Marketplace All-in-One

“Retail theft” often conjures Hollywood-esque heist scenes or sleight of hand at self-checkout. But 2025 was likely the biggest year on record for another, less glamorous kind of shrinkage: cargo theft. In this episode, how goods stolen right out of a truck raise costs for producers, logistics firms, and yes, consumers. Plus: More data centers plan to build their own natural gas plants, private sector data shows labor market growth is slow but steadying, and Kai visits an award-winning chef in South Los Angeles.

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The Small Business Administration will no longer allow green card holders to apply for SBA loans. The new policy was announced on Monday and takes effect next month. This program doesn’t lend money directly to businesses; it provides loan guarantees to lenders, and the loans are usually cheaper than traditional borrowing. We learn more. Then, for older people, financial strain may be a warning sign of dementia — before doctors or families start noticing symptoms.

Is a degree in economics, long considered a path to stable employment, even worth it in the age of AI? Recent research suggests entry-level economics and business jobs may be especially exposed to automation. That could leave college students wondering if their degree will be outdated by the time they hit the job market. Today, we'll hear how students and schools are adapting. Plus, work requirement changes to SNAP benefits could impact millions of recipients.

From the BBC World Service: Shares in the Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk tumbled 17% on Wednesday after the weight-loss drug pioneer warned of a decline in sales this year amid increasing competition and pressure on prices. Then, the United States renewed an agreement that gives 32 African countries duty-free access to the U.S. market. And later, the prime minister of Spain says he intends to ban social media for children under 16.

You can get a pretty good workout plan from a chatbot, but the tech is also being incorporated into all kinds of existing fitness apps, from Apple's Workout Buddy, which motivates you through earbuds, to the Fitbit AI health coach, to Peloton's AI-enabled camera that tracks your form.

Nicole Nguyen, personal tech columnist at The Wall Street Journal, gave some of the most popular ones a spin. She spoke with “Marketplace Tech” host Meghan McCarty Carino about her experience.