Marketplace Morning Report

When Democrats take over the U.S. House and Senate this January, bank oversight will change. The new heads of key congressional committees will have questions for Trump administration regulators and bank CEOs on deregulation and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Later in the show, we visit remote communities in Alaska, where soaring energy costs are becoming increasingly relevant as the state moves into winter.

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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 from this podcast:

• High fuel and food prices mean Alaskans may have to choose between the two

Election day has come and gone, and big changes are coming to Capitol Hill next year when the new Democrat-majority Congress takes office. In the meantime, the economy keeps humming along. Investors, though, see potential for gridlock when it comes to governing — and aren't upset about it. And later in the show, Major League Baseball owners appear ready to lock out players when their union’s collective bargaining agreement expires on Dec. 1. At issue is baseball's competitive advantage.

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 from this podcast:

• Major League Baseball argues a salary cap would bring competitive balance

Voter frustration with the economy helped the Democrats win control of Congress. But data centers were also on the ballot yesterday, and they got a big thumbs down from voters. Voters were deciding on more than 40 data center measures. According to the tracking website Data Centers on the Ballot, voters passed 33 provisions to restrict data centers. Only one proposal to allow more data centers passed. Plus, the day after midterms, how should you navigate political conversations at work?

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 from this podcast:

• It's the day after the election. Should we talk politics in the office?

It’s a big week for labor market data, including data on wages, unemployment, and job turnover. But before the employment floodgates open, it’s worth looking at a group of workers who have stepped back from the labor force: Men ages 25 to 54 — who were almost all working half a century ago — are participating significantly less today. What gives? Also: a look at how the U.S. trade balance is holding up.

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 in this episode:

• Why are so many men opting out of the labor force?

Back in September, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission cleared the way for the trading of tokenized stocks. The so-called “Innovation Exemption” temporarily lifts some regulations to allow for the issuance of digital tokens, which represent shares in a corporation or organization. In other words, it’s another way for investors to trade. This morning, we explain it all. But first, Marriott’s earnings beat expectations, even as some customers tighten their belts.

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 in this podcast:

• Marriott beats earnings expectations despite worries about affordability
• Tokenized stocks, explained

In October, the Trump administration announced it would no longer enforce parts of the National Firearms Act, a nearly century-old law that regulates the sale of certain firearms and accessories. It's one of many changes to gun regulations that may be coming down the pipeline. In this podcast, we unpack. But first, we have a primer for this week’s deluge of jobs data.

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 from this episode:

• What new gun policy changes mean for the firearm industry

With Election Day almost upon us, some business leaders are urging candidates and public officials to respect the voting process and abide by election results. They argue that free and fair elections are essential to a functional economy. This morning, we'll learn what actions the business community is taking. Then, New Hampshire Senator Maggie Hassan joins the program to discuss financial scams and what more federal agencies and private firms can do to prevent them.

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.

Read the stories in this episode:

• Some business leaders are ready to defend election officials and the voting process after polls close
• Sen. Maggie Hassan on financial scams

Halloween is almost here, meaning plenty of people are on the hunt for a scare. And there is, in fact, an entire sector of the economy that revolves around providing spooks, frights, and horrors. For the latest installment of our "What's That Like?" series, we hear from Kalila Smith, owner of Haunted History Tours in New Orleans, Louisiana. Listen ... if you dare. But first, we examine what it costs to employ someone these days.

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 from this podcast:

• This measure of labor costs can signal when inflation's on the way
• Tales from a ghost tour company in the Big Easy

Homebuilders constructed 19,000 fewer homes in 2024 because of the lack of skilled labor, according to a construction industry estimate from last year. A big factor in the labor shortage is the federal government's immigration crackdown, which has led to the arrest of many construction workers, often at job sites. This morning, we hear from some families and businesses impacted. Also: weighing jobs and tax revenue versus pollution concerns near proposed data centers.

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.

Read the stories from this episode:

• Deportations are disrupting Texas construction jobs and family finances
• Wary of data center health impacts, some rural Alabamians are fighting back

Dolores Huerta, an icon of labor rights, women's rights, and civil rights, died yesterday at 96. Huerta co-founded what became the United Farm Workers of America, and, for decades, she led strikes and protests pushing for better conditions for agricultural workers. Today, we have a remembrance. Also in this episode: why the Fed held off on raising interest rates and what a proposed hyperscale data center could mean for residents of a rural Alabama town.

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.

Read the stories from this podcast:

• A remembrance of labor rights icon Dolores Huerta
• Wary of data center health impacts, some rural Alabamians are fighting back