Marketplace All-in-One

On the whole, consumers are feeling 20% worse about the economy than they were a year ago, according to the University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers. High prices were cited as one concern, but that’s been a pain point for years. So what’s new? Also in this episode: Uncertainty in the tech sector drums up investor interest in consumer staples, the federal government yanked over 3,000 data sets from public sites under President Trump, and a dancer-educator discusses the business of ballet.

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Hey Smarties! There won’t be a livestream for “Economics on Tap” today. But don’t worry! “Economics on Tap” will return soon on Feb. 20. For now, we’re sharing a new episode from our friends over at “This Is Uncomfortable.” Enjoy!

“Work Drama” is the “This Is Uncomfortable” advice column, answering your questions about sticky work situations. This week, Reema tackles your questions about workplace tension, co-worker cliques, bosses behaving badly, and some bizarre office policies. And she’s joined by one of our favorite culture writers and podcasters, Sarah Hagi, who hosts “Scamfluencers.”

If you have any work drama going on, we want to hear about it! You can send it to us at [email protected], leave a message at 347-RING-TIU, or fill out the form at the bottom of the page.

The Trump administration has launched the new TrumpRx website, where people can shop for prescription drugs at discounted rates. The site, a hub that points cash-paying customers to five participating manufacturers' websites, went live yesterday. We dig in. Then, it's been a bumpy week for markets. What should we make of it? Plus, we speak with a Minneapolis restaurant owner who says sales are down 50% due to ICE's crackdown in the city.

Software companies are in trouble. Or at least their stocks are. Salesforce is down 25%, and Intuit is down 31%, after startup Anthropic released a new tool sparking fear among investors that software companies are in danger of becoming obsolete. We'll learn more. Then, all kinds of cryptocurrencies are cratering in value, and we'll hear what it's like to be a small business in an anemic job market.

From the BBC World Service: Japanese voters will give their verdict on the government of Sanae Takaichi this weekend after Japan's first female prime minister called a snap election just months into her first term. How is the economy there shaping the election? Plus, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel says his government is trying to solve an energy crisis exacerbated by U.S. sanctions. And we check in with a company on a tiny Scottish island that produces an essential piece of Winter Olympics equipment.