Support the fact-based journalism you rely on with a donation to Marketplace today. Give Now!

The pros and cons of the sinking euro

May 30, 2022
What could be the effects of the euro and the U.S. dollar having equal value?
The euro's value is sliding against the U.S. dollar, which could lead to parity. That hasn't happened in decades.
Getty Images

What does a strong dollar mean for the U.S. and world economies?

May 17, 2022
A strong dollar means lower prices for goods from abroad. For countries that import commodities priced in dollars, however, it's bad news.
Matt Cardy/Getty Images

Russia is trying to prop up the ruble ... but it's not working

Mar 2, 2022
The ruble is a free-floating currency whose value tracks supply and demand. But sanctions have demolished demand and wrecked the market.
A currency exchange office in St. Petersburg, Russia. People are trying to unload their rubles as the value of the currency plummets.
Olga Maltseva/AFP via Getty Images

How does the U.S. Mint decide how many coins to produce each year?

Jan 27, 2022
Billions of coins entered circulation in 2021 alone. But the pandemic has slowed supply and created demand.
Jorge Villalba/Getty Images

Can a platinum coin solve the debt-ceiling standoff?

Oct 7, 2021
A legal loophole could let The Treasury Department mint the money it needs to run the government
The logo of the US  Treasury Department is seen on the outside of the Treasury building in Washington on August 19, 2011.

One way to value currencies? Compare Big Mac prices.

Jan 20, 2021
What the popular McDonald’s sandwich has to do with currency manipulation, trade policy and the incoming Biden administration.
The idea is that by drawing such comparisons across countries, you can determine whether prices are too high or too low relative to overall economic output.
Courtesy McDonald's via YouTube

Five things to think about when Trump says he wants a weaker dollar

Aug 23, 2019
When thinking about the U.S. dollar, it's important to think globally.
Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

Strong dollar undermines Trump on trade

Aug 5, 2019
The U.S. dollar offers a safe haven in times of investor uncertainty and fear.
China Photos/Getty Images