Marketplace Morning Report

The U.S. economy actually lost jobs last month. The number of people on U.S. payrolls fell by 92,000 in February, with big swings in education and health care. How might the Federal Reserve respond to this new data? Plus, the idea of having a robot to do all your household chores has long been a staple of science fiction. Today, we hear from a company designing robots trying to make that a reality.

War in the Middle East has caused oil prices to spike, and — right on cue — gasoline prices have risen quickly. They’re up 34 cents in a week, according to AAA. That's the fastest price increase at the pump since 2022. And diesel prices just topped $4 a gallon this week, which will likely push up the cost of anything shipped by truck or train. Also on the program: a look at what's driving Texas supermarket construction.

In pretty much every jobs report of 2025 — and on into early 2026 — health care was the most reliable job-creating sector. Some 436,000 health care jobs were added last year. It's a bright spot in the labor market, at a time when other sectors face sluggish job growth and disruption from AI. Plus, since the U.S. and Israel launched their war with Iran, the value of the U.S. dollar has been rising. We'll discuss.

Parts of the Great Lakes region have seen their coldest winter in more than a decade, and maple syrup farmers are rejoicing. The cold snap has been perfect for making maple syrup. Today, we'll head to a syrup farm in Middlefield, Ohio, to learn about the process — and economics — behind the pancake breakfast staple. But first, the Labor Department has proposed a new rule on whether workers are classified as gig workers or employees.

The Department of Justice and dozens of states are accusing Live Nation — the owner of Ticketmaster — of being a monopoly, shutting out competition, and driving up ticket prices. This massive antitrust case was originally brought under the Biden administration, but there are competing currents over antitrust enforcement in the second Trump administration. Also on this morning's show: a fresh glimpse into the job market and an examination of company spending on equipment versus labor.