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Marketplace · September 11, 2026 · 25m 35s

Inflation trumps wage gains

Kai Ryssdal
Show Notes

Real hourly wages dropped 0.3% year-over-year as inflation outpaced pay gains, squeezing household budgets. The episode also explores how the gender wage gap hinders national productivity, why Northeast housing starts are rising while they fall elsewhere, and the possible outcomes of next week's Federal Reserve meeting.

This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.

Canon

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Fed Weighs Competing Mandates Ahead of FOMC
Next week's FOMC meeting forces the Federal Reserve to balance its dual mandate: controlling inflation while supporting maximum employment.
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Highlights

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Inflation Outpaces Wage Gains
Real hourly wages fell 0.3% year-over-year in August as inflation ran hotter than pay raises.
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Gender Pay Gap Slows Economic Productivity
The episode reports that the persistent gender wage gap doesn't just hurt individual women; it acts as a drag on overall economic productivity.
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Housing Starts Diverge Regionally
Housing starts are rising in the Northeast while falling in most other parts of the country.
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Misc

✧The episode includes a story about someone who retired at 37 to devote time to community service.
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