Consumer sentiment takes a tumble

Marketplace examines signals of an economic cooldown: preliminary University of Michigan survey results showing consumer spending fell in early August, a drop in July retail sales, and gasoline prices nearing a record high for this time of year. The episode explores where consumers may be cutting discretionary spending. Other segments cover turbulence in China's economy, the enduring role of GDP as a metric despite its limits, a wave of fraudulent business registrations in Colorado, Reddit's addition to the S&P 500, and how Middle East conflict is affecting the global plastics industry.