NPR Business News

Here is how SpaceX could turn up in your current investments

Jun 20, 2026

SpaceX stock hit the market last week. Here's how it could turn up in your retirement or investment portfolio.

Poll: Most Americans have the summer blues about Trump and the economy

Jun 18, 2026

A new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll finds a record low share of Americans approve of President Trump's job performance and his handling of the economy heading into the summer before a key midterm election.

Here's how much the Iran war cost -- and how its effects will linger

Jun 17, 2026

More than three months after the U.S. and Israel launched their war on Iran, the costs and aftereffects are felt around the world.

With Iran deal, Trump told ships to 'start your engines.' That's not happening yet

Jun 17, 2026

Iran's control of the Strait of Hormuz inflicted global pain during the months-long conflict with the U.S. and Israel. A tentative deal is in place, but questions remain about the key waterway.

Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady and hints at rate hike later this year

Jun 17, 2026

The Federal Reserve left its benchmark interest rates unchanged Wednesday, and signaled its next move could be a rate increase. It's the first rate decision under the new Fed chairman, Kevin Warsh.

Shipping exec says industry needs assurances Strait of Hormuz will be safe

Jun 16, 2026

NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Jakob Larsen, chief safety and security officer at BIMCO, the global shipping association, about what it might mean to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The war with Iran is making oil changes pricier. And a deal won't solve it

Jun 16, 2026

The U.S. may be the world's biggest producer of crude oil, but that's not the case for motor oil. The cost of lubricants is soaring, and even a tentative deal to end the war won't solve the problem.

More people are juggling work and kids -- and finding they can't give 100% to both

Jun 16, 2026

A new Pew survey finds many working parents feel they cannot give 100% at either work or home. Benefits like paid sick leave and more affordable childcare could help.

Is it a renter's market? It depends on where you live

Jun 16, 2026

About 40% of rentals on Zillow offer move-in deals, like a month of free rent, thanks to a construction boom that created an apartment surplus in some parts of the United States.

Visa and OpenAI integrate Visa's secure global payment directly into ChatGPT

Jun 16, 2026

Would you hand an AI chatbot your credit card? This week, Visa's deal with ChatGPT maker OpenAI became the latest step in the march toward a future where AI offers to shop on your behalf.