Marketplace All-in-One

While the Federal Reserve voted to keep interest rates steady yesterday, the path ahead for rates is far from certain. One big factor is artificial intelligence, which new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh thinks can help workers produce more, adding to the supply of whatever a company makes with the same resources. Today, we'll unpack the argument, then paint a picture of the labor market and dig into energy lessons from the 1970s.

The company behind the new electric Slate vehicle — which has a somewhat rudimentary, Tonka-truck-like frame — is highlighting its simplicity and affordability. Next week, we’re going to learn just how affordable it really is. And while some of Slate’s marketing is geared toward rural and working people, the reality is that driving EVs in those areas can still be a challenge. Then, Hollywood is backsliding on diversity, but that's not true for audiences.

Weddings are meant to be joyful milestones and a chance to show up for the people we love. But for many people today, being a part of a wedding can come with multi-day trips, expensive outfits, and financial pressure that leads to years of debt.

Reema is joined by cultural commentator Josh Lora and The Atlantic editor Annie Joy Williams to talk about the cost of being a wedding guest, why wedding culture is getting more expensive, and how to navigate the pressure to say yes.

Did you find a creative way to make your wedding affordable for your friends? Give us a call at 347-RING-TIU or send us an email at uncomfortable@marketplace.org

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AI has ushered in a golden age for scams. There are the deepfake kidnapping calls, the vibecoded ecommerce websites and one of the latest, according to a recent article in the Hollywood Reporter, is a casting scam targeting aspiring actors. Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino spoke with labor and media reporter Katie Kilkenny who wrote about how this scheme typically unfolds.

Retail sales were up 0.9% in May, which is a generally positive economic sign. But it doesn’t square with our reality, in which price inflation outpaces wage growth. That is, until you look at that pesky personal savings rate. In this episode, YOLO consumers in a grim economy. Plus: Fed Chair Warsh holds rates steady, the rate of new households is falling, and what would happen if the U.S. lost its global reserve currency status.

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