Marketplace Marketplace

Consumer sentiment takes a tumble

Aug 17, 2026 · 26m

Summary

This episode examines weakening US consumer spending and slowing growth in China, where a housing slump drives cheap exports. Alison Schrager defends GDP as a vital accountability metric despite its flaws. The program also covers Colorado’s surge in fraudulent business registrations, Reddit’s inclusion in the S&P 500, and how Middle East conflicts are boosting US plastics profits.

Topics discussed

Odoo ad and show intro US consumer spending and economic sentiment China's economic slowdown and export surge Defense of GDP as an economic metric Fraudulent business registrations in Colorado Marketplace numbers and stock updates Ads for Odoo, Dell, Raymond James, and Optum Reddit joins the S&P 500 index US plastics industry profits from war Bond yields rise and listener survey
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