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 affordabilityTokenized 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 closeSen. 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 wayTales 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 financesWary 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 HuertaWary of data center health impacts, some rural Alabamians are fighting back

Households often take on additional debt as they up their spending over the holidays. Buy now, pay later is poised to be an increasingly popular method for making those holiday purchases, new research finds. We hear about the benefits and the risks. And later in the show, we look at key takeaways from Anthropic's IPO filing and talk about what to make of the vast amounts of money flowing through big tech right now.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:More consumers intend to use buy now, pay later services for holiday purchases

One of the statewide offices Texas voters will decide on next week is railroad commissioner. It's a role that has nothing to do with trains and everything to do with the state’s oil and gas industry. The position has real power over an industry that produces more crude oil than most countries. This morning, we dig in. Plus, we'll talk about a consumer sentiment improvement and why financial markets are betting that the Federal Reserve will hold interest rates steady.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:Texans will be electing a new regulator of the state's huge oil and gas industry

In late September, the Trump administration removed 760,000 people from Affordable Care Act insurance plans, claiming the enrollees were likely in the program fraudulently. The administration blamed "health brokers." Some brokers have illegally signed people up for ACA plans without them knowing, so the brokers could collect commissions. Now, the administration has stopped issuing any licenses for new brokers, leaving the industry scrambling. But first, a look at how much stuff companies have been stocking up on lately.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:Lawsuit challenges freeze on new health insurance brokers ahead of open enrollment