Consumer spending fell in early August, according to preliminary results from the University of Michigan’s survey. July retail sales were down, and the average price of gas is nearing a record high for August. In today’s episode, we look at how consumers could be cutting discretionary spending as a result. Also, we’ll look at why China’s economy may be in trouble, the value of GDP as a statistic, fake business registrations in Colorado, Reddit joining the S&P 500, and the global plastics industry. Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? <a href="https://www.marketplace.org/newsletters">Subscribe</a> to our daily or weekly newsletter. Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at <a href="https://www.marketplace.org/">marketplace.org</a> — and consider <a href="https://www.marketplace.org/make-a-smart-investment">making an investment</a> in our future. Read the stories in today’s episode: <ul><li><a href="https://www.marketplace.org/story/2026/08/17/is-the-consumer-engine-of-the-economy-starting-to-slow-down" class="default">Is the consumer engine of the economy starting to slow down?</a></li><li><a href="https://www.marketplace.org/story/2026/08/17/is-chinas-economy-in-trouble" class="default">Is China's economy in trouble?</a></li><li><a href="https://www.marketplace.org/story/2026/08/17/why-we-still-use-gdp-to-measure-economic-growth" class="default">Why we still use GDP to measure economic growth</a></li><li><a href="https://www.marketplace.org/story/2026/08/17/colorado-residents-receive-strange-mail-due-to-business-fraud" class="default">Getting weird mail? In Colorado, it could be business fraud</a></li><li><a href="https://www.marketplace.org/story/2026/08/17/reddit-joins-the-sp-500" class="default">Popular online forum Reddit is joining the S&P 500</a></li><li><a href="https://www.marketplace.org/story/2026/08/17/iran-war-brings-relief-to-us-plastics-industry" class="default">Middle East conflict raises U.S. plastic industry's sinking ship</a></li></ul>

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