Marketplace All-in-One

First up, AI has driven a market moodiness as of late. Broader anxieties have sparked sell-offs, while bullish tech optimism has also boosted stock indexes. What gives? Then, companies are expected to spend a whopping $50 billion a month on AI data center construction over the next few years. Those firms are issuing investment-grade corporate bonds to pay for it all. This morning, we'll dig into what that could mean for interest rates.

Last night, President Donald Trump strongly defended his tariffs in his State of the Union address. He made the case for future tariffs, despite the Supreme Court decision last week striking down the centerpiece of his tariff policy. Trump also expressed hope that import taxes will someday replace income taxes. Plus, Nvidia is looking to get back into the consumer market, and mortgage rates dipped below 6% this week.

From the BBC World Service: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says there is a great opportunity to develop ties with China following a meeting with its leader, Xi Jinping. Before the trip, Merz said there needs to be a fair competition and jointly agreed-upon rules between the two countries. Also, starting today, almost all visitors to the United Kingdom will need to apply for an electronic travel authorization that costs around $21 before entering the country.

As teenagers decide whether to go college, and where, more of them are turning to artificial intelligence to help make that decision. According to a survey out today from the education company EAB, about half of high schoolers who are planning to go to college are using AI tools in that search. That’s nearly double the number from last spring. And in turn, colleges are spending big to spruce up their digital footprints for maximum AI discoverability.

Raphael Bostic, president of the Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank since 2017, will step down from his post this week. “Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal spoke with Bostic about where he sees inflation and the labor market headed, and how the central bank is weighing it all. In this episode, we bring you some of their conversation. Plus: Meta announces $100 billion deal with chipmaker AMD, and average tariffs on Chinese goods come down after SCOTUS ruling.

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