Marketplace Morning Report

The "Marketplace Morning Report" team is cooking this morning. First, we hear from the CEO and founder of Beyond Good, a company known for its artisanal Madagascar vanilla and chocolate, about how tariffs are stirring up business. We also discover how import duties are riling the U.S. blueberry industry, which has a close relationship with processors and packagers in Canada. But first: why home prices and sizes are going d...

From the BBC World Service: President Donald Trump is expected to announce a deal on tariffs with Britain later today. The agreement would be the first since sweeping tariffs were unveiled for dozens of America's trading partners. Plus, remember when a fire near London's Heathrow Airport threw worldwide air travel into chaos a few weeks back? Officials still don't know the cause. And, China is experiencing a shortage of qu...

A PSA for those whose homes burnt in the LA-area wildfires earlier this year: If the insurance company writes a check, it comes with two names on it — the property owner's and the bank's. But the bank may keep interest earned on that insurance payout. Now, a California assemblyman is trying to change that. We'll check in. Also: China lowers interest rates, and fewer international students come to the States for higher educ...

From the BBC World Service: The Yemeni group started attacking shipping lanes around the Red Sea after the war in Gaza began. It's hoped the ceasefire will stop disruptions to major trade routes. Then, China and the U.S. are set to hold their first trade talks since sweeping tariffs were announced. Later: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on last week's massive power outage and former U.S. President Joe Biden on defense...

Ford Motor Company reported first-quarter results yesterday and said it’s suspending financial guidance for the rest of this year because of uncertainty resulting from tariffs. We'll hear more. Plus, some companies in Mexico are recruiting recently deported migrants from the States. And the guardians of interest rates at the Federal Reserve meet today and tomorrow on what to do about an economy under stress. Will they be h...

On Wednesday, 133 Cardinals are expected in the Sistine Chapel to start choosing the next pope. And people worldwide are placing millions of dollars in bets over who they think will get the two-thirds majority required to become the Catholic Church’s next leader. Also on the show: OpenAI hits a roadblock in trying to become a for-profit company, and China's offering cash and more parental leave to encourage a baby bump.

From the BBC World Service: DoorDash is paying $3.8 billion to take over U.K. food delivery app Deliveroo as it looks to gain a footing in the market there. Elsewhere, Germany's DAX is down 2% after the leader of Germany's conservative party, Friedrich Merz, unexpectedly failed to win the parliamentary majority needed to become chancellor, New Zealand's prime minister wants to keep kids off social media and some businesses...

It’s been almost a month since President Donald Trump announced 145% tariffs on all Chinese goods. One of the places we’re starting to see the impact of that announcement is at U.S. ports. Almost as soon as Trump raised tariffs on China, U.S. importers started canceling orders. And it could lead to a major supply chain shock. Also: tariffs on international films and strategies for older adults to work down credit card debt...

Warren Buffett is stepping down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway after 60 years, though he'll still stay on as chairman. The legendary investor, age 94, announced at Berkshire Hathaway's annual shareholder meeting in Omaha, Nebraska. We'll hear more. And later: Have you ever wanted to spend your days with seals, sea lions and turtles? Today, we'll chat with an aquatic veterinarian who does just that, as part of our series "Wha...

From the BBC World Service: U.S. President Donald Trump says he will hit movies made in foreign countries with 100% tariffs, as he ramps up trade disputes with nations across the globe. Plus, Skype will officially stop operating today, although Skype for Business will continue. And the Maldives has signed a deal with a Dubai-based company to establish an $8.8 billion investment zone aimed at diversifying the tourism hotspo...

The U.S. Department of Education will begin taking action against federal student loan borrowers who are in default starting on Monday. The Treasury Department could soon start withholding money from government payments like tax refunds and Social Security payments or even garnish wages. Plus, we'll digest this morning's jobs report. And later: Ryan Coogler's "Sinners" is a masterpiece in filmmaking — and in dealmaking. We...

We'll get the big hiring and unemployment reports for April later this morning. Companies have been tightening their belts as they've been grappling with tariffs and economic uncertainty. We'll discuss. We'll also hear how two small businesses that rely on imports are navigating a tricky tariff landscape. Also, the Trump administration wants to make it easier to fire federal workers. What could that mean for the Bureau of ...

But times are not normal. New data shows pending home sales are down year over year in most of the country, with the exception of the Midwest. Lack of affordability is a huge issue, but so is uncertainty about the future. Also: stock futures are pointing up this morning after rosy results from tech companies, and why President Donald Trump's tariff policy is the "greatest act of geopolitical self-harm" one political scient...

From the BBC World Service: After months of fraught negotiations, the U.S. has signed a deal with Kyiv to share profits from the future sale of Ukraine's mineral and energy reserves. Plus, Facebook's parent company says its users could face a "materially worse" experience after a major regulatory blow from the European Commission. We'll also visit a huge wholesale market to see how businesses in China are faring amid the t...

Gross domestic product shrunk 0.3% from January to March — the first growthless quarter since the pandemic recovery in early 2022. The cause? All the buying up that businesses and consumers did to beat tariff-induced price increases. We'll parse the data. Plus, Stellantis suspends 2025 guidance, Amazon backs away from transparency about the cost of tariffs, and the United Kingdom clamps down on a tax loophole for the rich.

Amazon backtracked yesterday after reporting revealed the company was planning to display how much tariffs were raising prices on individual items and the White House angrily pushed back. Other companies, including Temu and Volkswagen, are being upfront with customers about tariffs’ impact on product prices. We'll hear more. Also on the show: factory activity falls in China, and a view of the economy before Donald Trump to...