logo
episode-header-image
Mar 5
25m 5s

Why manufacturing employment continues t...

MARKETPLACE
About this episode

The February jobs report isn’t out until Friday. Still, experts are all but certain the manufacturing sector will have lost jobs compared to last year. In this episode, a weak single-family housing market and chaotic tariff policy prevent U.S. manufacturers from bouncing back. Plus: Hiring managers don’t trust resumes in the era of AI, Americans are spending less of their income on food than ever before, and a sparse snow season in Colorado stresses all sorts of businesses.


Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.


Marketplace 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.

Up next
Yesterday
Jet fuel prices soar as war continues
As war in the Middle East pushes oil prices up, the price of jet fuel rises too. And that means air travel could get more expensive. The catch? Airlines are responding unevenly. In this episode, airlines balance pinched consumers with climbing fuel costs. Plus: Small business own ... Show More
25m 11s
Mar 9
Consumers were pessimistic before the war. Now what?
Consumer sentiment was already trending negative before the war in Iran started, a war that so far has precipitated climbing oil prices and geopolitical uncertainty. The question is, how much more pessimistic can U.S. consumers get? Also in this episode: Commodities prices surge, ... Show More
25m 17s
Mar 6
Job numbers fall short of expectations
The latest jobs report showed a loss of 92,000 jobs in February. After months of slightly easing, unemployment crept up too, to 4.4%. Even the health care sector, which reliably grows every month, lost 28,000 positions. In this episode, is it a blip or a sign of more cuts to come ... Show More
25m 32s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2025
Some of America's Most Important Economic Data Is Decaying
Gathering official economic data is a huge process in the best of times. But a bunch of different things have now combined to make that process even harder. People aren't responding to surveys like they used to. Survey responses have also become a lot more divided along political ... Show More
47m 23s
Nov 2025
Wall Street Gains on Optimism US Will Soon Reopen
Watch Carol and Tim LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF.Wall Street’s bets that the largest shutdown in US history is soon coming to an end drove a rebound in stocks, spurring optimism that access to official economic data will shed light on the Federal Reserve outlo ... Show More
36m 11s
Sep 2025
Business Rundown: Is the Job Market Really as Bleak as the Fed Thinks?
When announcing interest rate cuts earlier this month, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell expressed concerns about the labor market, following major downward revisions to job growth data. But is the US Employment picture as bleak as the Fed sees it? Markets get a clearer view on ... Show More
20m 25s
Oct 2025
What’s up with the US economy? With Austan Goolsbee
Austan Goolsbee, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and a voter on the Fed’s interest rate-setting committee, speaks to the FT’s economics commentator Chris Giles about the outlook for the US economy amid a boom in AI investment, sluggish hiring, President Donald Tr ... Show More
24m 57s
Aug 2024
Sentiment improves after drop in US jobless claims
Send a textUS dollar gains as data ease further recession concerns. Aussie benefits the most, also helped by RBA’s Bullock. Wall Street rebounds, oil and gold gain as well.Risk Warning: Our services involve a significant risk and can result in the loss of your invested capital. * ... Show More
3m 36s
Dec 2024
Market-Moving US Economic Data Is Under Threat
From inflation data to unemployment rates, the US government releases numbers every month that move markets and shape policies. But the agencies responsible for gathering that data are struggling — and President-elect Donald Trump’s promise to find cuts across agencies could furt ... Show More
13m 55s
Mar 2025
What's Going On With the Economy?
Over the weekend, President Donald Trump said he wasn’t going to rule out a recession in the U.S.'s future. WSJ's Ashby Jones explains the cracks starting to appear in the economy and Brian Schwartz reports on how the White House is managing those cracks. See The Journal live! ... Show More
20m 31s