Marketplace Morning Report Warren Buffett steps down, ending an era at Berkshire
Jan 2, 2026
Nancy Marshall-Genzer, a Marketplace correspondent, analyzes the significant leadership transition at Berkshire Hathaway as Greg Abel steps in for Warren Buffett. She highlights Abel's conservative cash management approach amid broader market gains. Diane Swonk, Chief Economist at KPMG, contrasts robust stock performances with a troubling job market, describing the economy as 'Janus' due to mixed signals of acceleration and weak employment. Their discussion also touches on the diminishing role of traditional film critics in today's digital age.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Leadership Shift At Berkshire
- Greg Abel is now CEO of Berkshire Hathaway and will be more hands-on than Warren Buffett.
- He values cash as a cushion and isn't rushing to deploy Berkshire's large cash pile into markets.
Stock Gains Mask Weak Hiring
- Stocks posted strong gains in 2025 while the labor market weakened, showing a split economy.
- Diane Swonk warns employment growth was the weakest since 2020 and second weakest since 2009.
Hiring Stalls, Not Massive Layoffs
- Employers are reluctant to add new positions, slowing labor-force entry and reentry.
- Seasonal holiday effects may hide higher layoffs in the official claims data.