# Workers are barely getting ahead in this economy

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/marketplace-all-in-one-432449/workers-are-barely-getting-ahead-in-this-economy
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/marketplace-all-in-one-432449/workers-are-barely-getting-ahead-in-this-economy.md
Podcast: [Marketplace All-in-One](https://stenobird.com/podcast/marketplace-all-in-one-432449)
Published: 2026-07-16T15:05:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.marketplace.org/episode/2026/07/16/workers-are-barely-getting-ahead-in-this-economy
Audio file: https://pscrb.fm/rss/p/mgln.ai/e/5/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/play.publicradio.org/podcast/o/marketplace/morning_report/2026/07/16/mmr_20260716_MMR_Podcast_2_64.mp3?awCollectionId=mkp-AllNOne&awEpisodeId=01KXNQ0D3DHMC4YMPYX0T6HAEB
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Duration seconds: 407

## Resource

Annual inflation is clocking in at 3.5%, which is still high by recent standards. That's also the same rate at which average hourly earnings grew in June. While workers barely broke even in June, they actually lost purchasing power to inflation in April and May. With real earnings stagnating, we'll examine some of the causes. But first, we'll check in on how the latest developments in the war with Iran are showing up in oil prices and the rest of the global economy. 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. Stories included in this episode: What happens when wages grow at the same rate as inflation

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## Transcript

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