Accessibility links
The Economy: U.S and World Economic News NPR news on the U.S. and world economy, the World Bank, and Federal Reserve. Commentary on economic trends. Subscribe to NPR Economy podcasts and RSS feeds.

Economy

Also hit by inflation? Your local taco truck

A photo from Tacos y Birria La Unica's Facebook account. Tacos y Birria La Unica's Quesatacos hide caption

toggle caption
Tacos y Birria La Unica's Quesatacos

Also hit by inflation? Your local taco truck

Higher prices for gasoline, meat and vegetables and even cooking oil have put pressure on food trucks as they struggle to balance menu prices with customers' expectations of a low-cost meal.

Also hit by inflation? Your local taco truck

Listen · 5:25
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1107763089/1108117791" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Some cities cancel Fourth of July fireworks because of shortages and fire concerns

Spectators watch as fireworks explode overhead during the Fourth of July celebration at Pioneer Park, on July 4, 2013, in Prescott, Ariz. Julie Jacobson/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Julie Jacobson/AP

National

Some cities cancel Fourth of July fireworks because of shortages and fire concerns

Some major fireworks displays are canceled again this year — some over wildfire concerns amid dry weather and others because of enduring pandemic-related staffing and supply chain issues.

The celebrity crypto nexus

Images from the Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT series. Mario Tama/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Mario Tama/Getty Images

The Indicator from Planet Money

The celebrity crypto nexus

From Jimmy Fallon to Reese Witherspoon, why are so many celebrities promoting crypto? We untangle the web of connections between Hollywood A-listers, Bored Apes, and one influential talent agency, with journalist Max Read. He wrote about this in his Substack newsletter, Read Max.

The celebrity crypto nexus

Listen · 9:21
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1108033471/1108055259" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
What's happening with Russia's 1st default on foreign debt in a century

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with the head of Russia's Federal Financial Monitoring Service, Yury Chikhanchin, at the Kremlin in Moscow on Monday. Mikhail Metzel/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP hide caption

toggle caption
Mikhail Metzel/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP

Ukraine invasion — explained

What's happening with Russia's 1st default on foreign debt in a century

The clock ran out on Russia's payments. But there's a twist: Russia does not consider itself in default because the country has the money, just its payments have been blocked by Western sanctions.

What's happening with Russia's 1st default on foreign debt in a century

Listen · 3:24
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1107750231/1107750232" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Biden announced a $600 billion global infrastructure program to counter China's clout

President Biden appears with other G7 leaders on Sunday, as a summit at Elmau Castle in the German Alps gets underway. Biden announced a $200 billion U.S. investment as part of a global infrastructure project by major democracies to counter China's investments in developing countries. JONATHAN ERNST/POOL/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
JONATHAN ERNST/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

World

Biden announced a $600 billion global infrastructure program to counter China's clout

A decade after China's global infrastructure program started, the U.S., G7 countries and private capital will invest in clean energy, technology and other projects in developing countries.

Recession referees
Mario Tama/Getty Images

Planet Money

Recession referees

Whenever the economic data start to look rough, we're forced to confront a familiar question: Are we in a recession, or about to be? But there are actually only eight opinions in the country that officially matter. Today on the show, we meet the committee that calls recessions. | Subscribe to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.

Recession referees

Listen · 23:03
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1107581150/1107608526" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Burgers in Russia, Juul vaporized, THE trademarked

American fast-food hamburger restaurant Carl's Jr, in the center of St. Petersburg. OLGA MALTSEVA/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
OLGA MALTSEVA/AFP via Getty Images

The Indicator from Planet Money

Burgers in Russia, Juul vaporized, THE trademarked

This Friday, we're looking at fast-food companies who are still hanging on in Russia. Juul getting banned. And as a cherry on top, THE Ohio State University deciding to patent you guessed it, "the."

Burgers in Russia, Juul vaporized, THE trademarked

Listen · 9:12
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1107577923/1107598180" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Are rising interest rates giving you grief while you wait for your home to be built?

Did you put money down to buy a home that wasn't built yet and now are struggling to afford it because of higher mortgage rates? We want to hear from you. NPR hide caption

toggle caption
NPR

Your Money

Are rising interest rates giving you grief while you wait for your home to be built?

Many people are getting hurt financially because mortgage rates rose sharply while they were waiting for their new homes to be built. And now it's hard or impossible to buy them. Share your story.

The Fed's mistakes that led to this inflation mess

Inflation has reached levels not seen since 1981. Could the Federal Reserve have acted sooner? One former Fed official points to some human errors he says led to the inflation mess we're in today.

The Fed's mistakes that led to this inflation mess

Listen · 3:09
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1107531707/1107531708" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Biden said the G-7 would counter Chinese influence. This year, he'll try again

Last year, President Biden announced "Build Back Better World," meant to compete with China's Belt and Road Initiative. This year at the G-7, Biden will unveil the first projects. Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

Politics

Biden said the G-7 would counter Chinese influence. This year, he'll try again

At the last G-7, President Biden announced a plan for the West to counter China's influence in low- and middle-income countries. But not much has happened since. This year, there's a relaunch.

Biden said the G-7 would counter Chinese influence. This year, he'll try again

Listen · 7:01
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1106979380/1107633763" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Business

The Fed's latest interest rate hike has some congressional lawmakers worried

The chairman of the Federal Reserve acknowledges combating inflation with higher interest rates could lead to a recession. He argues a bigger risk would be to let high inflation become entrenched.

The Fed's latest interest rate hike has some congressional lawmakers worried

Listen · 3:46
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1107244506/1107244507" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript