Janet Nguyen

2 weeks ago | marketplace.org | Janet Nguyen

This is just one of the stories from our “I’ve Always Wondered” series, where we tackle all of your questions about the world of business, no matter how big or small. Ever wondered if recycling is worth it? Or how store brands stack up against name brands? Check out more from the series here. Reader Luke Burnham from Concord, Massachusetts, asks:I hear a lot of people talking about the unemployment rate - above 4% these days.

2 weeks ago | marketplace.org | Janet Nguyen

Americans no longer have to worry about pennies cluttering up their coin jars. The U.S. Treasury Department plans to halt production of the penny by early next year, a Treasury spokesperson confirmed in an email to Marketplace. This announcement was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. “The Treasury has made its final order of penny blanks this month and the United States Mint will continue to manufacture pennies while an inventory of penny blanks exists,” the spokesperson said.

3 weeks ago | marketplace.org | Janet Nguyen

This is just one of the stories from our “I’ve Always Wondered” series, where we tackle all of your questions about the world of business, no matter how big or small. Ever wondered if recycling is worth it? Or how store brands stack up against name brands? Check out more from the series here. Listener Phil Emanuel from Austin, Texas, asks:I still occasionally see an 800 number listed as "toll-free." Or at the hotel they list "free long distance calls" as a feature of the room.

3 weeks ago | marketplace.org | Janet Nguyen

With a Costco membership, you can purchase a rotisserie chicken, a half gallon jar of mayonnaise and a bar of real gold all in one trip. The popular warehouse club has made it easier than ever to snap up this precious metal, which now has a market value of more than $3,200 an ounce  –  an increase of nearly 60% since the start of 2024. The product is in such high demand that Costco has restricted purchases to two units per day. In 2024, gold had a return of 27% compared to the S&P 500’s 24%.

1 month ago | marketplace.org | Janet Nguyen

Americans are loading up on canned food and electronics in anticipation of price hikes thanks to the Trump administration’s trade policies. President Donald Trump has imposed duties on a variety of imports, including a 145% tariff on most Chinese products, a 25% tariff on steel, aluminum and automobiles, and a 10% baseline tariff on most goods. Exemptions include tariffs on imported goods from Mexico and Canada that are compliant with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.