Marketplace

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: During a tumultuous few years, consumer spending has kept the U.S. economy afloat. December retail data reflects that: Americans may be uncertain about their economic future, but they didn’t hesitate to spend it up during the holidays. But does the almighty consumer show signs of wavering? Also in this episode, China has built up its trade war playbook, wholesale electricity prices stabilize and the cost of retrofitting homes to resist wildfires varies.

The December consumer price index is in, and inflation did tick up a bit. The stickiest category? Shelter, which was up a whopping 4.6% year over year. In this episode, we break down the multitude of reasons housing prices remain high. Plus: What’s next for humanitarian parole recipients as Trump takes office, why the American workweek is shrinking and EV adoption grows alongside an expanding charging network.

It’s Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo’s last week on the job. We called her up to discuss the future of the CHIPS Act, her experience working with the tech elite and Donald Trump’s plan to “tariff our way” to revitalizing U.S. manufacturing. Also in this episode: Americans think finding a new job would be tricky but don’t plan to leave or lose their current one. Plus, the co-working industry sees signs of life and producer prices stayed mostly flat in December.

Vehicle fuel efficiency requirements, also known as Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards, were enacted in response to the 1970s oil embargo. But CAFE regulations have been buffeted by energy politics since that time. Once in office, President-elect Donald Trump is expected to carry on that tradition. Also in this episode: Homeowners affected by natural disasters have mortgage relief options, employers in expensive areas invest in manufactured housing and tech giants (still) dominate the stock market.