Marketplace All-in-One

Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD told analysts it's confident it can sell 1.5 million vehicles outside of China this year. Chinese EVs are advanced and affordable, making them increasingly popular in the global auto market. That can't be said for the U.S., however, which is effectively shutting out Chinese EVs with 100% tariffs. This morning, what does the U.S. economy stand to lose if we don't let Chinese cars in? But first, markets are feeling confident despite ongoing fighting in the Middle East.

President Donald Trump is scheduled to address the nation about Iran tonight. He told reporters yesterday that the war could wrap up in two to three weeks. Meanwhile, Iran has issued a new threat against 18 U.S. businesses operating in the region, including Microsoft, Google, Intel, Tesla, and Boeing. The war is also having dire effects on energy in South and Southeast Asia. Plus, how much is air travel being impacted by rising jet fuel costs?

In rare verdicts, juries in New Mexico and Los Angeles sided against multiple Big Tech companies last week.

In Los Angeles, Meta and Youtube were found liable for intentionally creating addictive products, while in New Mexico, Meta was found to have violated state law and misled consumers on child safety guardrails.

The result of these two cases will ripple to the thousands of pending cases against Big Tech companies across the country and could impact future legislation. “Marketplace Tech” host Meghan McCarty Carino spoke with Eric Goldman, co-director at Santa Clara University’s High Tech Law Institute, about the verdicts.

One glaring result of President Trump’s war on Iran, one month in? High oil prices. If fuel stays expensive, the cost could ripple through the global economy. Analysts think the market for electric vehicles in the U.S. could see a boost, for example, as gas prices shoot up. And countries in Asia may reopen coal production plants as crude oil becomes scarce. Also in this episode: Aluminum prices spike, Unilever sells off its food brands to a spice giant, and plasma centers see more middle-class donors.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Last week, at a time when the war with Iran has been roiling global energy markets, executives from energy companies all over the world gathered for CERAWeek, the “Super Bowl” of energy conferences. But as Marketplace’s Elizabeth Trovall tells us, conflict in the Middle East wasn’t the only hot topic there. Trovall joins Kimberly to discuss how the energy sector is confronting a wide range of disruptions, from geopolitics to technology.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

"At "Super Bowl of the energy industry," war in the Middle East is the hot topic" from Marketplace
"Gas prices eclipse $4 a gallon in the US, the highest since 2022" from AP News
"How Blocking Oil and Gas From Leaving the Strait of Hormuz Ripples Around the World" from The New York Times
"Venezuela oil production has reached 1.1 mln bpd in March" from Reuters
"Energy demand from AI " from the International Energy Agency

Got a question about the Iran war and its impact on the global economy? Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email [email protected].