Marketplace Business News

10/12/2025

The Essential Air Service program provides critical transportation assistance to rural communities, but its over $550 million per year cost has been the subject of recent debate. Some transportation experts say the money could be better spent on bus routes.

Taxpayer-funded Essential Air Service ensures people in remote communities can get to family engagements and medical appointments.

10/12/2025

Caitlin Lenahan is one of around 1.1 million Americans without running water. But in Alaska, where even homes near urban areas sometimes lack plumbing, running water can be more trouble than it's worth.

Many homes in Alaska lack running water — even those near urban areas. “You get used to it pretty fast,” said resident Caitlin Lenahan.

10/11/2025

Sports betting is taking off, even in places where it's not exactly legal. That's thanks to the emergence of prediction markets, where users can place bets on anything they can come up with.

Sports on prediction markets are not subject to regulation from state sports betting authorities, but that could change.

10/11/2025

The last time we checked in with Virginia’s Elden Street Tea Shop in July, owner Rachel Rozner was still trying to absorb tariff costs. Now, she‘s had to pass some of those costs off to her customers, but she’s holding on to one last hope: the Supreme Court decision.

Tariffs have raised the prices that tea shop owner Rachel Rozner pays. She’s now passing some of those costs on to customers.

10/11/2025

Why are U.S. taxes so difficult? What started as one man's dream to cure overbites with clarinet lessons has evolved into a complicated system of tax credits that can save you money, if you know how to navigate it.

The U.S. tax code is filled loopholes — credits, write-offs, exceptions and exemptions. This complicated system is costly and time-consuming for taxpayers. And it’s pretty unique to the U.S.

10/11/2025

EVs had their strongest quarterly U.S. sales in recorded history at over 438,000 vehicles, mostly driven by the elimination of the EV tax credit. That boosted auto sales in general, but that's not expected to last now that the credit is gone.

The end of federal EV tax credits jazzed overall sales in July, August and September. But with EV sales likely to plummet, the industry faces increasing headwinds.

10/10/2025

Prediction markets like Kalshi are seeing major investment. Plus: Subsidized air travel, auto sales, and a “dry” cabin.

Today on Marketplace.

Prediction markets like Kalshi are seeing major investment. Plus: Subsidized air travel, auto sales, and a “dry” cabin.

10/10/2025

It's "tough times" right now for musicians and artists, according to Dan Runcie, the founder of music and entertainment research group Trapital. The rise of AI and algorithms has, in some ways, made it more difficult to predict which songs will pick up steam. And that isn't just limited to new artists.

Listen to the rest of Kimberly's interview with Dan at mktplc.org/3WvRPOv. And for more stories like this, tune in to Make Me Smart wherever you get your podcasts.

10/10/2025

Travel and economic activity are slowing down in Las Vegas. Is this a big, neon warning sign for the American economy overall? Marketplace Morning Report’s David Brancaccio hit the Strip to find out.

Hear more of our coverage from the ground in Las Vegas ➡️ mktplc.org/4oipuHB

10/10/2025

Federal programs and funding play an important role in Indian Country because of the government’s trust responsibility to provide or fund services to tribal nations in exchange for ceded land. That relationship also means that government shutdowns hit tribes especially hard.

The federal government has a trust responsibility to provide services in tribal communities. Because of that relationship, government shutdowns hit tribes especially hard.

10/10/2025

Silver and gold, silver and gold, or just silver... The price of silver hit an all-time high of over $50 per ounce on the London market. It could be a sign that investors are looking for a safe bet.

Silver was trading at an all-time high of more than $50 an ounce on the London market Thursday, surpassing a record set 45 years ago

10/10/2025

Are you concerned about tariff uncertainty and AI? Your boss might be too. A new survey from KPMG suggests that CEOs are struggling to figure out a path forward in this period of economic confusion.

“It's not the change of tariffs,” said KPMG U.S. CEO Tim Walsh, “but the fact that tariffs are changing, and then sometimes changing again.”