Some relief seems to have arrived on the housing shortage front — listings are up 9% compared to last year. But buyers who’ve been waiting for more properties to go on the market? Not many are biting. In this episode, why the housing market flip-flopped and put sellers in a tough situation. Plus, why the theft of food benefits is common and how warming waters are affecting Maine’s shrimp industry.

First-time jobless claims have been pretty stable since the start of March — unlike many other parts of the economy. President Donald Trump’s tariffs and immigration restrictions may not be ideal for businesses, but they could give companies a reason to hold on to workers. Also in this episode: The European Central Bank cuts its key interest rate, get that EV tax credit while you can, and a martial arts master stays in Altadena, California, after losing her studio in the wildfires.

We’ve heard about people rushing to replace big-ticket essentials ahead of trade war-related price hikes, but what about stuff that’s more of a want than a need? In this episode: Tariff anxieties shape discretionary spending, giving consumers a way to feel some control in this chaotic economy. Plus: mixed signals from a manufacturing report, bitcoin’s chance at “digital gold,” and one of Altadena’s largest employers wants to rebuild and rehire longtime staff after the California wildfires.

For the first few years of the pandemic, businesses navigated a backed-up global supply chain that left some with excess inventory and others with no inventory at all. Tariffs may cause similar issues: Companies are stocking up on imports, and prices will likely rise. In this episode, business owners compare this economic moment to early-COVID supply snarls. Plus: Trade tensions are causing a drop in oil prices and stoking confusion in the steel industry. Also: The first installment of our series about how Altadena, California, businesses will rebuild after the devasting wildfire.

Just like some people fudge the numbers to lower their taxes, some companies do the same when paying tariffs on foreign goods. The federal government is mostly trusting that what’s in that shipping container is actually 100 bicycles, and not 500 bicycles. But erratic, rapidly changing trade policy is making it easier to evade tariffs, a customs broker told us. Also in this episode: Car insurance costs dip (but probably won’t stay down), a six-figure household income isn’t what it used to be, and the U.S. dollar takes a tumble.

We’ve said it more than once lately: This economy is defined by uncertainty. And as President Trump makes aggressive, if erratic, moves on trade and federal funding, firms and organizations are taking action to protect their interests. In this episode, some universities issue bonds ahead of federal funding cuts and some companies retract their investor guidance for 2025. Plus: Tariffs can’t reshore every sector of manufacturing and we launch a series documenting the consumer economy, focused on the views and experiences of people. 

The issuance of corporate bonds has slowed to a crawl, thanks to all that uncertainty in the economy. And without raising money in the bond market, firms may pull back on long-term investments. Also in this episode: The Democratic Republic of the Congo extends its ban on cobalt exports to raise prices, strains in the bar and restaurant business lead to closures and we answer listener questions on trade policy.

Import levies on Chinese goods amount to 54% right now. But some things that China excels at producing will likely remain in China. In this episode, why shoemaking can’t up and leave anytime soon. Plus: Copper prices ballooned and tanked in the past few weeks, European carmakers weigh their options in the trade war and recession fears, not inflation fears, are driving bond yields.

Tariff-driven inflation will hit Americans with the lowest incomes the hardest, slashing their disposable income by at least $1,700 a year, the Yale Budget Lab predicts. We’ll explain why. And the labor market could suffer too if demand falls for all those higher-priced products. Plus, New Mexico allocates oil and gas revenue to child care programs, and in booming West Texas, some residents struggle to access running water.

People feel richer — and spend accordingly — when their assets rise in value. That’s called the wealth effect. But when folks get their retirement account statements for Q1 of 2025, they may feel the opposite, since most of those accounts lost value. Will Americans pull back on their spending as a result? Plus, subcompact cars steer into the sunset, farmers are pessimistic about tariffs, and very small businesses can be a bellwether of economic trends.

Just how expensive has homeownership become? To afford a typical home, households need an income of about $117,000 right now — a 50% increase from $78,000 in January 2020, according to a Bankrate report. Over the same five years, wages rose  just 27%. What gives? Also in this episode: The dollar’s value drops, Europe weighs economic independence amid tariff troubles and falling enrollment shrinks budgets at rural public schools.

Consumers say they’re fed up with inflation, then they keep spending. But their behavior could be catching up with their anxiety, an economist told us. The clues are in data released today by the Commerce Department. Also in this episode: Can you live on just 13 gallons of water a day? One water-saving group thinks it’s possible. Plus, we look into how cities, farmers and compost brokers are tackling organic waste.