Episodes

  • TikTok is here to stay
    Jan 23 2026

    TikTok says it has formed a joint venture for U.S. operations with majority American ownership. The deal is intended to address national security concerns that led to a law that would have banned the app. Then, the world is now holding more gold than U.S. bonds. Is this a sign of changing times? And later, we discuss Americans’ savings rate and the impact of the upcoming cold snap on spending.

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    7 mins
  • Economic power as a cudgel
    Jan 23 2026

    Usually a relatively quiet affair, this year’s World Economic Forum made headlines as President Donald Trump walked in with threatening language over wanting to acquire Greenland and left with what he said was a framework deal that would avoid a new trade war. We'll discuss the lasting impact. Plus, TikTok looks to be here to stay. And, from Marketplace's "This Is Uncomfortable," we hear about the importance of how people feel about their finances.

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    7 mins
  • The oil sanctions leaving sailors adrift
    Jan 23 2026

    From the BBC World Service: Sanctions on the export of Russian oil have left many ships stuck at sea, unable to unload their cargoes. Today, we speak with a captain of an oil container ship that's part of Russia’s shadow oil export fleet. His ship and the crew are stranded, unable to sell or offload their ship's oil. Then, we head to Slovakia, which manufactures more cars per capita than any other country in the world.

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    7 mins
  • How would a credit card interest rate cap even work?
    Jan 22 2026

    President Donald Trump acknowledged yesterday that he'll need help from Congress to cap credit card interest at 10%. He also talked about this at the World Economic Forum; at another Davos venue, JPMorgan Chase's Jamie Dimon said that capping cards would cause "economic disaster." We dig in. Plus, tax breaks from the "Big Beautiful Bill" should boost the economy (temporarily), and boosting Venezuela's oil production could have serious environmental impacts.

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    6 mins
  • What's next for Cuba after Venezuela?
    Jan 22 2026

    Following the president's intervention in Venezuela, the Trump administration is escalating threats against several sovereign nations. Now, Cuba is set to lose access to one of its main suppliers of oil, adding pressure to its increasing energy shortage and an already struggling economy. This morning, we'll discuss with the BBC's Will Grant. Plus, President Donald Trump’s pivot on Greenland was well-received on Wall Street, and renter affordability is improving.

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    7 mins
  • Stocks rally in Europe as relations thaw in Davos
    Jan 22 2026

    From the BBC World Service: The world has been reacting to President Donald Trump's announcement of a vague framework agreement over the future of Greenland. The president said that the U.S. will not impose tariffs on eight NATO countries. Then, you might think of corporate bonds as relatively modern, but companies have actually been issuing them since at least the 17th century; so what kind of return can you expect from a bond issued in 1648 by a Dutch water company?

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    8 mins
  • Trump, Davos, and markets
    Jan 21 2026

    On Wednesday, President Donald Trump spoke in front of international leaders in Davos, Switzerland. There, he touted his use of tariffs to disrupt the global trading system and spoke about his aspirations for acquiring Greenland without the use of force. We'll unpack some of the economic headlines. Then, we'll also discuss yesterday's sell-off of stocks and bonds and hear how Russia's war on Ukraine is impacting European airlines’ bottom lines.

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    7 mins
  • Worlds apart on generative AI use
    Jan 21 2026

    People around the world are using AI more than Americans, a new poll finds. About 40% of adults in the U.S. told pollsters that they used generative AI in the last year. In Nigeria, the United Arab Emirates, and India, that number was about 85%. What's driving the divide? But first: a preview of markets before President Donald Trump's speech at Davos, and a look at the struggle between the Trump administration and the Fed.

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    7 mins