Fed governors met this week and voted to keep interest rates steady at just below 4%. The central bank says it’s taking a “wait and see” approach to elevated inflation. But what does that mean for banks and businesses that want to borrow money? In this episode, economic forces make for a fraught lending environment. Plus: We take a trip to Costco to understand how toilet paper is an economic indicator, and spend the day out west with a Wyoming cattle brand inspector. 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/2026/10/28/banks-and-small-businesses-struggle-with-lending-as-rates-rise" class="default">As interest rates rise, lending gets more fraught for businesses and banks</a></li><li><a href="https://www.marketplace.org/story/2026/10/28/what-its-like-to-be-a-cattle-brand-inspector-in-wyoming" class="default">A day in the life of a Wyoming cattle brand inspector</a></li><li><a href="https://www.marketplace.org/story/2026/10/28/how-student-loan-debt-shaped-this-familys-lives" class="default">How student loans have shaped this family’s economy</a></li><li><a href="https://www.marketplace.org/story/2026/10/29/yes-even-toilet-paper-is-an-economic-indicator" class="default">What toilet paper sales tell us about consumer spending</a></li><li><a href="https://www.marketplace.org/story/2026/10/28/copper-wire-stripping-is-the-latest-tiktok-side-hustle" class="default">Copper wire stripping is making people money on TikTok</a></li></ul>

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Fed holds rates, but a future hike is pretty inevitable

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