Marketplace Morning Report: "A Spendy, Splurgy Black Friday"

Date: December 1, 2025
Host: Sabri Benishore (in for David Brancaccio)
Duration: ~8 minutes (content only)

Episode Overview

This short yet packed edition of Marketplace Morning Report covers three major economic stories relevant to listeners starting their day: a strong Black Friday and Cyber Monday in retail, ongoing softness and new dynamics in the housing market, and an innovative look at how solar power is being combined with agriculture in Colorado. Each segment provides a snapshot of current trends, peppered with expert insight and memorable voices from the field.

1. Black Friday and Cyber Monday: Record-Breaking Sales Amid Tough Times

Segment starts: [01:44]

• Despite persistent inflation, tariffs, and a generally “negative consumer mood,” Americans turned out in force for Black Friday shopping, a trend predicted to surge into Cyber Monday.
• Salesforce projects U.S. Cyber Week sales will hit an all-time high—$78 billion, up 3% year-over-year.
• Notably, AI is guiding spending decisions more than ever: about 20% of global sales this week are AI-influenced.
• The primary device for shopping: Mobile phones.
• Top Cyber Monday deals: Electronics, with discounts expected at 30% (Adobe).
• Black Friday spending details:
  • Record $11 billion spent, up 9% over last year (Adobe).
  • Shoppers attracted by deep bargains on TVs, computers, clothes, furniture, and toys.
  • Rise in usage of “Buy Now, Pay Later” options—sales via these programs jumped almost 9% compared to last year.

Memorable Quotes

• “More and more consumers are letting AI help them spend their money… about a fifth of global sales will be influenced by AI this week.”
  — Nancy Marshall Genser [02:14]
• “Adobe says consumer spending broke records on Black Friday, coming in at more than $11 billion, up more than 9% over last year.”
  — Nancy Marshall Genser [02:27]
• “More cash-strapped consumers are using buy now, pay later.”
  — Nancy Marshall Genser [02:38]

2. U.S. Housing Market: Discounting, Delistings, and Stagnation

Segment starts: [03:03]

• Record numbers of home sellers are discounting their properties to attract buyers; average discount is about $25,000 off list price (Zillow).
• Conversely, many frustrated sellers are pulling their homes off the market. Delistings are reportedly at the highest level in 8 years (Redfin).
• Underlying causes:
  • After steep climbs, home prices have stagnated or fallen in numerous markets.
  • Mortgage rates, while slightly lower than earlier in the year (from “7% plus”), remain high enough to dampen affordability.
  • Labor market fears and “wavering consumer confidence” further chill demand.
  • Hopes of a rebound as rates eased were not realized due to continued high rates and strained inventory.
• Single-family construction is actually down 6-7% this year, limiting the housing supply (National Association of Home Builders).
• The overall market is characterized by “buyers and sellers struggling and the economy isn’t helping.”

Expert Voices & Quotes

• “Even though conditions have improved a little bit from an affordability standpoint, they're still not affordable nationwide.”
  — Ben Ayres, Economist [03:41]
• “It’s not really a great time still to buy a home.”
  — Ben Ayres [03:52]
• “We still have pretty much a lackluster housing market. Mortgage rates are high, inventory is somewhat strained.”
  — Ben Ayres [04:06]
• “Single family home construction this year is likely to be down 6 or 7%.”
  — Robert Dietz, National Association of Home Builders [04:25]
• “The biggest indicator in the real estate market is job growth, and the job market is flat.”
  — Israel Hill, Portland, OR Real Estate Broker [04:41]

3. Agrivoltaics: Solar Power Meets Farming in Colorado

Segment starts: [06:42]

• Agrivoltaics is gaining traction: combining solar arrays with agriculture to maximize land use.
• Feature story: Marketplace’s Amy Scott visits Jack’s Solar Garden in Longmont, Colorado—a farm using 3,000+ solar panels over four acres to power ~300 homes while cultivating crops beneath the panels.
  • Farm income had been falling for years; solar (started in 2018) provided new revenue and community value.
  • Byron Kominek, farm owner/manager, highlights synergy: electricity generation outpaces past hay profits, and new crop yields augment income.
  • Shade from panels: “The more shade that's accessible … to crops … that's going to be useful in the hotter, drier parts of our country.” — Byron Kominek [08:14]
  • Farming logistics: Small equipment is needed due to limited space between panels, but microclimates improve some crop yields.
  • Partnership with nonprofit Sprout City Farms: Grows tomatoes, peppers, onions, greens, and herbs beneath panels.
  • Looking forward: Plans for a berry "U-Pick" operation to further diversify.
• Key point: As millions of acres shift to solar farms, agrivoltaics allow continued food production and rural economic vitality.

Notable Quotes

• “How do we make our farm more useful financially for our family and do something useful for our community?”
  — Byron Kominek [07:32]
• “As millions of acres convert to solar farms to meet growing energy demand, we don’t have to leave the land useless. We can continue to make use of it, creating jobs… and producing food for our communities.”
  — Byron Kominek [09:10]
• “Selling electricity makes more money than hay production ever did.”
  — Byron Kominek [09:25]

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Start Time | |--------------------------------------------|------------| | Black Friday & Cyber Monday sales | 01:44 | | U.S. Housing Market latest | 03:03 | | Agrivoltaics – Solar meets farming | 06:42 |

Tone

The tone is brisk, practical, and informative—sticking to Marketplace’s tradition of efficiently delivering critical economic updates while embedding accessible storytelling and expert insight.

Summary Takeaway

This Marketplace Morning Report highlights consumer resilience as holiday sales break records despite economic challenges, while pointing out persistent headwinds in housing and spotlighting innovative solutions to rural economic pressure through agrivoltaics. The episode balances numbers, expert commentary, and on-the-ground reporting, giving listeners a quick, substantial update on three pressing economic themes as December gets underway.