# The summer of the "very stretched consumer"

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/marketplace-all-in-one-432449/the-summer-of-the-very-stretched-consumer
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/marketplace-all-in-one-432449/the-summer-of-the-very-stretched-consumer.md
Podcast: [Marketplace All-in-One](https://stenobird.com/podcast/marketplace-all-in-one-432449)
Published: 2026-08-28T15:02:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.marketplace.org/episode/2026/08/28/the-summer-of-the-very-stretched-consumer
Audio file: https://pscrb.fm/rss/p/mgln.ai/e/5/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/tracking.swap.fm/track/VnCzW2iO9G8z4eDWfXCd/play.publicradio.org/podcast/o/marketplace/morning_report/2026/08/28/mmr_20260828_MMR_-_Podcast_2_64.mp3?awCollectionId=mkp-AllNOne&awEpisodeId=01M14DPVJP2GTG9QWB0GQP4DKF
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/marketplace-all-in-one-432449/episodes/the-summer-of-the-very-stretched-consumer
Duration seconds: 371

## Resource

Consumer confidence is down in the dumps. We got lots of retail earnings reports this week, and they hinted at the continued K-shape of our economy, where wealthier consumers spend and buoy retailers while lower-income consumers scale back. What does this mean for retailers like Dollar General, Kohl's, Walmart, and Amazon? Then, we'll recap escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and Canada and how they could hit the automotive industry particularly hard. Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter . Marketplace Morning Report is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

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## Transcript

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