traveled to Arizona, where, in less than a month, voters will decide whether some of the biggest campaign spenders should have to reveal their true identities. How this measure got on the ballot, what it hopes to achieve and what opponents say about it provide lessons about the so-called dark money that can sway elections near you. We look at the consequences of hidden political spending for everyday people, with a case study of higher electric bills for Arizonans. We also explore how a citizen-led ballot initiative could change the rules and the pushback from those who believe there’s a right to anonymity as part of the right to free speech. And, what it takes to get one of these ballot measures in front of voters and where else across the country we’re seeing an effort to curb this mystery money.

Also, the finance minister is out. It’s been a chaotic day there, and Victoria Craig from the BBC catches us up. We discuss more market chaos with Christopher Low of FHN Financial. Also, data shows that people remain unafraid to keep buying things in the face of inflation and other upsetting economic factors.

One factor to consider in all this grocery merger talk? The presence of Walmart. Elsewhere, Texas is the jumping-off point for a tale of how states are trying to “claw back” unemployment benefits – and how people are reacting to it.

Platform- or app-based gig work has seen its share of ups and downs in recent years, and this week brought a new twist. The U.S. Department of Labor proposed a rule that would push companies to classify many gig workers as employees — with all the rights and benefits that entails. Platforms like Uber, Lyft and DoorDash have pushed to keep workers independent contractors, saying it’s essential to their business models. So where could the gig economy go from here? Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino spoke with Arun Sundararajan, a business professor at New York University, who explained that gig work is now part of the fabric of our economy and how it should change to meet modern demands.

Despite the latest inflation numbers, the stock market had a great day today. We even got to play the happy, jazzy music on “Marketplace.” But that doesn’t mean we’re out of bear market territory. We’ll explain. Plus, guest host Samantha Fields talks about the big changes to a popular student loan program. (No, not President Biden’s student debt relief.) And, tastier beer?

Here’s everything we talked about today:

If you’ve got a question for the hosts, call us and leave us a voicemail. Our number is 508-U-B-SMART. You can also send an email to [email protected]

Core inflation registered 6.6% in September on a yearly basis. But just how much pain you feel paying your bills depends on who you are and what those bills are for. In today’s show, a look at why the headline inflation figure is probably different from the inflation you feel. Plus, the factors behind sky-high airfares, the problem-solving prowess of women in leadership and the hurdles to correcting unequal federal policies.

What do dried apple slices, bear spray and divorce debt have to do with the Jan. 6 insurrection? You’ll find out in this episode. When Stewart Rhodes launched the alt-right militia group the Oath Keepers, his wife, Tasha Adams, hoped that this just might be the key to a better life for their family. And right away, the Oath Keepers started attracting a lot of attention … and money. Stewart was finally getting the following and admiration he’d always told his family that he deserved. But instead of providing them with stable support, Stewart used his militia to further isolate and control Tasha and their six children … until they reached a breaking point.

This episode was reported and produced by Reema Khrais and Hannah Harris Green, edited by Karen Duffin and engineered by Drew Jostad.