The Indicator from Planet Money

Why are fewer Americans working the night shift?

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 14:38:17 +0000

The night shift isn’t for everyone, but it often means a boost in pay and a foot in the door. Yet a smaller share of Americans are working the graveyard shift than in decades past. Today on the show, where did all the third shift workers go?

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Related episodes:
Why Americans don’t want to move for jobs anymore

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Want a 2.5% mortgage? Buy it.

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Remember those juicy mortgage rates from back in 2021? You don’t actually need a time machine to get one today. You just need to find someone willing to sell their house AND their mortgage to you. Called ‘assumable mortgages,’ they take a long time to get,, and you’ll probably need a fat wad of cash.

On today’s show, how to buy your way into a cheap mortgage rate.

Related episodes:
How mortgage rates get made
How mortgage interest rates work (and why they're currently out of whack)

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Tyler Jones. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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The anxiety rattling China’s youth

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 08:00:02 +0000

China will soon unveil its economic blueprint for the next five years, including a target for economic growth. This comes as consumption is down, wages aren’t rising, and property prices continue to drop. So what’s the plan? Today, we hear from NPR’s China correspondent Jennifer Pak about the challenges facing China’s economic policymakers.

FYI, we are going on a book tour! Planet Money’s first ever book comes out in April. We’ll be celebrating in about a dozen cities. There’s a limited edition tote bag included with your ticket, while supplies last. Details, dates and how to get your ticket at planetmoneybook.com.

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Why Paramount went looney tunes for Warner Bros.

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Paramount Skydance is making a $110 billion play for Warner Bros. Discovery, and with it intellectual property like Harry Potter, Batman, and subsidiaries HBO and CNN. On today’s show, who is the man behind the deal? Does he really want to make movies? Will any regulators try to stop it?

Should the families of organ donors be compensated?

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Two economists get into the business—and stakes—of organ donation, and they argue why the government should financially compensate their families.

ICE is bad for business, heat is bad for coffee, and sci-fi is bad for markets

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

It’s … Indicators of the Week (now on YouTube!), our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.

On today’s episode: How Minnesota workers were affected by Operation Metro Surge, why coffee’s getting more expensive, and what happens when a sci-fi AI scenario meets the stock market.

Related episodes:

How ICE crackdowns are affecting the workforce

Why this rural town wants an ICE facility

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Julia Ritchey and Vito Emanuel. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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How your favorite fish sticks might be funding Russia's war

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 08:00:02 +0000

Russia exports billions of dollars worth of fish a year across the world. But after the invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. banned imports of Russian fish. It turns out those bans are only so effective. Today on the show, how Russia has dodged import bans to keep selling billions of dollars worth of seafood every year, and how the U.S. has struggled to stop it.

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Vito Emanuel. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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What an Epstein recording reveals about how elites get jobs

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

What do the latest batch of documents tell us about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and elite networking? Quite a bit. Today on the show, we analyze one exchange between Epstein and a former world leader to find out how the revolving door works for the rich and powerful.

FYI, we are going on a book tour! Planet Money’s first ever book comes out in April. We’ll be celebrating in about a dozen cities. There’s a limited-edition tote bag included with your ticket, while supplies last. Details, dates and how to get your ticket at planetmoneybook.com.

Related episodes:
Gilded Age 2.0?
How close is the US to crony capitalism?

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Vito Emanuel. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Do traders who place big bets make big money?

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

We’re going whale watching today. No, not orcas or great blues, but financial traders that place big bets on something called options. On today’s show, who are these option whales and do their bets always pay off?

FYI, we are going on a book tour! Planet Money’s first ever book comes out in April. We’ll be celebrating in about a dozen cities. There’s a limited edition tote bag included with your ticket, while supplies last. Details, dates and how to get your ticket at planetmoneybook.com. Related episodes: Invest like a Congress member For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Why there are roving rotisserie chicken mobs

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 08:00:02 +0000

You asked, we answered.

On today’s show, we tackle questions from our dear listeners on whether AI interviewers are biased, what the heck M2 money supply is, and what’s up with the frenzied mobs fighting for rotisserie chickens at the grocery store.

Related episodes:
When AI is your job interviewer
How beef climbed to the top of the food pyramid
Retirement luck, Hassett hassles the Fed, and boneless chicken in ... court?
Behind the Tiny Desk and other listener questions

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Can I get my tariff money back now?

Sat, 21 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

The Supreme Court struck down a bunch of President Trump’s tariffs yesterday. The Trump administration originally used an emergency economic powers law to justify the tariffs. And the court said: No! You can’t do that! Bad Trump, bad! This is despite the U.S. having raked in over a hundred billion dollars in import taxes already.

On today’s show, unpacking the Supreme Court’s blockbuster tariffs decision. What’s next for tariffs? And … are we getting tariff refunds? Asking for a friend.

Related episodes:
Trump's backup options for tariffs
Tariffied! We check in on businesses
Are Trump's tariffs legal?
Worst. Tariffs. Ever.

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez and Vito Emanuel. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Retirement luck, Hassett hassles the Fed, and boneless chicken in ... court?

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

It’s … Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.

On today’s episode: Why you better hope you retire at juuuust the right time, why the researchers at the Federal Reserve are being scolded by a White House economic advisor, and taking boneless chicken to court.

Related episodes:

Chicken meat, Gulf of Mexico lawsuit and Social Security beyond the grave

Davos drama, credit card caps and tariff truths

What would it take to fix retirement?

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez and Corey Bridges. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Why this rural town wants an ICE facility

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

The Trump administration is planning to pour more than $38 billion into warehouses for mass immigrant detention. While some communities are starting to push back, one rural town has agreed to expand its detention facility. On today’s show, we visit a small town in Georgia to learn about the trade-offs of becoming a detention town.

Related episodes:
How well are ICE’s 12,000 new officers being trained?
How ICE crackdowns are affecting the workforce

How well are ICE's 12,000 new officers being trained?

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

The Department of Homeland Security says it has more than doubled the workforce of Immigration and Customs Enforcement under President Trump. Yet videos of immigration officers killing two U.S. citizens and using aggressive arrest tactics have left some politicians and community leaders rethinking the agency’s approach. On today’s show, law enforcement experts assess the training and culture at DHS.

Related episodes:
How ICE crackdowns are affecting the workforce

How Iran's flagging economy inflamed its protests

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Editor's note: The United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran early Saturday, Feb. 28. For current coverage click here. For background context, the story below was published on Feb. 17, 2026.

According to activists, Iran has killed over 7,000 people as part of a crackdown on protesters. Why did protests engulf Iran in the first place? A big contributor: Its flagging economy, which has been in a tailspin for years. It’s a tinderbox.

Related episodes:
Iran, protests, and sanctions
The Lost Plane

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Jobs numbers, immigrants in healthcare, and ... Jesus Christ?

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

It’s time for … Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.

On today’s episode: Analyzing the new jobs numbers, how letting in more immigrants could reduce elder mortality, and betting on the return of … Jesus Christ.

Related episodes:

Just how bad are these job numbers?

A market to bet on the future

Who's gonna take care of grandma?

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez, Cooper Katz McKim and Vito Emanuel. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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What it costs to be an elite figure skater like the 'Quad God'

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Behind every Ilia Malinin or Alysa Liu, there is an army of elite figure skating coaches and choreographers who have been with them from the beginning. On today’s show, how much does it cost to achieve Olympic glory and why is it so expensive?

What is going on with gold and silver?

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

The prices of gold and silver are on rollercoaster rides; Gold has been rising over the last few years, silver shot up like a skyrocket in January … but then both plunged in price and sputtered around the end of the month.

It raises the question: What is going on?

Today on the show, we talk with some traders about what this volatility of gold and silver is saying about the state of the world.

Related episodes:

Why is everyone buying gold?

A new-ish gold rush and other indicators

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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The boxed meal helping Americans stay on budget

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Food keeps getting more expensive, so how do shoppers respond? They change what they buy, right? It’s not just that cheaper foods get more popular. Shoppers are more nuanced than that. So, today on the show, we choose one classic meal that is tailor-made for this anxious economic moment. Why Hamburger Helper is poised to win 2026.

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How niche brands got into your local supermarket
Can you trust you're getting the same grocery prices as someone else?
Hits of the Dips: Songs of recessions past

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Are we in an economic 'doom loop'?

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Trade wars. Financial panics. Inflation. How come it feels like it’s all bad news in the global economy these days? Economist Eswar Prasad’s answer: something he calls the ‘doom loop.’ That’s where massive geopolitical and economic forces feed off each other and send us careening into disorder. Sounds dire. But it’s not hopeless.

On today’s show, are we in a doom loop? And if we are … how do we get out of one?

Eswar Prasad’s new book is called “The Doom Loop: Why the World Economic Order Is Spiraling into Disorder”.

Related episodes:
Is the financial media making us miserable about the economy?
Why are some nations richer?

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Just how bad are these job numbers?

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 08:05:00 +0000

It’s a weird time for jobs numbers. Another month, another jobs report pushed back by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Averaging two private sources, ADP and Revelio Labs: an estimated 4,500 jobs were added in January. Sounds like … not many.

And, yet, the unemployment rate hasn’t seemed to have risen. This might be, in part, due to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. We’ll explain through the story of one Angeleno.

On today’s show, how bad are these job numbers? Or are they not bad at all? And what does immigration have to do with it?

Related episodes:
Can we still trust the monthly jobs report? (Update)
What you need to know about the jobs report revisions
What really goes on at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (Update)

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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How college sports juiced Olympic development

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

How did the U.S. become the Olympic powerhouse it is today? Cold War competition. The Soviet Union sponsored their athletes. But America wanted its athletes to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. It birthed an unexpected accelerator of Olympic development: College football. Stay with us now.

On today’s show, how college football became an Olympic development engine. And how that engine might not be running as smoothly as it once did.

Related episodes:
Why the Olympics cost so much
You can't spell Olympics without IP
A huge EU-India deal, Heated Rivalry, and a hefty $200k to Olympians
Why Host The Olympics?
The monetization of college sports

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Warming your house the green way just got more expensive

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 08:00:02 +0000

People wanting to purchase heat pumps might soon face sticker shock. Many consumers have sought out energy credits to find a greener and more affordable alternative to heating oil, but the tax credit to help make them cheaper has expired. Today on the show: how homeowners, the renewables industry, and its critics all feel about it.

All these data centers are gonna fry my electric bill … right?

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Data centers are getting a lot of heat right now. There’s neighborhood pushback against them for water usage and environmental concerns, and some politicians on both sides of the aisle aren’t fans for the same reasons. There’s also fear that they could drive up the cost of electricity bills.

But that last bit isn’t set in stone.

Data center electric bill upcharge is not a guarantee. In fact, it is even possible for data centers to cause power bills to go down. Today on the show: the future of your power bill.

America's next top Fed Chair

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Kevin Warsh has been tapped as the next chair of the Federal Reserve. We’re sure that he’ll have a lot of questions about how to run the Fed if confirmed. So we put together this briefing.

On today’s show, three Fed watchers give their advice for the next chair. On politics, interest rate cuts and dealing with the Fed’s repeated trading scandals. Oh, and can someone please forward this episode to Kevin Warsh?

Related episodes:
One Fed battle after another
Lisa Cook and the fight for the Fed
A primer on the Federal Reserve's independence
It's hard out there for a Fed chair

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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A huge EU-India deal, Heated Rivalry, and a hefty $200k to Olympians

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

It’s … Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.

On today’s episode: a HUGE trade deal between India and the European Union, all the hot hockey romance New Yorkers could ever want, and a heavy earnings purse for Olympic competitors, win or lose.

Related episodes:

Why the Olympics cost so much

The surprising economics of digital lending

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Julia Ritchey and Vito Emanuel. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

Preorder Planet Money's new book here!

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Hawaii’s worker shortage goes NUTS

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 08:00:06 +0000

Macadamia nuts. Labor shortages. Volcanoes. All that might sound like econ Mad Libs, but they’re all connected to the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco’s entry into the Beige Book this month: labor shortages are hurting macadamia nut harvests in Hawaii.

On today’s show, we take a vacation and talk to someone on the Big Island who runs a macadamia nut farm. He calls them “mac nuts.”

Related episodes:
Why beef prices are so high

Why isn’t corporate America standing up to Trump?

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

President Trump has been storming through corporate America — taking a stake in Intel, demanding a cut of Nvidia’s sales, restricting skilled workers, among other big footed policies.

Meanwhile, corporate leaders have mostly just … rolled over.

Today on the show: As Trump rewrites the rules of doing business, why aren’t business leaders doing more to speak up?

Related episodes:

How close is the US to crony capitalism?

Davos drama, credit card caps and tariff truths

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Can Europe sell America?

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

“Sell America.” There’s new talk of how Europe could turn the economic screws on the U.S. after President Trump’s play for Greenland. Selling U.S. Treasury bonds is one way. Another is a legal tool. It’s been called the EU’s bazooka.

On today’s show, taking stock of Europe’s financial arsenal. How could America’s largest foreign lender lighten Americans’ wallets?

Planet Money wrote a book and is going on tour, come see us: tickets and tour dates here.

Related episodes:
Davos drama, credit card caps and tariff truths
Why Trump resurrected the Monroe Doctrine
Lunch with the man who coined TACO

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How Pakistan is revving up a fight against tax dodgers

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Pakistan has had some major economic bumps as of late, including a near default in 2023. At the root: seriously low tax collection. Millions of Pakistan residents opt out of paying income taxes entirely. This is a problem a lot of lower- and middle-income countries face. On today's show, we talk about why there are so many tax dodgers in Pakistan and what the government is trying to do about it.

Related episodes:

Is the US pushing countries towards China?

A brief history of income taxes

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Davos drama, credit card caps and tariff truths

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

It’s time for … Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.

On today’s episode: Why does Davos feel interesting this year? What if we did cap credit card interest rates? And we’re paying most of those tariffs, aren’t we?

Also, big news! Planet Money wrote a book and we’re going on tour this spring. Find tickets and info at planetmoneybook.com.

Related episodes:

Trump's backup options for tariffs

Globalization At Davos: What Happened?

The carbon coin: A novel idea

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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How beef climbed to the top of the food pyramid

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Beef is back on top. Well, at least on top of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s new food pyramid, unveiled alongside updated national dietary guidelines. Red meat really never left the great American menu. But how’d it climb all the way up there?

On today’s show, America’s storied love affair with beef. And how big business and government have long influenced what winds up on our plates.

Related episodes:
Why beef prices are so high
Who’s buying all the beef?

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Is Greenland really an untapped land of riches?

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

President Donald Trump is dead set on acquiring Greenland, and while national security is the stated reason, the country’s untapped mineral wealth could offer another explanation.

Today on the show: is Greenland really an untapped land of riches? We talk to one Australian geologist who discovered the great costs and potential rewards of extracting these minerals himself.

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez and Julia Ritchey. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Are U.S. defense contractors lavishing their investors too much?

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

In early January, President Donald Trump signed an executive order threatening bans on defense contractors paying dividends or buying their stock back.

Today on the show, we learn about the Trump Administration’s frustrations with the weapons supply chain, find out what a defense industry investor makes of the move, and ask whether this reflects the state tightening its grip on the industry that arms the U.S. military.

Related episodes:
Are we overpaying for military equipment?
Can Just-In-Time handle a new era of war?
How to transform a war economy for peacetime

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ICE influencers, a world-record trade surplus, and the moon goes nuclear

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Welcome back to Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.

On today’s episode: Influencers for ICE, China’s tremendous trade surplus, and America heads back to the moon.

Related episodes:

We resolve to watch these 2026 indicators

China's trade war perspective

Who owns the moon?

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Why Trump resurrected the Monroe Doctrine

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 08:05:06 +0000

203 years ago, President James Monroe declared the Western Hemisphere off limits to powerful countries in Europe. Fast forward, and President Trump is reviving the Monroe Doctrine to justify intervening in places like Venezuela, and threatening further action in other parts of Latin America and Greenland. On today’s show, how is Trump redefining the Monroe Doctrine and what does it mean for the world?

Related episodes:
Add to cart: Greenland
Is the Panama Canal a rip-off?
Venezuela didn’t steal U.S. oil. Here’s what happened
Can Europe stand without the U.S.

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Can a good story change economic reality?

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Economic decisions aren’t only driven by hard data. A compelling story can change economic behavior and outcomes. In today’s episode, we explore real-world examples of “narrative economics” like how the Suez Canal ended up getting built. And we ask: why do narratives sometimes matter more than truth or data?

One Fed battle after another

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 13:47:40 +0000

Over the weekend, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the Department of Justice served the Fed with grand jury subpoenas. Powell says it’s all a sham. But the stakes are unprecedented: A potential criminal indictment. Central bank independence. Today on the show, the administration’s case against the Fed. How did we get here? And what comes next?

Related episodes:
Lisa Cook and the fight for the Fed
Trump's unprecedented attack on the Fed
A primer on the Federal Reserve's independence
Why Is The Fed So Boring?

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How far can philanthropy go to fill government gaps?

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

While Americans are known for their generosity, the U.S. government, increasingly, is not. The Trump administration’s cuts to SNAP benefits among other aid programs have forced states, foundations and donors to fill the gaps. But can they? On today’s show, the limits of philanthropic efforts to supplant federal aid.

Related episodes:
Why tech bros are trying to give away all their money (kind of)

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How AI is shrinking the job market for teens

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 14:48:46 +0000

Karissa Tang is a 17-year-old in California who got curious about the impact of AI on typical teen jobs like cashiers and fast food counter workers. She embarked on an ambitious economic research project and shares her findings with us.

Related episodes:
How much is AI actually affecting the workforce?
AI creates, transforms and destroys... jobs
When does youth employment become child labor?

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Venezuela didn't steal U.S. oil. Here's what happened

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 08:05:06 +0000

President Trump claims Venezuela stole American oil. Is that true? We trace Venezuela's oil industry from its 1920s birth through nationalization and then collapse. Today on the show, how did the Venezuelan oil industry get to a point where it’s barely pulling from its reserves? And will anything change now?

Related episodes:
Venezuela’s economic descent (Update)
Venezuela’s recent economic history (Update)
Why oil in Guyana could be a curse

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Can you trust you're getting the same grocery prices as someone else?

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

When you're in a grocery store nowadays, chances are your data is being collected. From a swipe of the loyalty card to the purchase of an ice cream pint, your data tells stores what you like, how much they should stock, and more.

But what if that data meant a grocer could charge you a different price than another shopper?

On today's show, the evolving price tag.

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How Grocery Shelves Get Stacked

How niche brands got into your local supermarket

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How cocaine smuggling through Latin America really works

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Former Venezuelan leader, Nicolás Maduro, appeared in a New York court yesterday. He’s facing drug-trafficking and weapons charges after the U.S. abducted him and his wife in an explosive operation over the weekend. But is there any credibility to the drug-trafficking accusations? And what does the cocaine supply chain look like in 2026?

Today on the show, tracing cocaine’s journey from the Andes to the streets of U.S. cities.

Further reading:
Ioan Grillo – El Narco

Related episodes:
Venezuela’s economic descent (Updated)
Why Are Venezuelans Starving?
Lessons from a former drug dealer

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Cooper Katz McKim and Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Why China pulled the plug on Japan

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 08:00:02 +0000

Japan’s new prime minister Sanae Takaichi made waves last fall after saying her country might intervene if China invaded Taiwan. In response, China launched state-organized boycotts against Japan — canceling concerts, restricting seafood imports, and even recalling pandas. Today on the show, what does it look like for a state to organize a boycott, and does it work?

Venezuela’s economic descent (Updated)

Sat, 03 Jan 2026 21:15:49 +0000

At The Indicator, we’ve been following the conditions in Venezuela over the years. In 2024 we covered how Venezuela’s economy went into freefall, and have been checking in with an economist there frequently — including after the U.S. attacked over the weekend, deposing its leader Nicolás Maduro.

On today’s show, we’re revisiting our episode about Venezuela’s economy, and hear from our contact in Caracas.

Send us questions you’d like The Indicator to answer on future episodes about Venezuela: indicator@npr.org.

Related episodes: The Measure of a Tragedy Why are Venezuelans starving? An Economist in Caracas: Day In The Life

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We resolve to watch these 2026 indicators

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

2025 is finally over.

We had bad consumer sentiment vibes, tariffs, and a seemingly ascendant stock market. And those are just a few indicators from last year!

As we enter 2026, what indicators should we keep an eye on … in the future? On today’s episode, our top indicator predictions for the new year.

Related:

What AI data centers are doing to your electric bill

Tariffs. Consumer sentiment. Cape ratio. Pick the Indicator of the Year!

What indicators will 2025 bring?

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Why Americans don't want to move for jobs anymore (Encore)

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Americans are moving at record lows for work. What’s driving people to, well, not drive cross-country for jobs? On today’s episode, we explore the rising homebody economy.

This episode originally aired Oct. 3, 2025.

Related episodes:
Why moms are leaving their paid jobs
How the end of Roe is reshaping the medical workforce

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Gilded Age 2.0? (Encore)

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

To hear President Trump tell it, the late 1800s, i.e. the Gilded Age, were a period of unparalleled wealth and prosperity in the U.S. But this era was also marked by corruption and wealth inequality. Sound familiar? On today's show, is history repeating itself?

This episode originally aired June 5, 2025.

Related: Trump's tariff role model

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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The cautionary tale of a recovering day trading addict (Encore)

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Seasons greetings from the The Indicator! On today's show, the story of a man who started buying and selling stocks as a hobby — and got seriously addicted. We also speak with a neuroeconomist about the human brain on day trading.

This piece originally aired Jan. 25, 2025.

Related episodes:
The young trolls of Wall Street are growing up
Invest like a Congress member

The economic challenges facing men without college degrees

Sat, 27 Dec 2025 08:05:04 +0000

Many men in the U.S. feel like they're not doing as well as their fathers. But what does the data say? This episode, we're sharing an extended conversation between Darian Woods and Richard Reeves, the president of the American Institute for Boys and Men. They discuss what's really going on with men's wages. Richard also argues economic and cultural changes are needed to address the struggles unique to working-class men.

This interview was included in one of our bonus episodes for NPR+ supporters. Today we're sharing it with everyone. Learn more about NPR+ and sign up at plus.npr.org.

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The secret to Nintendo's success (Encore)

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

For the next week, we're running some of our favorite shows from this year. On today's show, a brief history of Nintendo and how a small playing card company in Japan became a gaming juggernaut.

This piece originally aired June 16, 2025.

Why every A-lister also has a side hustle (Encore)

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 08:00:04 +0000

Happy Holidays from The Indicator! For the next week, we're running some of our favorite shows from this year. On today's show, why celebrities are increasingly investing in their own brands.

This piece originally aired August 14, 2025.Related episodes:
The celebrity crypto nexus
The Olympian to influencer pipeline (Apple / Spotify)

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The worst year of Warren Buffett’s career

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 08:00:03 +0000

As Warren Buffett aged, he became a different sort of figure. He transformed from short-term investor into long-term builder. He used Berkshire Hathaway to start buying companies and build an empire. Today on the show, how did Buffett’s fame become an investment tool and how did he handle the biggest crisis of his career?

Related episodes:
Planet Money Summer School 2: Index Funds & The Bet
Brilliant vs. Boring

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The spite acquisition that launched Warren Buffett

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 08:00:01 +0000

With an unprecedented decades-long run of success, Warren Buffett is retiring on December 31, 2025. Buffett’s turning point began with the acquisition of a failing textile mill called Berkshire Hathaway. What began as a “terrible mistake” became the foundation for his empire. Today on the show, how did Buffett become this legendary figure?

Related episodes:
Planet Money Summer School 2: Index Funds & The Bet
Brilliant vs. Boring For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Tariffs. Consumer sentiment. Cape Ratio. Pick The Indicator of The Year!

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

2025 was a wild year for the U.S. economy. Tariffs transformed the global economy, consumer sentiment hit near-historic lows, and the stock market hit scary, spooky, blood-curdling new heights! So … which of these economic stories defined the year?

Our hosts from Planet Money and The Indicator duke it out during our annual … Family Feud!

Tell us who you think has THE indicator of the year by emailing us at indicator@npr.org. Put “Family Feud” in the subject line.

Related episodes:

The Indicators of this year and next

This indicator hasn’t flashed this red since the dot-com bubble

What would it mean to actually refund the tariffs?

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Catching up with a fired federal worker, a shrimper and a fraudster

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

After a firehose of economic news in 2025, we wanted to check back on some of the people we’ve heard from on our show. Today, we check in with a former federal employee caught in the Trump administration's wood chipper, a Louisiana shrimper on Trump’s tariffs and an update on a financial aid scam.

Related episodes:
Why do shrimpers like tariffs?
What’s the long-term cost of federal layoffs?
A big bank’s mistake, explained

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The ghosts of Obamacare past, present and future

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Absent a holiday miracle, premium subsidies for the Affordable Care Act are set to expire at the end of this year. This will greatly increase the cost of health insurance for many who rely on the marketplace for their coverage. Today on the show, we are visited by the ghosts of Obamacare past, present and future to learn what’s next for this landmark healthcare legislation.

Related episodes:
Is Obamacare doomed without extended subsidies?
The hidden costs of healthcare churn
How doctors helped tank universal healthcare

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Will new loan limits lower the cost of grad school?

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 15:33:14 +0000

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act made a lot of changes to the federal student loan system. One of those changes put a new cap on the amount of loans students in graduate school can take on. Today on the show, we explain the theory behind this change and how it could impact the broader labor market going forward.

Related episodes:
The Market For Student Loans
Here's why Black students are defaulting
Student loans are back, U.S. travel is whack, and AI — please, step back

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Can American cities grow AND stay affordable?

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Cities like Austin and Atlanta used to top lists of places people moved to looking for relatively affordable places to live. Until, one day, they weren’t that affordable. On today’s show, how a low cost of living is threatened by growth, and how one sunbelt city in Alabama is planning ahead.

Related episodes:
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How to build abundantly
How big is the US housing shortage?
The highs and lows of US rents

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Nvidia chips for China, frozen Russian funds, and a lot of self-checkout stealing

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

It’s … Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.

On today’s episode: Nvidia chips OK’d for China, a sticky frozen Russian asset situation, and a lot of you seem to be stealing from self-checkout.

Related episodes: The tower of NVIDIA How to get Russia to pay Ukraine Why the U.S. cut China off from advanced chips

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How to make $35 trillion ... disappear

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 08:00:02 +0000

You may be familiar with the AI-fueled stock market boom. Well, former International Monetary Fund Chief Economist Gita Gopinath warns it could mirror the dot-com boom of the late 1990s. But worse. She calculates a similar crash could erase $35 trillion in global wealth. Today on the show, what would that mean for the US and global economies?

Related episodes:
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Open AI’s deals are looking a little frothy

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Bitcoin miners are betting on AI over crypto

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 08:05:00 +0000

If you want to make Bitcoin, you need powerful computers and a lot of energy. Well, it turns out the same infrastructure needed for Bitcoin mining is pretty valuable in the era of AI. Today on the show, why some miners are starting to throw in the towel on crypto in favor of supporting AI infrastructure.

Related episodes:
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This indicator hasn’t flashed this red since the dot-com bubble
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How a former Fed vice chair would approach rate cuts

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Federal Reserve is meeting to make its interest rate decision after the government shutdown delayed key economic data. Today on the show, we talk to the former Vice Chair of the Fed, Lael Brainard, about what she would do with interest rates in this critical yet foggy economic moment.

Related episodes:
A little doomsday feeling is weighing on the economy
Can ... we still trust the monthly jobs report?

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Take a penny, leave a penny, get rid of the penny

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

In November, the U.S. stopped production of the humble penny after 232 years in circulation. On today’s show, a former U.S. Mint director shares the fiscal math that doomed the penny, and an artist pay tribute to this American icon.

View more of Robert Wechsler’s artwork here.

Related episodes:
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Chips up, rent down, and are people really skimping on holiday gifts?

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

It’s … Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.

On today’s episode: A big goshDRAM memory problem, a holiday spending mystery, and apartment rental prices … decline?!

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Corey Bridges and Julia Ritchey. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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A little doomsday feeling is weighing on the economy

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:05:06 +0000

It is a special edition of the Beigies Awards where one regional Federal Reserve Bank will receive lifetime achievement recognition. Today on the show, we speak to its President about the value of economic anecdotes.

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Tyler Jones. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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How Japan’s new prime minister is jolting markets

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Sanae Takaichi was sworn in as Japan’s first female prime minister a little over a month ago, and she’s already making waves in the East and West. The first priority for the people of Japan is if her government can fix the country’s cost-of-living problem. Today on the show, we break down what Sanaeonomics could mean for the Land of the Rising Sun.

Related episodes
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What would it mean to actually refund the tariffs?

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 08:00:04 +0000

Tariffs are bringing in some serious cash into the US Treasury’s pocket. The problem with that money is that it may need to be refunded. A case in front of the Supreme Court could declare several of Trump’s tariffs illegal, which would prompt a return of billions of dollars. Today on the show, we look at how that would work and why the process will likely not be easy.

Why the US chose not to have a passenger train system like Europe

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Why can't the US be like Europe, Japan or India—countries that all have extensive passenger train systems? On today's show, why the US chose not to. We learn why, despite this, US railroads could still be worth bragging about.

Moochers, monopolists and market-based poverty help

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 08:05:00 +0000

Public sector economics is a fundamental piece of the discipline. So we wanted to give our hosts an opportunity to put their knowledge to the test in a game we’re calling Indicator Quizbowl. Today on the show, Wailin and Darian go head to head to see who the bigger public policy nerd is.

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A trap-loving DJ takes on economics
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Who's financing Meta's massive AI data center?

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

In a rural pocket of northeastern Louisiana, Meta is building a $30 billion data center called Hyperion. But it’s not being completely financed with Meta’s own money. Today on the show, the opaque system of AI data center financing and why it’s fueling fears of a bubble.

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No AI data centers in my backyard!
What $10B in data centers actually gets you

Who’s buying all the beef?

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 08:00:02 +0000

President Trump has said he’d try to get more Argentine beef into the U.S. So who would actually do the buying? That’s a general theme with a lot of these trade deals — big numbers but vague details. When China says it’ll buy more soybeans, is it the government or companies that does the buying? When South Korea promises to invest in American shipyards, who’s actually doing that? Today on the show, we dig into two questions from listeners and hear directly from an Argentine butcher.

Pay transparency. The WhatsApp and Instagram decision. Our beef with screwworms.

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

It’s … Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.

On today’s episode: the effects of pay transparency, Meta’s big win, and freaky flies and beef.

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Why beef prices are so high

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How to avoid scammers after a natural disaster

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 22:06:04 +0000

When people lose their homes to wildfire, hurricanes or flooding, they're eager to rebuild. But scammers are also ready to take advantage. On today’s show, the lucrative business of contractor fraud and advice on how to avoid them.

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Looking for love in the auto supply chain

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Foreign automakers already have huge assembly plants in the U.S., but lots of parts and materials come from overseas.

To avoid costly tariffs, they gotta buy American. But … How does one meet those suppliers? How do you build a new relationship with them?

The answer: Speed dating.

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Tariffs: What are they good for?

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How to make switching jobs not terrifying

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 08:00:05 +0000

The U.S. labor market is stagnant right now, with little hiring and lots of people holding onto their jobs for dear life. In Denmark, there’s a different kind of labor system where it’s easy for employers to hire and fire, but at the same time people have a strong safety net in-between jobs. Today on the show, we learn how “flexicurity” works through the story of a Danish woman who left her job, and we ask how the model could work in the U.S.

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Ozempic's biggest side effect: Turning Denmark into a 'pharmastate'? For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Tyler Jones. Translation from Jasmine Lolila. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Why you overpaid at that online auction

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Ever put in the winning bid for something on an auction site only to realize you significantly overpaid? Yeah, there’s a phrase for that. On today’s show: the winner’s curse.

Richard Thaler’s new book with Alex O. Imas is The Winner’s Curse: Behavioral Economics Anomalies, Then and Now.

Read Planet Money’s newsletter on the winner’s curse.

50-year mortgages, falling real wages, and doing your rideshare due diligence

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

It’s … Indicators of the Week! We look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news and bring them to you.

On today’s episode: The cost of living is outstripping wage growth for most of us, the math behind the Trump administration’s proposed 50-year mortgages, and how we’re just giving Uber and Lyft free money.

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Where the US got $20B to bail out Argentina

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

The U.S. is committed to bailing out Argentina to the tune of $20 billion using a little known mechanism called the Exchange Stabilization Fund. On today’s show, what is this fund, why was it created and does Argentina have any hope of paying it back?

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Trump's backup options for tariffs

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

The U.S. Supreme Court may soon rule on President Trump’s favorite tariff law. It could render them moot, but that doesn’t mean the end of tariffs. On today’s show, we explain the president’s back-up options for imposing tariffs.

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Who is the World Cup for anymore?

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

The World Cup is coming up, and it’s going to cost a pretty penny if you are hoping to attend. Today on the show, we talk to NPR Senior Business editor and World Cup superfan about why the 2026 World Cup will likely be the most expensive in history and why even finding a ticket is more difficult.

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You can't spell Olympics without IP

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How the French pensions débâcle is a warning to us all

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

France has one of the most generous pension systems in the world. But several governments there have collapsed over questions about how the government will fund it. All over the world, aging populations are forcing governments to rethink their assumptions.

Today on the show, what France’s political fiascos teach all of us about the economics of an aging population, and what a retirement expert’s ideal retirement system might look like.

Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index 2025

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Can air traffic controllers keep calm and carry on — without pay?

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

There’s one job that gets all the attention during a government shutdown: air traffic controllers. Today on the show, we spotlight why this job has taken on outsize political influence and one controller’s experience during the longest shutdown on record.

This indicator hasn’t flashed this red since the dot-com bubble

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 08:00:03 +0000

The “Shiller PE Ratio” is at its highest level since November of 1999. That was at the peak of the online gold rush right before the dot com bubble burst in 2000. Today on the show, we learn what the Shiller PE Ratio is, how it works and whether we should be worried that it’s relatively high right now.

You can find John Campbell's book here: Fixed: Why Personal Finance is Broken and How to Make It Work for Everyone

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Zombie 2nd mortgages are coming to life, threatening thousands of Americans' homes

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Who's propping up Russian oil?

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Russia’s been subject to more than 5,000 sanctions since its invasion of Ukraine. Yet many purported allies of Ukraine are still getting Russian oil — directly or indirectly. On today’s show, how governments are straddling the fence and skirting their own sanctions.

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How Apple's market power blocked ICEBlock

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Last month, the Trump administration asked Apple to remove an app from its App Store that crowdsourced sightings of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Today on the show, we explain what an ongoing legal battle involving the developer of the video game Fortnite has to do with Apple’s latest move to comply with the Trump administration.

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Apple v Everybody

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When AI is your job interviewer

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 08:00:05 +0000

Companies are starting to use AI to interview potential employees. Sound creepy? Well, a new study suggests it might not be all bad.. Today on the show, we look at why a job interview with AI might be preferable to one with a human. And Adrian gets grilled by an AI job recruiter named “Anna.”

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A school cellphone ban study, white collar jobs wither, and spooky candy prices

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

It’s … Indicators of the…Eek! (Indicators of the Week.) Our regular look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.

On today’s episode: How cell phone bans in schools affect grades, white collar workers get the axe, and AHHH! Halloween candy inflation!

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Are China and India BFFs now?

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 07:00:06 +0000

China and India have a long, complicated history. Just a few years ago, there was a spate of armed skirmishes between the two nations. And yet, there are signs of warming relations amidst President Trump’s ongoing trade war. Today on the show, is that trade war pushing India toward China? And what could happen if two of the world’s largest economies come together?

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Is Obamacare doomed without extended subsidies?

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Health insurance subsidies are at the center of the current government shutdown. Democrats want to extend some expiring Affordable Care Act/Obamacare subsidies. Obamacare has weathered several political storms since its inception, but how will it fare without those subsidies?

Today on the show, death spirals and the future of Obamacare.

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How Marxism went from philosophy to cudgel

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 07:00:05 +0000

Republican politicians like to use the term ‘Marxist’ to criticize Democrats. Lately, they’ve dubbed New York City mayoral candidate a ‘Marxist’ despite him identifying himself as a democratic socialist. Today on the show, we dig into what ‘Marxism, as an economic term,’ actually means.

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The new language of AI tech workers

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

It’s hard for young tech workers to find a job, even with the AI buildout bonanza. This has spawned a curious worldview that fears AI is coming for our jobs and a drive to be at the top of the AI food chain. This, tech writer Jasmine Sun believes, is revealed in the emerging dialect of Silicon Valley tech workers.

Today on the show, San Francisco slang. Jasmine Sun takes us on a tour of high-agency 996ers and NPCs to see what it could mean for our present and our future.

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Amazon's outage, anxious retirees, and LA brings the Heat, too

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

It’s … Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.

On today’s episode: the Amazon global internet outage, Americans plan to siphon their Social Security checks early, and Mann, we love some Heat 2.

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Are concert tickets UNDER priced?

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Ticketmaster's CEO says that concert tickets are underpriced. But from inflation to bots to unscrupulous resellers, the market for tickets feels out of control to many fans. Can anything be done?

Today on the show: Ticket resellers, a new law in Maine, and a T-shirt cannon.

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No AI data centers in my backyard!

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

In the rush to power AI, data centers are popping up in small communities across the U.S. But a growing backlash against this build-out is pitting communities against developers over energy prices and water use. Today on the show, one Michigan community’s fight to stop a data center and what it means for Big Tech.

Should we ditch quarterly earnings reports?

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Quarterly earnings reports are a long-standing requirement for public companies in the U.S. But the Trump administration wants to axe quarterly releases and just release them twice a year. And there is evidence to suggest this could be better in the long run for companies and investors. On today’s show, we look at the potential benefits and trade-offs of changing how often companies report their financial results.

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Why are veterinarian bills getting so ruff on the wallet?

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Since 2020, the cost of veterinary care has increased about 40%—almost twice the rate of inflation. As a result, many pet owners say they've skipped necessary vet care. So, what's going on here? A veterinarian, and a lesser-known economic theory, have some answers.

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Government shutdown fallout, price floors, and AI slop against the machine

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

It’s … Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.

On today’s episode: Frozen and canceled federal dollars, America’s intensifying tit-for-tat with China, and a sloppy trend infiltrating the music business. (With a pocket full of shells.)

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OpenAI's deals are looking a little frothy

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

There have been many headline-grabbing AI deals recently: Nvidia investing up to $100 billion in OpenAI. OpenAI promising to buy $300 billion worth of computing power from Oracle. Oracle buying tons of chips from Nvidia.

But … where’s the money coming from? Is all this AI overhype … a bubble?

On today's show, how money flows in the AI hyperscaling flood.

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Inside the growing industry to defend schools from mass shootings

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

From drones to body armor to bulletproof whiteboards, companies are offering schools a multitude of products to try to deter or protect against the next school shooting. But does any of this stuff work? On today’s show, a look inside the school shooting industry. What's for sale and the psychology behind the growing industry.

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Why do we live in unusually innovative times?

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

For most of human history, economic growth was, well, pretty bleak. But around the Enlightenment, things started clicking. This year's Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences went to a trio of researchers whose work focuses on how technological progress led to this sustained economic growth. Today we hear from one of them, Joel Mokyr, about his work on European economic history.

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Scam compounds, sewing patterns and stolen dimes

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

As Vice Week wraps up here at The Indicator, we wanted to take a slightly different perspective on the evolving business of crime and take a look at TRUE crime. As in the genre. Because look, people are obsessed with it! Today on the show, our hosts favorite pieces of true crime content.

Darian Woods: The Economist’s Scam Inc.
Wailin Wong: Wednesday Journal’s A tangled mess
Adrian Ma: Philadelphia Inquirer’s Dime Heist story

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How AI might mess with financial markets

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 07:05:10 +0000

Market manipulation is an age-old issue. People trying to make money off unsuspecting investors by artificially influencing the price of a stock, say. But what happens when the one manipulating markets isn't human?

This week on The Indicator from Planet Money, we bring you five episodes digging into the evolving business of crime. Today on the show, we hear how AI could spell mischief for the markets, and why the law is already behind in preventing it.

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When cartels start to diversify

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 07:00:03 +0000

The Sinaloa Cartel made the bulk of its money on cocaine. But cartels are diversifying into new operations including things like wildlife trafficking. Think sharks, jaguars, capybaras. The result is something called “narco-degradation.” On today’s show, we look at what’s driving cartels beyond drugs and how this is wreaking havoc on ecosystems in Central America.

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What’s supercharging data breaches?

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

It may seem like data breaches have gotten a heck of a lot more common. Well, there’s something to that. The bad guys are getting badder faster than the good guys are getting better.

This week, we’re bringing you five episodes on the evolving business of crime. Today on the show, we look at why the evolution of data breaches has been supercharged and why you don’t have to be a hacker to get into the game.

Related episodes:
Are data breaches putting patients at risk?
So your data was stolen in a data breach

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Fighting AI with AI

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 07:00:07 +0000

With only several seconds of audio, someone can clone a victim’s voice, call their bank, and potentially get access to … everything. Vocal deepfakes have gotten very good, but so has the technology to fight back.

This week on The Indicator we're gonna bring you a special series on the evolving business of crime. In this episode, we hear from the company helping banks beat deepfakes, and we learn about the efforts to protect us all from AI voice fraud.

Vice Series: The evolving business of crime

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 07:00:03 +0000

Crime doesn’t resemble the old days. A deepfake of your voice can be used to convince a relative you need money. AI bots are capable of colluding in financial markets. There are seemingly countless new strategies of making data breaches more common. This week on The Indicator from Planet Money, we bring you five episodes digging into the evolving business of crime.

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Why Americans don't want to move for jobs anymore

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Americans are moving at record lows for work. What’s driving people to, well, not drive cross-country for jobs? On today’s Jobs Friday, we explore the rising homebody economy.

Related episodes:
Can … we still trust the monthly jobs report?
Why moms are leaving their paid jobs
How the end of Roe is reshaping the medical workforce

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How close is the US to crony capitalism?

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 07:00:05 +0000

We have seen a blurring of boundaries between government and business under President Trump. It has some political commentators ringing the alarm bell over something called “crony capitalism" — a corrupt system where political power meets big business. Today on the show, is the Trump administration nudging the U.S. further down the road toward crony capitalism?

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China’s trade war perspective

Why is everyone buying gold?

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Gold is on fire right now with some gold ETFs outperforming the major stock indexes over the past 12 months. Gold is supposed to be boring, an inflation hedge. But right now, it's responding to something else. Today on the show, we talk to a finance professor about what’s behind the current gold rush and if gold’s hot streak is built to last.

Understanding Gold by Claud B. Erb and Campbell R. Harvey

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A new-ish gold rush and other indicators

Gold Rush 2.0

A secret weapon to fight inflation

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We're about to lose a lot of foreign STEM workers

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump announced a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa petitioners. Today on the show, we talk to an economist about how much H-1B visa holders have contributed to US growth, their effects on American-born workers, and why the United States’ competitors are taking advantage of this moment.

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How much international students matter to the economy

The precarity of the H-1B work visa

Could foreign workers unlock America's tight labor market?

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What media consolidation means for free speech

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 07:05:05 +0000

Jimmy Kimmel’s brief departure from the airwaves triggered a wave of debate over free speech. Partly triggering his suspension was the government threatening to leverage its power over pending media deals. That’s in part due to a piece of decades-old legislation.

Today on the show, we look at how the Telecommunications Act of 1996 set the stage for government meddling and corporate capitulation.

Argentina's bailout, a new way to cool data centers, and a cold holiday hiring season

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

It’s Indicators of the Week! It is that show where we parse the most fascinating financial numbers in the news and bring them to you.

On today's show: Argentina needs a bailout, Microsoft’s new way to cool data centers, and retail hiring is not looking like it’s in the holiday spirit.

Related episodes:

A radical plan to fix Argentina's inflation

What $10 billion in data centers actually gets you

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No, your doctor isn't getting rich off of vaccines

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Junior says doctors are pushing vaccines onto their patients in order to make profits.

Healthcare in the US is a business … but does that mean that doctors actually make money on vaccines?

Today on the show, we talk with doctors who explain the financial reality behind vaccines and how RFK Jr’s words and actions could harm public health.

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More for Palantir, less for mRNA, and a disaster database redemption arc

What is a 'freedom economy'?

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Why are so many public schools closing?

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Faced with declining enrollment, public school districts across the country are rethinking how many schools they can run. Fewer students often means less government funding, forcing schools to cut services. Yet school closures can disrupt communities and have negative effects on learning. On today’s show, the tough calculus parents and schools confront.

Related episodes:

Why ‘free’ public education doesn’t always include school supplies

A food fight over free school lunch

The evidence of school vouchers that’ll please nobody

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Should 'surveillance pricing' be banned?

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

When you walk into a store, you're probably used to seeing price tags on things, saying what they cost.

But when you shop online, there is no price tag. There's just the price you see on screen. What if companies use your online data — like your location and browsing history — to charge you more than somebody else … or maybe less?

Today on the show: Surveillance pricing vs. personalized pricing.

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Is dynamic pricing coming to a supermarket near you?

Wendy's pricing mind trick and other indicators of the week

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Can LA host a 'car-free' Olympics?

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Los Angeles is synonymous with car culture. But now that it's hosting the 2028 Olympics, could that be changing? On today's show, LA's public transit building bonanza, and why some worry the new infrastructure will benefit tourists more than locals.

Related episodes:
Why the Olympics cost so much
Why building public transit in the US costs so much

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The Fed cuts rates, America's FICO dips, and forever ends for sweepstakes winners

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

It’s … Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.

On today’s show: A rate cut and drama at the Federal Reserve, the average American gets a little less creditworthy, and those giant check sweepstakes winners? Well, they might have to get a job soon.

Related episodes:
Why an aggressive rate cut could backfire on Trump
Trump's unprecedented attack on the Fed
What goes into a credit score?

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Why "free" public education doesn't always include school supplies

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Back-to-school supplies are getting more expensive … so why are parents and teachers at public schools expected to foot the bill? Today on the show: An economist explains how the cost of school supplies fits into the larger history of public school funding, and what one school district is doing differently.

Related episodes:

A food fight over free school lunch

Mailbag: Children Edition

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The crypto market is hot. But is it an illusion?

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 07:05:02 +0000

There has been an inordinate amount of trading activity recently in the crypto markets. But what if much of that activity was an illusion? A smokescreen? A fraud? Today on the show, we look at the practice of wash trading, and how it’s evolved in the crypto world.

Related episodes:
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Why an aggressive rate cut could backfire on Trump

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The Federal Reserve is expected to make a modest cut to interest rates this week of about a quarter or half a percentage point. President Trump, however, believes they should take a far more aggressive approach: a 3-percentage point cut.

Today on the show, we examine what a 3-percentage point cut would actually look like, and why that outcome would likely backfire on the president.

Related episodes:
It's hard out there for a Fed chair
Should presidents have more of a say in interest rates?
Can the Federal Reserve stay independent?

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Why beef prices are so high

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 07:05:07 +0000

Beef is getting more expensive, and it doesn’t look as though that’s going to change any time soon. That’s the view of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, which wrote in its Beige Book entry this month that the trend of rising beef prices continues. There’s solid demand for beef, but falling supply, as production decreases. Ranchers are making more per cow, but their costs are rising. We speak with a rancher in Wyoming to learn what high beef prices mean for him and other ranchers.

ICE raids, cooling on capitalism, and a Murdoch settlement

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

It’s … Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.

On today’s episode: the concept of capitalism is cooling in American minds; the U.S. policies behind the Hyundai ICE raid; and an influential family’s succession saga comes to a thrilling (and expensive!) conclusion.

Related episodes:
Salvaging democratic capitalism, with Martin Wolf
How to pass on a global media empireFor sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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We read your mail on AI-proof jobs and how to fix crime labs

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

We’ll never leave your messages unread. On today’s show, we open the inbox to hear from Indicator listeners about why seasoned software developers might have more AI-proof jobs, and an idea for how to improve accreditation for crime labs.

Got a question, comment on a recent show or idea for an episode? Send us a message at indicator@npr.org.

Related episodes:
Tech layoffs, recession pop and more listener questions answered
Mail bag! Grad jobs, simplified branding and central bank independence

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Can shareholders influence Elon Musk's trillion dollar pay package?

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Tesla’s board of directors recently proposed a pay package for CEO Elon Musk that could pay him about a trillion dollars if he meets certain goals. It’s not a done deal yet—Tesla shareholders will vote on the proposal at the company’s annual meeting in November. But just how much of a say do shareholders actually have in that decision? Or any decision?

Today on the show, we look at what it takes for a shareholder to get their voice heard and how this may be changing under the Trump administration. Plus we talk to one Tesla investor agitating for changes at the company.

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Elon Musk and the fear of the activist investor
Impact investing, part 1: Money, meet morals
Impact investing, part 2: Can money meet morals?

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The cost of saving a species

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 07:00:08 +0000

Animals are going extinct at an alarmingly fast rate, largely due to human activity. Same for plants. This is bad for all kinds of reasons, not least of which is that breakthrough drugs often come from nature. But there isn’t consensus on how to save these species.

Part of the debate asks the economic question: with limited money going to the work, where will it have the most impact? Today on the show, the cost-effective plan to maximize biodiversity that asks ecologists to approach the question more like economists.

Teamwork actually does make the dream work

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Behavioral scientist Jon Levy’s new book — Team Intelligence: How Brilliant Leaders Unlock Collective Genius — argues that, in the workplace, leadership is overrated and teamwork is underrated. Today on the show: How super chickens and NBA All-Stars demonstrate the perils of individual performance.

Why moms are leaving their paid jobs

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 14:52:22 +0000

Moms are quitting — or getting pushed out. Workforce participation for mothers in the U.S. has been dropping for most of this year, and the reasons are more complicated than return-to-office mandates. Today on the show, we talk to moms about why they left their jobs and to economist Misty Heggeness, who has studied the phenomenon.

Find more of Misty’s research here.

How much is AI actually affecting the workforce?

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 07:00:09 +0000

There’s been a lot of big talk about how artificial intelligence is going to replace white collar workers. But what data do we actually have around AI’s impact on the workforce? Today on the show, we speak to an expert who has measured one aspect of these changes. She tells us how this moment in AI compares to the Industrial Revolution.

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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So long, farewell, super cheap tariff-free shopping

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0000

In late July, President Trump signed an executive order to get rid of de minimis, a kind of a loophole where packages valued less than $800 could come into the US without tariffs.

Last week, post offices from India to Austria to France suspended some types of packages to the US. We speak to an Australian jewelry maker, a logistics expert and an economist to learn how this is changing shopping in America.

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Cooper Katz McKim. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Inside the illegal vape boom

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 07:00:05 +0000

A booming underground vape market is thriving. It’s unapproved, unregulated, and risky. Today on the show, we hear from The Atlantic’s Nick Florko to dig into why illegal vapes have flooded the U.S., and what’s at stake.

Related episodes:
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How sports gambling blew up

AI creeps in, KATSEYE milkshakes, and China says “Zaijian!” to US soybeans

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

It’s … Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.

On today’s episode: AI shuts out youth from the grind, China leaves U.S. soybeans behind, Gap has the then-and-now in marketing mind.

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez and Julia Ritchey. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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What olive oil tells us about Trump's tariffs

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Trump's tariffs are making business harder for international olive oil producers and it turns out those tariffs are even complicating other parts of the Trump administration's agenda, too.

Today on the show: Olive oil and the unintended consequences of Trump's tariffs.

Related episodes:

Three ways companies are getting around tariffs

The legal case for — and against — Trump's tariffs

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Trump's unprecedented attack on the Fed

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 01:54:32 +0000

Last night, President Donald Trump posted a letter firing Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook. The reason? She was accused of listing two properties as her primary residences, which potentially gave her more favorable lending terms. This marks another escalation in the president’s battle for control of America’s central bank.

We’re publishing our conversation early about whether this is legal, what the Fed might do, and how the Fed’s independence is more fragile than we may think.

Related episodes:

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Can the Federal Reserve stay independent?

It's hard out there for a Fed chair

Patent Racism
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Three ways companies are getting around tariffs

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 07:05:05 +0000

Businesses are scrambling for ways to minimize the impact of the Trump administration’s global tariff policy. Today on the show, we go over some of the tricks and legal loopholes that companies are employing to get around these sudden import taxes.

Related episodes:
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The secret tariff-free zone
You told us how tariffs are affecting you

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Can you copyright artwork made using AI?

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 07:05:01 +0000

Copyright is the legal system used to reward and protect creations made by humans. But with growing adoption of artificial intelligence, does copyright extend to artwork that’s made using AI? Today on the show, how a test case over a Vincent Van Gogh mashup is testing the boundaries of copyright law.

Related episodes:
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Copyright small claims court
The alleged theft at th heart of ChatGPT

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Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Job retraining and the brain, DC dining, and Robinhood's sports bet

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 12:27:30 +0000

It’s … Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.

On today’s episode: Job retraining boosts mental health (with more mixed results for romance); the complex picture behind why dinner reservations are down in DC; and the trading platform Robinhood gets into the sports definitely-not-betting game.

Related episodes:
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The nepo baby premium, frothing markets, and Apple vs. Apples

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Fact-checking by Cooper Katz McKim and Corey Bridges. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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What happens when railroads get hitched

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 07:00:01 +0000

Two freight-rail giants could make history if their $85 billion merger gets approved. Union Pacific’s proposed marriage with Norfolk Southern would create the first coast-to-coast rail network. So why hasn’t it happened before now? Today on the show, the business of train mergers.

Related episodes:
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Cobalt-free batteries reign in Chinese EVs. Why not the US?

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 07:05:00 +0000

There’s been an era-defining race underway between two types of batteries used in electric vehicles: lithium batteries that use cobalt, and ones that use iron phosphate. Cobalt, a metal with a checkered human rights record, has been in the lead. Until recently.

Henry Sanderson’s book on the elements that build electric vehicles is Volt Rush: The Winners and Losers in the Race to Go Green.

Related episodes:
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How batteries are already changing the grid
How batteries are riding the free market rodeo in Texas
How EV batteries tore apart Michigan (Update)
Batteries are catching fire at sea

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How algorithms are changing the way we speak

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 07:00:02 +0000

Social media has birthed an entire lexicon replicated by millions online — even if these words don’t actually mean skibidi. On today’s show, we talk to author Adam Aleksic about how TikTok and Instagram's engagement metrics, and viral memes, are rewiring our brains and transforming language at warp speed.

Adam Aleksic’s book is Algospeak: How Social Media is Transforming the Future of Language

Related episodes:
What we’re reading on the beach this summer

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Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Three innovations pushing the medical field forward

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 07:05:01 +0000

Innovation is crucial for long-term economic prosperity. One area where that’s happening aplenty: medical technology. From a cancer vaccine to an Alzheimer’s blood test to a life-changing exoskeleton, we take you on a tour of the economics of health technology.

Related episodes:
The hidden costs of healthcare churn (Apple / Spotify)
More for Palantir, less for mRNA, and a disaster database redemption arc (Apple / Spotify)
It's actually really hard to make a robot, guys (Apple / Spotify)

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The nepo baby premium, frothing markets, and Apple vs. Apples

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0000

It’s … Indicators of the Week! Our rapid run through the numbers you need to know.

On today’s episode: John Legend croons; CPI inflation soothes; Same job as mom? You’ll earn more, dude; Apple vs. Apple, a courtroom feud.

Related episodes:
Why every A-lister also has a side hustle
The DOJ's case against Apple
The Intergenerational Transmission of Employers and the Earnings of Young Workers
Generational Wealth: How High Earners Help Their Children’s Careers

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Why every A-lister also has a side hustle

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 07:00:03 +0000

Seemingly every celebrity has their own brand these days, whether it’s booze (Cameron Diaz, Matthew McConaughey) or cosmetics (Selena Gomez, Lady Gaga) or squeezy food pouches (Jennifer Garner). Today on the show, what is fueling the celebrity business bonanza? We hear from two legendary singers, Lisa Loeb AND John Legend, who are pursuing ventures outside of show business.

Related episodes:
The celebrity crypto nexus
The Olympian to influencer pipeline (Apple / Spotify)

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Why Trump's spending bill could close your grocery store

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 11:29:48 +0000

Trump’s tax and spending law makes the largest cut in history to one of the nation’s biggest safety net programs. Today on the show, we explore how cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP, impacts families and grocery stores alike.

Based on the digital story: Independent grocery stores have had a tough five years. SNAP cuts will make it harder

Related episodes:
Do work requirements help SNAP people out of government aid?
When SNAP Gets Squeezed
The trouble with water discounts

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The arduous system for getting aid into Gaza

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 07:00:02 +0000

Insulin needles. Sleeping bags. Nutella. These are items Arwa Damon’s charity — International Network for Aid, Relief and Assistance — has tried to send to Gaza and Israel has rejected. It’s a glimpse into the harsh reality of a humanitarian crisis with no end in sight. Today on the show, we talk to Damon about the economics of running a humanitarian nonprofit and what’s stopping more aid from reaching Gaza.

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What we're reading on the beach this summer

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 07:00:59 +0000

It's time for our annual beach reading recs. Today we bring you three books, with a little economic learning to boot. Our recs:

Who is Government? The Untold Story of Public Service edited by Michael Lewis
El Dorado Drive by Megan Abbott
Algospeak: How Social Media is Transforming the Future of Language by Adam Aleksic

Related episodes:
Beach reading with a side of economics
How to beach on a budget

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More for Palantir, less for mRNA, and a disaster database redemption arc

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 07:00:59 +0000

It's ... Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.

On today's episode: Palantir crosses a billion dollars in quarterly revenue (what do they actually do again?); mRNA vaccine research gets a big cut in RFK Jr's health department; and a climate disaster database gets a new lease on life.

Related episodes:
How Palantir, the secretive tech company, is rising in the Trump era
An indicator lost: big disaster costs
Moonshot in the arm

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The legal case for — and against — Trump's tariffs

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 07:00:59 +0000

President Trump's new round of tariffs took effect today. It will bring in billions of dollars to the government, in part paid for by U.S. importers who can decide whether to pass that cost onto American families. But are these tariffs legal?

Today on the show, the arguments for and against the president's tariffs and what happens to that tariff revenue if Trump loses.

Related episodes:
Trump's tariff role model
Dealmaker Don v. Tariff Man Trump
Are Trump's tariffs legal?

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What you need to know about the jobs report revisions

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Why do revisions to the jobs report happen? Today on the show, we speak with a former Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics about why revisions occur and how we should interpret the monthly report's actual message.

Related episodes:
Can we still trust the monthly jobs report? (Update)
What really goes on at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (Update)
How you're using AI at work

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Can we still trust the monthly jobs report? (Update)

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 09:51:18 +0000

Since his return to office, President Trump has waged something of a pressure campaign on economic data and the people in charge of delivering it. His firing of the Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner following a weak jobs report now has some wondering: can we still trust the official numbers? Today on the show, we're resharing our conversation with former BLS commissioner, Erica Groshen on her current fears for the integrity of government data. The original version of this story aired March 7, 2025.

Related:
What really goes on at the Bureau of Labor Statistics? (Update) (Apple / Spotify)
Would you trust an economist with your economy? (Apple / Spotify)

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What really goes on at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (Update)

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 07:00:59 +0000

On Friday, we reported on the latest jobs numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which showed weaker than expected growth. On Friday afternoon, President Trump fired the person in charge of those numbers.

The monthly jobs report is a critical tool for the economy, used by businesses to make decisions and the Federal Reserve to set rates. So how exactly are those figures collected? Today, we're re-airing our behind-the-scenes look at how the BLS puts together the jobs report ... one call at a time.

This show originally aired June 6, 2022.

Related:
Can we trust the monthly jobs report?
Would you trust an economist with your economy?

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How you're using AI at work

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 15:40:56 +0000

AI is a hot topic for both employers and employees in the workforce. That's why we wanted to hear from our listeners about how they are using AI at work. Today on the show, we explore the good, the bad and the ugly of AI in the workplace.

Related episodes:
Is AI overrated?
Is AI underrated?

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Why the Fed could lose $1.5 trillion

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 07:00:59 +0000

The Fed is on the hook for an estimated one-and-a-half trillion dollars. Despite the recent headlines, that's not because of building renovations. It's a much larger cost blowout caused by big actions taken during the pandemic to help the economy: quantitative easing.

Today on the show, we talk to both a critic of these actions and someone who helped put those those actions in play.

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The risk of private equity in your 401(k)

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 09:00:59 +0000

Private equity is a risky business. There are high-highs and low-lows. A retirement plan, on the other hand, is meant to be a reliable beast. But President Trump believes your 401(k) can handle it! On today's show, the president's expected executive order could help offer some legal cover for fund managers who include private equity in your retirement portfolio. What are the risks and benefits?

Related episodes:
The Prudent Man Rule (Apple / Spotify)
Carried interest wormhole (Apple / Spotify)
Let's party like it's NVIDIA earnings report day! (Apple / Spotify)

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The hottest multilateral club doesn't include the US

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 07:00:59 +0000

BRICS is an economic alliance of countries that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa and several other nations. They met earlier this month to discuss everything from international law to global health. President Trump, however, is not a fan of BRICS and threatened members with increased tariffs.

So why has this alliance generated so much animosity from the President? Today on the show, we talk to the economist who coined the term "BRICs" about the origins of the group and why the international economic organizations have been western dominated for so long.

Related episodes:
China's trade war perspective
Is the US pushing countries towards China?

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A baby bonds bonanza

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Baby bond fever is catching on. In recent years, states like Connecticut have been experimenting with giving newborns government-seeded accounts that grow tax-free until they are 18. Now, President Trump's signature tax and spending bill will give a thousand dollars to every U.S.-born baby through 2028. On today's show, what are baby bonds and could they help tackle wealth inequality?

Related:
Baby bonds, proportional representation, and no left turns
Could cash payments ease recessions?
Building generational wealth in rural America

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Fact-checking by Cooper Katz McKim. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Nigeria notches new highs, Magic gathers millions, and crypto climbs

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 07:00:59 +0000

It's ... Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.

On today's episode: Nigeria gets a GDP surprise, Magic the Gathering mutes tariff impact for Hasbro, and Bitcoin reaches record highs following the passage of the GENIUS Act.

Related episodes:
How stable is Stablecoin? (Apple / Spotify)
Episode 609: The Curse Of The Black Lotus

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Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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How to beach on a budget

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 07:00:24 +0000

It's the Beigie Awards, our eight times a year salute to the art and science of telling stories about the economy. The most recent Beige Book shows that Americans are finding ways to spend less money ... including on their vacations. On today's show, we find out what Benjamin Franklin and Jersey Beach goers have in common.

Related episodes:
How many times can you say uncertainty in one economic report?
Trump's cuts come for food banks
The secret tariff-free zone

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Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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When Uncle Sam owned banks and factories

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 12:11:26 +0000

The quintessential American economic myth is that the free market picks winners and losers. But the federal government has long had a role in this equation, from the current administration all the way back to the Great Depression. Today on the show, we uncover the history of the country's national investment bank, which shaped the relationship between the government and the market in ways that are still felt today.

Check out Chris Hughes Substack

Related episodes:
The day Russia adopted the free market (Apple / Spotify)
Giant vacuums and other government climate bets (Apple / Spotify)

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Fact-checking by Julia Ritchey. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Lunch with the man who coined TACO

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Despite presidential saber rattling and huge tariff threats, the U.S. stock market keeps reaching record highs. Why?

Today we sit down with the man who coined the acronym TACO (Trump Always Chickens Out) and chew through several hypotheses. (Over tacos, of course.)

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Your tinned fish obsession is helping resurrect a lost industry

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Once upon a time, the states had a thriving tinned fish market. Like a lot of U.S. manufacturing though, that's been lost. But sardines are having a moment right now and that may help a growing effort to resurrect this lost industry.

Related episodes:
Why do shrimpers like tariffs (Apple / Spotify)
When a staple becomes a luxury (Apple / Spotify)
We're gonna need a bigger boat-building industry (Apple / Spotify)

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Bonus episode: The Indicator plays... movie business trivia!

Sun, 20 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

To cap off our weeklong series on all things Hollywood, we're going to have a little fun! Tune in to hear Adrian, Darian and Wailin battle it out as they try to name movies based on cryptic descriptions of the businesses featured in them. You can play along!

Related episodes:
When is cosplay a crime?
The story of China and Hollywood's big-screen romance
Why aren't filmmakers shooting in LA?
Before La La Land there was Fort Lee, New Jersey

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Congress has voted to eliminate government funding for public media

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 13:07:52 +0000

Act now to ensure public media remains free and accessible to all. Your donation will help this essential American service survive and thrive. Visit donate.npr.org now.

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Are you not entertained ... by our movie-related indicators?

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 07:00:59 +0000

The movies come to Indicators of the Week. We dig into why one film is letting you reserve tickets a whole year in advance, what ticket prices might tell us about tariffs and inflation, and how Los Angeles might be cutting back on the red tape when it comes to making movies there.

Related episodes:
Why aren't filmmakers shooting in LA? (Apple / Spotify)
The story of China and Hollywood's big-screen romance (Apple / Spotify)
When is cosplay a crime? (Apple / Spotify)
Before La La Land, there was Fort Lee, New Jersey (Apple / Spotify)

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Fact-checking by Julia Ritchey. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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When is cosplay a crime?

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Cosplay—or dressing up as your favorite character from pop culture—is fun! But it can fall into a legal gray area when it comes to companies' intellectual property.

Today on the show: a group of cosplayers, Lucasfilm(!), a lawyer, and finding economic symbiosis in order to express yourself.

Related episodes:
Before La La Land there was Fort Lee, New Jersey (Apple / Spotify)
Why aren't filmmakers shooting in LA? (Apple / Spotify)

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Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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The story of China and Hollywood's big-screen romance

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 07:00:59 +0000

No country can come close to the amount of money Americans spend at the box office each year ... that is, until China came along. The US and Chinese film industries have a long intertwined history, with shifting power dynamics.

Today on the show, we continue our week-long look at the movie business as we explore the on-and-off romance between Hollywood and China's film industries.

Related episodes:
Why aren't filmmakers shooting in LA? (Apple / Spotify)
Before La La Land there was Fort Lee, New Jersey (Apple / Spotify)

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Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Why aren't filmmakers shooting in LA?

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Despite being, ya know, Hollywood, more and more movies and TV shows are shooting outside of Tinseltown.

Dozens of U.S. states and many countries offer subsidies for film production. This has drawn filmmakers away from L.A. and led to historically low levels of shooting activity in recent years in the city.

After the COVID shutdowns, labor strikes, and January's devastating wildfires ... what can bring back LA's film industry?

Related episodes:
Before La La Land there was Fort Lee, New Jersey (Apple / Spotify)
Why residuals are taking center stage in actors' strike (Apple / Spotify)

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Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Before La La Land, there was Fort Lee, New Jersey

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Hollywood, baby! The glitz! The glamour! The ever-changing business models! This week, The Indicator is going to the movies. Starting today with the history of Hollywood and where it began ... New Jersey!

Related episode:
The Origin Of The Oscars

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Red tape indicators: sports betting, R&D and click-to-cancel

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 07:00:59 +0000

We are back with Indicators of the Week! Today, we'll be digging into why U.S. professional gamblers are worried about their future, why businesses might start investing more in research and development, and why cancelling your subscriptions is going to remain difficult.

Related episodes:
How sports gambling blew up (Apple / Spotify)
The cautionary tale of a recovering day trading addict (Apple / Spotify)
The 'Planet Money' team examines the subscription trap

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Could Meta do more to protect us from cyber scams?

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Many small businesses are online now, but so are cyber criminals trying to take advantage. On today's show, how one bar owner fell victim to a Facebook scam and if big tech could do more to protect small business owners from increasing cyber attacks. Read Stephan's original piece.

Related:
The secret world of those scammy text messages
After being scammed, one woman tries to get her money back

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Can you afford to evacuate ahead of a disaster?

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 07:00:59 +0000

We are just at the start of hurricane season, and we're already seeing the danger and tragedy brought on by storms. There's another cost that gets much less attention, but it's a gamble everyone in the path of a storm has to make.

Today on the show, we examine the decision on whether or not to evacuate from an oncoming disaster.

Based on the digital story: 1 reason people don't evacuate for hurricanes? Rising costs, and they're getting pricier

Related episodes:
Hazard maps: The curse of knowledge
Unintended Consequences, Hidden Deaths
The brewing recovery in Western North Carolina

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Will the tax cuts pay for themselves?

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 07:00:59 +0000

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is now law. It's expected to cost the government a pretty penny. The Congressional Budget Office predicts a $3.4 trillion increase in the deficit over ten years. This is driven by significant tax cuts, including extensions of those made in 2017.

Trump's advisors argue the tax cuts will pay for themselves. Today on the show, we speak with the guru on that school of thought, Arthur Laffer, and dig into some of those claims with a tax economist.

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The simple math of the big bill (Apple / Spotify)
What's going to happen to the Trump tax cuts? (Apple / Spotify)
So, how's this No Tax On Tips thing gonna go? (Apple / Spotify)

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Why can't we insure trees?

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 07:00:59 +0000

In the U.S., we insure most everything we sell. So why not trees? Today on the show why trees aren't insured like other crops, and what it would take to get that insurance with extreme weather events on the rise.

Related episodes:
When insurers can't get insurance (Apple / Spotify)

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One of the cheapest ways to save a life is going away (EXTENDED VERSION)

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 07:00:59 +0000

This episode was first published as a bonus episode for our Planet Money+ listeners. Today, we're making it available for everyone!

U.S. aid helped Eswatini and Lesotho, two small countries in southern Africa, in their efforts to treat and curb the spread of HIV. Will President Trump's "America First" foreign policy threaten years of progress there against the virus?

In this bonus episode, we're featuring an extended conversation between Darian Woods and Jon Cohen, senior correspondent with Science magazine. They talk about Jon's reporting trip to Eswatini and Lesotho in May and the early impacts he saw of the Trump administration's foreign aid cuts. We also hear about the critical role of PEPFAR (the U.S. President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief) in the global response to HIV/AIDS and some other things we couldn't fit into the original episode.

You can read Jon's recent article in Science magazine here.

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How ICE crackdowns are affecting the workforce

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 14:46:29 +0000

The Trump administration's crackdown on immigrants might be the most profound change in the American labor market right now. Industries that rely on immigrant labor are especially vulnerable, as ICE continues to raid businesses believed to have unauthorized workers.

Today on the show, we talk to representatives from the agriculture, construction and long-term care industries to ask: Are people still showing up to work?

Related episodes:
What's missing in the immigration debate
Is the 'border crisis' actually a 'labor market crisis?'

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Tech layoffs, recession pop and more listener questions answered

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 07:00:59 +0000

We are back with another edition of listener questions! In this round, we tackle recession pop, why the job market feels so crummy for IT grads, and whether President Trump saying that Walmart "eat the tariffs" is a form of price control.

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Hits of the Dips: Songs of recessions past (Apple / Spotify)
The beef over price controls
Price Controls, Black Markets, and Skimpflation: The WWII Battle Against Inflation

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We're nearing 'peak population.' These economists are worried

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Over the past century, the world's human population has exploded from around 2 billion to 8 billion. Meanwhile, the average fertility rate has gradually declined. And if that trend continues as it has, we may soon see a crash in the population rate, which some argue could have disastrous effects.

Today on the show, we talk to co-authors Michael Geruso and Dean Spears about their forthcoming book After the Spike: Population, Progress, and the Case for People. Together, they explain why you should care about declining fertility rates.

Related episodes:
Babies v climate change; AI v IP; bonds v world

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Can Starlink stay ahead in satellite internet?

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Whether you're watching Love Island in an RV or streaming a playlist in a remote California campground, if you're using satellite internet, odds are you're using Elon Musk's Starlink.

Today on the show, we learn how Starlink got such a big lead in the satellite market and if it can stay ahead of the European Union, China, and, of course, Jeff Bezos.

Related episodes:
Elon's giant rocket
Why I joined DOGE (Apple/Spotify)

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Babies v climate change; AI v IP; bonds v world

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 07:14:11 +0000

It's ... Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.

On today's episode: Could more babies change the climate in a big way? Why did a U.S. judge side with AI company Anthropic? And why is the bond market so chill these days?

Related episodes:
Artists vs. AI
You told us how tariffs are affecting you (Apple/Spotify)

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We're gonna need a bigger boat-building industry

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 07:00:59 +0000

During World War II, the U.S. shipbuilding industry flourished. Now, it's nearly non-existent. China is the dominant shipbuilder in the world economy. On today's show, we look at what happened to American shipbuilding and the protectionist impulses that could stifle a revival.

Related episodes:
Will Iran block the Strait of Hormuz?
The great turnaround in shipping
The wide open possibility of the high seas

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Fact-checking by Tyler Jones. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

Correction:
A previous version of this episode incorrectly said that there are 80 U.S.-flagged ships operating in global shipping. As of March, there were at least 95. The episode also incorrectly said that being U.S.-flagged means a ship was built in an American shipyard and has an American crew. There is no requirement that the ship be built in a U.S. shipyard, and citizenship requirements vary.

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One of the cheapest ways to save a life is going away

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 07:00:59 +0000

What's the price to save a human life? We examine the monumental legacy of the U.S. President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) with journalist Jon Cohen, who traveled to Eswatini and Lesotho to learn how cuts under the Trump Administration are hitting people at the clinic door.

Related episodes:
The gutting of USAID
How USAID cuts hurts farmers

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Will Iran block the Strait of Hormuz?

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 07:00:59 +0000

The world has held a close eye on the Strait of Hormuz lately with Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran. Nearly a quarter of the world's seaborne oil passes through the narrow waterway, and many are worried Iran could shut the strait down. Today on the show, we explore what it would mean for Iran to close off the strait, and what insurance could tell us about tensions in the Middle East.

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How the 'shadow fleet' helps Russia skirt sanctions (Apple / Spotify)

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You told us how tariffs are affecting you

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Americans like to spend money. In fact, we spend more per person than almost any other country in the world. So, we wanted to know how an uncertain economy is affecting that. Today on the show, we hear from consumers directly on how their spending habits have changed the past few months.

Related episodes:
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Three ways consumers are feeling the pinch (Apple / Spotify)

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SALT-n-pessimism

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 07:00:59 +0000

It's ... Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.

On today's episode: the Senate passes the GENIUS Act, the SALT cap might be DOA in the OBBB, and a gender split on the state of the economy.

Related episodes:
How stable is Stablecoin? (Apple / Spotify)
Feeling inflation in the grocery store

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Why the 30-year bond matters

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Last week, the U.S. Treasury held an auction for 30-year bonds. Some were worried no one would show up to buy these things! That didn't happen, but the 'long bond' isn't exactly thriving at the moment. Today on the show, we look back at why we have such a long maturity bond and why it might be a good idea to start paying attention to it going forward.

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Bond vigilantes. Who they are, what they want, and how you'll know they're coming (Apple / Spotify)
Trying to solve the mystery of big bond yields (Apple / Spotify)

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Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Mixing family business with US trade policy in Vietnam

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Last month, Eric Trump, executive vice president at The Trump Organization, attended a ceremony in Vietnam to break ground on a $1.5 billion residential development and golf course. This comes as Vietnam's government is in trade talks with the administration of Eric's father, President Donald Trump.

Today on the show, we look at how the Trump family's business projects in Vietnam are raising red flags when it comes to government ethics.

Related episodes:
How Trump is making coin from $TRUMP coin

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The secret to Nintendo's success

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Nintendo has been a titan in the video game industry for decades, but that wasn't always the case. At its very core, Nintendo sees itself as a toy company which is evident in its products from the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) to the Nintendo Switch 2.

Today on the show, we explore Nintendo's history and examine how a small playing card company in Japan became a multimedia giant.

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Designing for disability: how video games become more accessible
The boom and bust of esports
Work. Crunch. Repeat: Why gaming demands so much of its employees
Video Game Industry Week: The Final Level

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Trump's parade, FEMA phase out, and Warner Bros. Discovery divorces ... itself?

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 07:00:59 +0000

It's ... Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.

On today's episode: the monetary cost of Trump's military parade, looks like FEMA could be phased out, and another change to Warner Bros. Discovery.

Related episodes:
Coyote vs. Warner Bros. Discovery (Apple / Spotify)
Gilded Age 2.0? (Apple / Spotify)

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Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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The hidden costs of healthcare churn

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Healthcare churn—when people switch insurance plans—is particularly bad in the US.

In today's episode, why Americans switch healthcare plans so much, and how that can cost a lot in money ... and in health.

Related episode:
How doctors helped tank universal health care (Apple / Spotify)
Healthcare And Economic Despair

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The secret tariff-free zone

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 07:00:59 +0000

There's something interesting happening at the Port of Baltimore. On today's show, we explore the hidden world of bonded warehouses, where you can stash your imported Latvian vodka or Dutch beer tariff free (for a while).

Related episodes:
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What's a revenge tax?

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 07:00:59 +0000

For four decades, the US has maintained a consistent policy position: money should be fairly free to come and go in and out of the country. That's changing.

Two sections in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act would add friction. First is a 3.5% tax on immigrants sending money home, commonly known as remittances. Second is what's known as Section 899 or, colloquially, the 'revenge tax'. This one is making Wall Street wary. It would slap extra taxes on people and businesses investing in the U.S. if their home countries were deemed to tax Americans unfairly.

We explain these two taxes that could mark a shift in our free-flowing money era.

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The "chilling effect" of deportations (Apple / Spotify)

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How doctors helped tank universal health care

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 07:00:59 +0000

A debate has been raging over universal health care in the U.S. since the 1940s. Back then, a formidable opponent emerged to dump a lot of money into ensuring it wouldn't happen. That opponent was doctors. Today on the show, Sally Helm, a Planet Money reporter, comes to us in her capacity as the host of HISTORY This Week to detail how doctors helped tank single pay healthcare back then and the role communism played in the fight.

A longer version of this episode is available at HISTORY This Week from the History Channel.

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Socialism 101

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Why U.S. workers keep getting more productive

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 16:28:00 +0000

For the last couple of years, U.S. labor productivity has been on the rise. And economists don't know exactly why. So today on the show, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago plays economic detective and helps us investigate some different theories about why U.S. workers seem to be more productive than in prior decades.

Related episodes:
What keeps a Fed president up at night (Apple / Spotify)
Productivity and workforce whiplash (Apple / Spotify)

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Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Gilded Age 2.0?

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 10:58:54 +0000

To hear President Trump tell it, the late 1800s, i.e. the Gilded Age, were a period of unparalleled wealth and prosperity in the U.S. But this era was also marked by corruption and wealth inequality. Sound familiar? On today's show, is history repeating itself?

Related episodes:
Trump's tariff role model (Apple / Spotify)
Worst. Tariffs. Ever. (Apple / Spotify)

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Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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An indicator lost: big disaster costs

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 07:00:59 +0000

The U.S. government has tallied the economic impact of major natural disasters going back to 1980. State and local governments used this data for budgeting and planning. But last month, the administration retired its Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters disaster database. Today on the show, we speak to Adam Smith, the architect of the program, on the work he did and what might be next.

Related episodes:
How much is a weather forecast worth? (Update) (Apple / Spotify)
How ski resorts are (economically) adjusting to climate change (Apple / Spotify)

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Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Who should get mom's ring?

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 07:00:59 +0000

By 2048, more than $100 trillion is expected to be inherited, or passed down from one family member to another. But a lot of the time, the money doesn't end up where it's intended. On today's show, we navigate the thornier questions in estate planning.

Related episodes:
What women want (to invest in)

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Why Gen Z is feeling 'money dysmorphia'

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 07:00:59 +0000

A significant portion of young people feel like they aren't on solid financial footing. And yet, the numbers show Gen Z adults on average actually earn more and have more wealth than previous generations did at their age.

This phenomenon has been dubbed (by the internet) as 'money dysmorphia'. Today on the show, we chat with a neuroscientist who co-wrote a book, Look Again, that helps explain this phenomenon.

Related episodes:
Relax, Millennials! You're Doing Great.
Gen Z's dream job in the influencer industry (Apple / Spotify)
There Is Growing Segregation In Millennial Wealth

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Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Let's 'TACO' 'bout General Motors gassing up V-8s and golden shares

Fri, 30 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000

It's ... Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating numbers from the news.

On today's episode, we examine: General Motors invests big in V-8s; U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel flirt with the Golden Share; Trump's tariffs just got more unpredictable.

Related episodes:
Dealmaker Don v. Tariff Man Trump (Apple / Spotify)
The tensions behind the sale of U.S. Steel (Apple / Spotify)

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Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Are Trump's trade deals the real deal?

Thu, 29 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Top Trump advisers have been boasting about 'awesome' trade deals the administration is negotiating with other countries. But are these deals real? Today on the show, we ask a former U.S. trade negotiator whether these agreements hold up.

Related episodes:
Dealmaker Don v. Tariff Man Trump (Apple / Spotify)
Why there's no referee for the trade war (Apple / Spotify)
Is this a bank?

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Why are college coaches paid so much?

Wed, 28 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000

If you had to guess, would you say the president of a university usually makes more money than the football coach? Well, you may be wrong. A college's football coach is often their highest paid employee. The University of Alabama pays its football coach on average close to $11 million. Today on the show, why are college football coaches paid so much? Do their salaries really make economic sense?

Related episodes:
Why the Olympics cost so much (Apple / Spotify)
Want to get ahead in youth sports? Try staying back a year (Apple / Spotify)

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Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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How to build abundantly

Tue, 27 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Why is building affordable housing so hard these days? We talk to author Derek Thompson about his new book with Ezra Klein, Abundance, about what they believe is keeping affordable housing out of reach in high-income cities.

Related:
How big is the US housing shortage? (Apple / Spotify)
How California's speed rail was always going to blow out (Apple / Spotify)
Why building public transit costs so much

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Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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The dawn of search engines

Mon, 26 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Today on the show, we bring you a special episode from the Understood feed at CBC podcasts. It's an excerpt from a series called Who Broke the Internet hosted by Cory Doctorow. The four part series details his criticisms on the state of the modern internet and what we can do about it.

From his conversations with Eric Corly the publisher of 2600, an iconic hacker magazine, best known under his hacker name Emmanuel Goldstein, to Clive Thompson a tech and culture writer to Steven Levy the author of "In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes our Lives" this excerpt digs into how search engines started.

You can listen to more of the podcast here.

Related episodes:
The hack that almost broke the internet (Apple / Spotify)

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Target, Klarna and Sesame Street's new addy

Fri, 23 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Can you tell me how to get... how to get to Indicators of the Week? This week's econ roundup looks at Target's sagging sales, Klarna's pay-later problem, and Sesame Street's new streaming address.

Related:
When do boycotts work? (Apple / Spotify)
Buy now, pay dearly?

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How Trump is making coin from $TRUMP coin

Thu, 22 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Just before Trump began his second administration in January, he and his business partners launched the $TRUMP coin. It's a meme coin that quickly raked in hundreds of millions of dollars. And there's a lot of earning potential still left on the table. Is any of this legal?

Today on the show, we examine how the $TRUMP coin works and talk to an expert about how the president's meme coin gambit interacts with the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the Constitution.

Related episodes:
How the memecoin game is played
Did Trump enable insider trading?

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The old trade war that brought foreign carmakers to the U.S.

Wed, 21 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000

President Donald Trump wants more products made in America, and he's not afraid of a few trade wars to make it happen. Back in the 80s, a different trade dispute brought new manufacturing to the U.S. Today on the show, how former President Ronald Reagan used the threat of trade protectionism to bring car-making stateside, and why the same strategy might not work today.

Related episodes:
The tensions behind the sale of U.S. Steel (Apple / Spotify)
Tariffs: What are they good for? (Apple / Spotify)

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The rise of the credit card airport lounge

Tue, 20 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000

We are back to answer your questions, listeners. Today on the show, we tackle three big questions: Are airport lounges worth it for credit card companies? How effective have carbon taxes been for Canada? Why is gasoline getting more expensive over the last few months as the price of crude oil has sunk?

If you want to submit your OWN question to be considered in a future episode, send us a message at indicator@npr.org.

Related episodes:
Can cap and trade work in the US? (Apple / Spotify)
A Quick History Of Slow Credit Cards
Breaking down the price of gasoline (Apple / Spotify)

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The Art of the Deal ft. Beyoncé

Mon, 19 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000

All of us negotiate — whether it's accepting a job offer, buying a house or working out who does the dishes. Economist Daryl Fairweather has a new book out: Hate the Game: Economic Cheat Codes for Life, Love, and Work. It's all about the negotiation lessons she's learned through the research, her own career and Destiny's Child.

Related episodes:
What women want (to invest in)
A conversation with Nobel laureate Claudia Goldin (Update)
Summer School 7: Negotiating and the empathetic nibble

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Brain-controlled iPhones, a Japanese asset buy-a-thon, and Trump tax cut debt

Fri, 16 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000

It's ... Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.

On today's episode: Japanese asset buyers make it rain, an iPhone ... powered by the brain?! And, how are we going to pay for these Trump tax cuts? We explain!

Related episodes:
What's going to happen to the Trump tax cuts? (Apple / Spotify)
Slender Starbucks, Medicaid at risk, and the gold card visa (Apple / Spotify)

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Bond market nightmares

Thu, 15 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000

In early April, the bond market gave people a scare. Investors began selling off their historically secure U.S. Treasuries in large quantities. It reportedly encouraged President Trump to pause his flurry of liberation day tariffs. These jitters offered a glimpse into what could go wrong for U.S. Treasuries if economic uncertainty gets worse. On today's show, we take a peek at some nightmare scenarios for the bond market.

Related episodes:
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IRS information sharing, bonds bust, and a chorebot future (Apple / Spotify)
Bond vigilantes. Who they are, what they want, and how you'll know they're coming (Apple / Spotify)
Is the reign of the dollar over? (Apple / Spotify)

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What we misunderstand about gun violence

Wed, 14 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000

The U.S. is known around the world for its problem with gun violence. The vast majority of murders in the U.S. are committed using guns. But what leads one person to shoot another? The "conventional wisdom" says gun violence is usually the act of calculated criminals or people acting out of desperate economic circumstances. But economist Jens Ludwig believes the conventional wisdom is wrong. Today on the show, he explains why he believes many of us fundamentally misunderstand the problem of gun violence and how behavioral economics reveals some potential solutions.

Jens's new book detailing his research into gun violence is called "Unforgiving Places: The Unexpected Origins of American Gun Violence".

Related episodes:
Can credit card codes help address gun violence?
The money going into and out of gun stocks
Guns and The Trump Slump

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A brief history of NPR funding

Tue, 13 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Where does NPR get its funding? Today on the show, we open our books and share a brief history of public radio. And we learn what's at stake with President Trump's executive order to cut off federal funding to NPR.

Under NPR's protocol for reporting on itself, no corporate official or news executive reviewed this story before it was posted publicly.

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It's actually really hard to make a robot, guys

Mon, 12 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Robots have been a thing for a long time, but they've never quite met expectations. While AI has changed the game for chatbots, it's not quite so clear for robots. NPR science desk correspondent Geoff Brumfiel spoke to our colleagues over on our science podcast Short Wave on how humanoid robots are actually developing with the help of artificial intelligence. It was a fascinating discussion and so we are sharing that conversation with you today on the Indicator.

Related episodes:
Is AI underrated? (Apple / Spotify)
Is AI overrated? (Apple / Spotify)
Dial M for Mechanization (Apple / Spotify)

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What's in YOUR wallet?

Fri, 09 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000

It's ... Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.

On today's episode: China bulks up for a financial chill, how much Americans should save for a rainy day, and the price of used cars goes up.

Related episodes:
America's small GDP bump, China's big stimulus dispersal, and a Monkey King (Apple / Spotify)
How nonprofits get cash from your clunker (Apple / Spotify)
IRS information sharing, bonds bust, and a chorebot future (Apple / Spotify)

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It's hard out there for a Fed chair

Thu, 08 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000

President Trump has flirted with firing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell since returning to office, but can he legally do that? Not without good cause. Today on the show, the danger of Trump's amped up attacks on Powell and the Fed's independence.

Follow Chris Hughes on Substack.

Related listening:
A primer on the Federal Reserve's Independence (Apple / Spotify)
Arthur Burns: shorthand for Fed failure?

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Why do shrimpers like tariffs?

Wed, 07 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Many businesses are scared of what President Trump's tariffs will mean for their industry. However, the shrimping industry is one that doesn't seem to be worried. In fact, shrimpers say they welcome them. On today's episode, why shrimpers are embracing the tariffs and whether economists agree that this tariff is good for Americans.

Related episodes:
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Go ask ALICE about grocery prices (Apple / Spotify)
What the cluck is happening with egg prices? (Apple / Spotify)

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What do farmers do in a trade war?

Tue, 06 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Two American farmers tell us how they're feeling about a trade war that targets the soybean industry's biggest customer: China.

Related episodes:
How many times can you say uncertainty in one economic report? (Apple / Spotify)
Why Trump's potential tariffs are making business owners anxious (Apple / Spotify)

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Trump's cuts come for food banks

Mon, 05 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000

The Beigie Awards are back to recognize the regional Federal Reserve Bank with the best Beige Book entry. On today's episode, we shine a spotlight on a Midwest food bank.

Related episodes:
Why Midwest crop farmers are having a logistics problem (Apple / Spotify)
How many times can you say uncertainty in one economic report? (Apple / Spotify)

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Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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American science brain drain

Fri, 02 May 2025 15:33:56 +0000

President Trump's federal cuts and scrutiny of academic institutions are forcing some U.S. scientists to head for the border. On today's show, an entomologist keeping America's farms safe from pests reconsiders America. And a CEO of a Canadian hospital explains how they are benefiting from the exodus.

Related episodes:
How much international students matter to the economy (Apple / Spotify)
What happens when billions of dollars in research funding goes away (Apple / Spotify)
A 'Fork in the Road' for federal employees (Apple / Spotify)

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How much international students matter to the economy

Thu, 01 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Many international students are rethinking their education in the United States as the federal government revokes visas, often over minor infractions. A shift away could carry a heavy economic toll, as international students contributed $44 billion to the U.S. economy last school year. So what happens when a generation of bright-eyed scholars decide to forgo school in the U.S. and take their dollars elsewhere?

Related episodes:
Do immigrants really take jobs and lower wages? (Apple / Spotify)
The long view of economics and immigration (Two Indicators) (Apple / Spotify)

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How stable is Stablecoin?

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Stablecoins are the latest digital asset to grab headlines. Congress is considering legislation around the cryptocurrency, and a Trump family-affiliated company is preparing to launch its own Stablecoin. But does this digital currency live up to its own name?

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What's this about a crypto reserve? (Apple / Spotify)
Is 'government crypto' a good idea? (Apple / Spotify)
WTF is a Bitcoin ETF? (Apple / Spotify)

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Is the US pushing countries towards China?

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 07:00:59 +0000

As the U.S. goes head-to-head with the rest of the world on tariffs, those countries are trying to figure out their best diplomatic strategy. One dilemma countries have is how close they get with another global superpower: China. On today's show, we hear from Pakistan's Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb about how the country is balancing trade relations with both countries.

Related episodes:
China's trade war perspective (Apple / Spotify)
Dealmaker Don v. Tariff Man Trump (Apple / Spotify)
Who's advising Trump on trade? (Apple / Spotify)

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When do boycotts work?

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 07:00:59 +0000

For weeks, Target has been the subject of a boycott after its decision to pull back on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. And early data shows it's taken a toll on the company. But in other instances, boycotts haven't made much of a splash. Today on the show, when does a boycott actually make a difference?

Related episodes:
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Student loans are back, U.S. travel is whack, and AI — please, step back

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 07:00:59 +0000

It's ... Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at the some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.

On today's episode, we investigate falling foreign travel to the U.S., why student loan default collections are back, and why maaaaaaaybe being so friendly with our AI chatbot pals has a cost.

Related episodes:
Economists take on student loan forgiveness
Is AI overrated? (Apple / Spotify)
Is AI underrated? (Apple / Spotify)

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Who's advising Trump on trade?

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 07:00:59 +0000

President Trump has not been afraid to tack on tariffs over and over again. Allies and foes alike are anxiously wondering if the tariffs will stick or whether a trade deal will be made. On today's episode, we take a look behind the curtains of the White House administration and examine the advisors whispering into Trump's ear.

Related episodes:
Dealmaker Don v. Tariff Man Trump (Apple / Spotify)
China's trade war perspective (Apple / Spotify)
What keeps a Fed president up at night (Apple / Spotify)

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Fact-checking by Tyler Jones. Music by Drop Electric.
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Dealmaker Don v. Tariff Man Trump

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Donald Trump grew up learning to make deals. He's also loved tariffs since the 1970s.

So are his market-shaking tariffs a bargaining chip? Or are they here permanently?

We go all the way back to Trump's childhood to try to figure out if Dealmaker Don or Tariff Man Trump is in charge.

Marc Fisher's book with Michael Kranish is Trump, Revealed.

Related episodes:
What's so bad about a trade deficit? (Apple / Spotify)
Why there's no referee for the trade war (Apple / Spotify)
Tariffied! We check in on businesses (Apple / Spotify)

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China's trade war perspective

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 07:00:59 +0000

By now, you've heard a lot about how the U.S.-China trade war is affecting American consumers, businesses and the stock market. But how is the trade war being felt in China? Today on the show, two of NPR's in-house China experts, Emily Feng and John Ruwitch, explain the view from China.

Related episodes:
What might save China's economy (Apple / Spotify)
Tarrified! We check in on businesses (Apple / Spotify)

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A trap-loving DJ takes on economics

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 07:00:59 +0000

It's time for The Indicator Quiz! We test you, dear listener, on your knowledge of topics that we've covered on The Indicator.

Today's quiz show involves a DJ from Vancouver, Washington that tests his economic education on the World Trade Organization, the Panama Canal, and of course, Bad Bunny.

Play along with us and see how you do!

Are you interested in being a contestant on our next Indicator Quiz? Email us your name and phone number at indicator@npr.org and put "Indicator Quiz" in the subject line.

Related episodes:
WWE, a very expensive banana, and a quiz contestant (Apple / Spotify)

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Economic lessons learned from Investopedia (and Ferris Bueller)

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 07:00:59 +0000

The current economic upheaval has lots of us scrambling for our glossaries and history books.

Today on the show, the editor-in-chief of Investopedia walks us through three vocab terms — spanning topics from tariff history to market volatility — that are spiking on the website lately.

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What's a moneyline bet anyway? (Apple / Spotify)
Why tariffs are SO back (Apple / Spotify)

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Did Trump enable insider trading?

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 07:00:08 +0000

On the morning of April 9, President Trump posted on Truth Social "THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!! DJT." Around four hours later, he announced a pause on some new tariffs, causing a stock market spike. Now, Democrats are demanding an investigation into possible insider trading. But were Trump's posts actually insider trading?

Related episodes:
Morally questionable, economically efficient (Apple / Spotify)
An insider trader tells all

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The spat over VAT

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 07:00:59 +0000

If you've ever passed through airport customs overseas and been refunded a VAT — or value added tax — for souvenirs, you've benefited from the VAT system. But President Trump says VAT is unfair to the U.S. On today's episode, we learn what VAT is and what it isn't.

Related episodes:
What's so bad about a trade deficit? (Apple / Spotify)
Tarrified! We check in on businesses (Apple / Spotify)
Why there's no referee for the trade war (Apple / Spotify)

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Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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How much is a weather forecast worth? (Update)

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 07:00:59 +0000

The federal government has been tracking the weather for more than 150 years. But the rise of the Internet and big tech have made weather forecasting a more crowded space. Today on the show, the value of an accurate forecast and how the Trump administration's early moves are clouding the government's future forecasting. This piece originally aired in November 2024.

Related stories:
Hazard maps: The curse of knowledge (Apple / Spotify)
Should we invest more in weather forecasting?
After a year of deadly weather, cities look to private forecasters to save lives

Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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IRS information sharing, bonds bust, and a chorebot future

Fri, 11 Apr 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Today on the show, we discuss why the IRS is sharing some taxpayer information, why bonds and stocks both fell, and how robots will replace you,or at least most of your chore wheel, in the near future.

Related episodes:
Why are stocks and bonds both falling?

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What keeps a Fed president up at night

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 07:00:59 +0000

"There's no bad weather, only bad clothing." That's the motto of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, where Austan Goolsbee is president. As economic weather conditions stay unpredictable, Austan tells us how he's gearing up for tariffs, inflation, and more.

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Is the economy going stag(flation)?

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What happens when an economist becomes prime minister?

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Today on the show, we meet Canada's new Prime Minister, economist Mark Carney.

What's it like when your former job — being a non-political banker who decides a country's interest rate — bleeds into your now-political decisions on everything?

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A polite message from Canada to the U.S. (Apple / Spotify)

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What's so bad about a trade deficit?

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 07:00:59 +0000

President Trump claims a main goal of his crippling tariffs is to address the U.S. trade deficit. So is the U.S. trade deficit a problem? On today's show, why we'll never have a trade surplus with every single country; what the benefits of a trade deficit are; and whether or not the trade deficit affects jobs.

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Tariffied! We check in on businesses (Apple / Spotify)
Why there's no referee for the trade war (Apple / Spotify)
Common economic myths debunked (Apple / Spotify)

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Tariffied! We check in on businesses

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Trump's wave of tariffs is here. Just about everyone in the world of business is still processing exactly what this means. It's a massive, widespread increase in taxes. Today on the show, we hear from business people we've had on the show who tell us what they're doing in response to the latest, and largest, wave of tariffs.

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Trump's contradictory trade policies (Apple / Spotify)
How's ... everybody doing? (Apple / Spotify)
How Shein became a fast-fashion behemoth (Apple / Spotify)

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How states are scooping up federal workers

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 17:21:55 +0000

It's Jobs Friday and all eyes are on government workers. Will the Trump administration's layoffs finally show up in the latest jobs report? Today on the show, we look at the numbers for federal workers and who's trying to hire them.

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The last time we shrank the federal workforce (Apple / Spotify)
A 'Fork in the Road' for federal employees (Apple / Spotify)
How local government is propping up the U.S. labor market

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Why the great vinyl shortage is over

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 07:00:59 +0000

There have now been a few major vinyl booms. And unbeknownst to many, a small village in the Czech Republic has been responsible for manufacturing a large number of these albums. On today's show, how this dominant player became a problem for its competitors in the U.S.

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Rumor has it Adele broke the vinyl supply chain
'Let's Get It On' ... in court (Update) (Apple / Spotify)

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What $10 billion in data centers actually gets you

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Billions of tech dollars flowing into a community to build data centers should transform a local economy ... right? Well, maybe not.

On today's episode: Why data centers create few permanent jobs. And why communities might want them anyway.

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Is AI overrated? (Apple / Spotify)

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Should we vote for all judges?

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Mexico is gearing up to directly elect federal and state judges for the first time this June. President Claudia Sheinbaum says the new system will combat nepotism and increase the integrity of the courts. But critics see it as a naked attempt to dilute the court's independence. Today on the show, how Mexico's judicial reforms are creating angst for businesses at home and abroad.

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SCOTUS: De-facto pro-business?

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Overly Friendly Emails and other marketing pet peeves

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Brands trying to be your best bud. Generational labels. Gendered double standards.

Today on the show: three advertising experts bring their three pet peeves in advertisements.

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How to make an ad memorable (Apple / Spotify)
J. Screwed
The Gender Gap Series: The Problem With The Pink Tax

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Missing taxes, spiking copper and Napster's re-re-rebirth

Fri, 28 Mar 2025 07:00:59 +0000

On Indicators of the Week, we look at a huge projected tax shortfall, the price of copper and the afterlife of Napster, the peer-to-peer file-sharing service that refuses to die.

Related episodes:
A new-ish gold rush and other indicators (Apple / Spotify)
Can the Federal Reserve stay independent (Apple / Spotify)

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How nonprofits get cash from your clunker

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Many nonprofits accept your used cars as a way to donate. This happens from Make-A-Wish America to Habitat for Humanity to ... public radio stations!

So, how does the process actually work? And who takes a cut along the way?

Today, we follow the car money.

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Can Europe stand without the US?

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 07:00:59 +0000

As relations between the US and Europe continue to sour, European countries are working to lower their reliance on the U.S. for weapons and security. Today on the show, we ask what Europe needs to do to become independent militarily and what potential barriers could stand in the way.

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Europe's NATO members take an economic hit (Apple / Spotify)
Two Indicators: Economics of the defense industry (Apple / Spotify)

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How's ... everybody doing?

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 07:00:59 +0000

What's one word you'd use to describe the 2025 economy? That's the question we fanned out across the U.S. with microphones and open ears. From street parties in the South to an L.A. bookstore to a boardroom in Denver, we listen for financial signals in today's economy.

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The stock market is down, but you don't need to be (Apple / Spotify)
The highs and lows of US rent (Apple / Spotify)

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How specialization can lead to burn-out

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Half of all workers are showing signs of burnout according to a survey of international workers. Burnout can come from feeling detached from your work's purpose, having too much work, or ... from specialization. Today on the show, we speak with Shigehiro Oishi, author of Life in Three Dimensions: How Curiosity, Exploration, and Experience Make a Fuller, Better Life.

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Is endless vacation a scam? (Apple / Spotify)
Why we work so much

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A new-ish gold rush and other indicators

Fri, 21 Mar 2025 07:00:59 +0000

It's Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at interesting numbers from the news.

On today's show, we welcome back co-host Adrian Ma.

We also have the price of gold going up, German defense stocking up, and U.S. mergers and acquisitions slowing down.

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Europe's NATO members take an economic hit (Apple / Spotify)

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What's this about a crypto reserve?

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 07:00:59 +0000

In 2009, Bitcoin launched as the first cryptocurrency. Just under two decades, President Trump has signed an executive order to create the "Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and United States Digital Asset Stockpile." On today's show, we look at what the U.S. government plans for this new strategy, plus who benefits from a crypto reserve.

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Is 'government crypto' a good idea? (Apple / Spotify)

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Why there's no referee for the trade war

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Thirty years ago, the U.S. helped create the World Trade Organization, a group of countries linked by a common set of free trade agreements. But then the U.S., starting with the Obama administration, turned against the WTO. This leaves a void where there should be a referee to settle trade disputes between countries. On today's show, how American grievances paralyzed the WTO's dispute settlement system and what happens when the U.S. no longer wants to play by the rules it once agreed to.

Related listening:
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Trump's contradictory trade policies (Apple / Spotify)
Worst. Tariffs. Ever. (Update) (Apple / Spotify)

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What might save China's economy

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 11:41:01 +0000

China has set out its target for economic growth this year: around 5 percent. That's a hefty goal for a nation coming off a painful real estate slump. But leaders have their eyes set on other industries to help its economy grow. Today, we dig into the headwinds and tailwinds facing China's economy.

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The mess at the heart of China's economy (Apple / Spotify)
The race to produce lithium (Apple / Spotify)
What's really happening with the Evergrande liquidation (Apple / Spotify)

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Why is the federal government still killing coyotes?

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 07:00:59 +0000

The federal government spends millions of dollars each year on wildlife damage management, a program that includes killing thousands of coyotes. Yet this program may actually have the opposite effect on the coyote's population. Today on the show, why the government keeps spending money on a problem it can't fix.

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Shooting Bambi to save Mother Nature

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Southwest surprises, tariff guac shock, and fraud flourishes

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 07:00:59 +0000

It's Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at interesting numbers from the news.

On today's show, we have Southwest Airlines changing course on their free checked bag policy, skyrocketing fraud, and Americans' insatiable appetite for avocados.

Related episodes:
More fraud, higher bond yields, and faster airline boarding

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How many times can you say uncertainty in one economic report?

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Uncertainty. That's the word-of-the-moment with tariffs, market swings and lots of economic volatility. It's also showing up in the Federal Reserve's latest Beige Book, featuring anecdotes across the U.S. economy. On our latest edition of the Beigies, what can a farmer from the Mississippi Delta tell us about uncertainty?

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How USAID cuts hurt farmers (Apple / Spotify)
Why Trump's potential tariffs are making business owners anxious (Apple / Spotify)

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The stock market is down, but you don't need to be

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Government cuts. Tariff uncertainty. Sticky interest rates. These are not helping the tumbling stock market. There's a sinking feeling among some Americans that a crash is imminent.

But ... should we all be so worried? Today, we brush away the cobwebs of stock market fear and confusion, and bring some long-held facts to the surface.

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The cautionary tale of a recovering day trading addict (Apple / Spotify)

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Can you take government spending out of GDP?

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 07:00:59 +0000

The Trump administration has some nits to pick with government spending: They don't think it should be counted as part of the country's GDP, that it should be counted separately.

In today's episode, we look at why government spending is part of the U.S.'s GDP and we speculate why Trump's administration might want to take it out ... and what that could mean.

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What Bad Bunny teaches us about Puerto Rican tax law

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 07:00:59 +0000

Bad Bunny's new album DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS laments how Puerto Rico is changing. We look at whether tax breaks to newcomers contributed.

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We Set Up An Offshore Company In A Tax Haven

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Can ... we still trust the monthly jobs report?

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 15:33:30 +0000

Between the Trump administration wanting to change how GDP is calculated and DOGE accessing sensitive government information, statistical agencies are under the microscope. Can we still trust official numbers like the monthly jobs report? A former Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner shares her worries about the future integrity of government data.

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Behind the scenes of Jobs Friday

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What to make of the Ukraine minerals deal

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 08:00:59 +0000

Even after Monday's pause on military aid to Ukraine following the Oval Office blow-up, it looks like a minerals deal between the U.S. and Ukraine is back on the table. We dive into what this potential deal would actually look like and whether Ukraine's minerals really live up to the hype.

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The cost of a dollar in Ukraine (Apple / Spotify)

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Is the Panama Canal a rip-off?

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 08:00:59 +0000

Who pays to use the Panama Canal and how much? These questions are part of the tensions between the U.S. and Panama after President Trump threatened to take over the canal. We look at the global shipping lane's fee structure in light of the president's claim that the U.S. is getting ripped off.

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A drought, a jam, a canal — Panama!
Add to cart: Greenland (Apple / Spotify)

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Can the Federal Reserve stay independent?

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 08:00:59 +0000

President Trump has been on an executive order-signing spree since returning to office, with 76 so far. Today we look at two of them. Can the Fed really split up independent and non-independent roles? And what does DOGE's cost-cutting streak add up to?

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What happens with billions in research funding goes away (Apple / Spotify)
Should presidents have more say over interest rates? (Apple / Spotify)

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How tourist destinations recover after terrorism

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 08:00:59 +0000

Mardi Gras is in full swing. It's a crucial time for the New Orleans' economy, but the celebrations are cast behind the shadow of the recent terrorist attack. Today on the show, we talk about how terrorism impacts tourism and why some places recover faster than others.

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Do dollar store bans work (Apple / Spotify)

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Slender Starbucks, Medicaid at risk, and the gold card visa

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 08:00:59 +0000

It's Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at interesting numbers from the news.

On today's show, we have potential cuts ahead for Medicaid, Starbucks goes back to basics and gold card immigration.

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How Magic Johnson's Starbucks created new neighborhood businesses (Apple / Spotify)
What's missing in the immigration debate (Apple / Spotify)

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Europe's NATO members take an economic hit

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 08:00:59 +0000

When it comes to defense, one thing looks certain: European members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are going to have to pay more. Countries that are struggling economically will soon need to spend hundreds of billions of dollars. Can they do it?

Related episodes:
Can Europe fund its defense ambitions? (Apple / Spotify)
The weapons supply chain

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A polite message from Canada to the U.S.

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 08:00:59 +0000

President Donald Trump has said that Canada should be the 51st state... and Canadians? Well, they're furious about it. The nation's former finance minister is calling Trump the biggest threat Canada has faced since World War 2. So today on the show, we dig into what lessons Canada can teach the US, and how the two North American nations are already deeply intertwined.

Related episodes:
Add to cart: Greenland (Apple / Spotify)
Canada's key resource against Trump's potential trade war (Apple / Spotify)

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What's the long-term cost of federal layoffs?

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 08:00:59 +0000

The personal story of how an energetic lawyer got knocked off from her dream career and what she thinks that might mean for whether the government can attract talented people in the future.

Related Episodes:
A 'Fork in the Road' for federal employees (Apple / Spotify)
Bailing out the FAIR plan, broligarchs beef, and CFPB RIP? (Apple / Spotify)

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What if our income was taxed ... totally differently?

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 08:00:59 +0000

We are back to answer YOUR listener questions. This time, we answer why bananas can be considered the 'unbothered fruit', what a flat income tax would actually look like, and how extended-hours stock trading works. If you have your own question about the economy, please email us at indicator@npr.org.

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My Favorite Tax Loophole (Apple / Spotify)
The cautionary tale of a recovering day trading addict (Apple / Spotify)
So imPORTant: Bananas, frogs, and... Bob's?? (Apple / Spotify)

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Chicken meat, Gulf of Mexico lawsuit and Social Security beyond the grave

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 08:00:59 +0000

Surprisingly stable chicken meat prices, a lawsuit threat against the Gulf of Mexico's name change, and the Trump administration's false claims about Social Security beyond the grave are all under the microscope on this edition of Indicators of the Week.

Related episodes:
What the cluck is happening with egg prices?
What does the next era of Social Security look like?
The fight for a legendary shipwreck's treasure

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What happens when billions of dollars in research funding goes away

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 08:00:59 +0000

Federal funding from the National Institutes of Health has driven the biomedical research industry in cities across America including Birmingham, Alabama. It's helped support research into life-saving treatments for cancers, strokes and Parkinson's. But, the Trump Administration says the NIH is getting ripped off in how those grants are calculated. We take a look.

Related episodes:
The gutting of USAID (Apple / Spotify)
A 'Fork in the Road' for federal employees (Apple / Spotify)

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How USAID cuts hurt American farmers

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 08:00:59 +0000

The ties between U.S. foreign aid and American agriculture run deep — or at least used to. The U.S. International Agency for Development, or USAID, is the largest provider of humanitarian food aid in the world. Much of that aid comes from U.S. farmers, whose corn, wheat and rice is sold in bulk to the government for USAID's programs. What happens now if those programs end?

Link to Jordan Schermerhorn's research of USAID ties by state.

Related episodes:
The gutting of USAID (Apple / Spotify)
A 'Fork in the Road' for federal employees (Apple / Spotify)
Trump threatens the grim trigger (Apple / Spotify)

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What the cluck is happening with egg prices?

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 08:00:59 +0000

We visit a local egg farm and talk to an industry analyst to get to the bottom of why the prices of eggs are soaring so quickly and when they might come back to earth.

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Egg Prices: States Cry Foul
Indicators of the Week: tips, eggs and whisky
Go ask ALICE about grocery prices

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WWE, a very expensive banana, and a quiz contestant

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 08:00:59 +0000

It's time for The Indicator Quiz! We test you, dear listener, on your knowledge of topics that we've covered on The Indicator.

Today's quiz is an economic smorgasbord, ranging from the WWE to the silver tsunami.

Play along with us and see how you do!

Are you interested in being a contestant on our next Indicator Quiz? Email us your name and phone number at indicator@npr.org and put "Indicator Quiz" in the subject line.

Related episodes:
AI Tupac, sin taxes, and a soon-to-be college sophomore (Apple / Spotify)

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Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

CORRECTION: In this episode we referred to WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) and PCE (Personal consumption expenditures) as acronyms, which is incorrect; they are initialisms, a type of abbreviation that uses the first letters of words in a phrase but, unlike acronyms, is spoken with the individual letters.

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Bailing out the FAIR plan, broligarchs beef, and CFPB RIP?

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 08:00:59 +0000

What's going on with the FAIR plan in a post-Eaton and Palisades fires California? What's the backstory to the frozen Consumer Financial Protection Bureau? And why are the two tech bros very publicly going at it?

Indicators of the Week explains!

Related episodes:
How a consumer watchdog's power became a liability

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The gutting of USAID

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 08:00:59 +0000

The United States Agency for International Development, or USAID, has funneled humanitarian aid to countries around the globe for over six decades. Today on the show, people familiar with USAID's work describe the fall-out from the Trump administration's sudden dismantling of the agency, and what that means for the country's longstanding use of foreign aid to advance American national security and economic goals.

Related episodes:
A 'Fork in the Road' for federal employees (Apple / Spotify)
Trump threatens the grim trigger (Apple / Spotify)
Why are some nations richer?

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Exposing Charles Ponzi

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 08:00:59 +0000

The name Charles Ponzi immediately recalls the financial scheme that bears his name. But what of the man who helped expose Ponzi's scheme? Today on the show, the incredible, little known story of Simon Swig, who upended Boston's financial and banking world in the early 20th century before crossing paths with the notorious scammer.

Related episodes:
Charles Ponzi's scheme

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The U.K.'s tariff balancing act

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 08:00:59 +0000

President Donald Trump has already made noise with tariff threats against the United States' North American trading partners. And soon, the United Kingdom could become another target which has a chance to drive a wedge between the U.K's trade relationship with the EU.

Today on the show, we explore what the U.K. could possibly offer the United States to ease trade tensions.

Related episodes:
Trump threatens the grim trigger
Why tariffs are SO back
How Trump's tariffs plan might work

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How the memecoin game is played

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 08:00:59 +0000

Memecoins are having a moment, but who's making money off them? On today's show, how a dearly beloved internet squirrel found an afterlife as a cryptocurrency and how others, including President Trump, are trying to capitalize on online fame.

Related episodes:
Is government crypto a good idea? (Apple / Spotify)
WTF is a bitcoin ETF? (Apple / Spotify)
Who let the Doge(coin) out?

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A 'Fork in the Road' for federal employees

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 18:47:56 +0000

The job security of government employees has been in the spotlight since President Trump took office with big plans to slash the federal workforce. About 2 million employees were given an offer to quit their jobs. The government says those who resign can collect pay and benefits through September without working. But is this offer even legal?

Today on the show, an employment lawyer shares his concerns about the government's offer. And we talk to some of those federal workers about making this critical decision during an uncertain time.

Related episodes:
Federal hiring is about to get the Trump treatment (Apple / Spotify)

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How would a US sovereign wealth fund even work?

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 08:00:59 +0000

What is a sovereign wealth fund? President Trump's executive order calling for a plan to start a U.S. sovereign wealth fund is not a new idea. But it remains a topic of much debate among economists and policymakers. So is a national sovereign wealth fund a good or even viable idea?

A version of this episode originally aired Oct. 1, 2024.

Related episode:
Why oil in Guyana could be a curse

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Trump's tariff role model

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 08:00:43 +0000

President Trump speaks fondly of William McKinley, the 25th U.S. president who was a strong advocate for tariffs. He's credited with helping to protect the fledgling tinplate industry in the late 19th century. But did the tariff work? We take a closer look at McKinley's tinplate tariff and if it was worth the cost.

Related episodes on tariffs:
Trump threatens the grim trigger (Apple / Spotify)
Canada's key resource against Trump's possible trade war (Apple / Spotify)
Why Trump's potential tariffs are making business owners anxious (Apple / Spotify)
Trump's contradictory trade policies (Apple / Spotify)
How Trump's tariff plan might work (Apple / Spotify)
Worst. Tariffs. Ever. (Apple / Spotify)

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Trump threatens the grim trigger

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 08:00:59 +0000

President Donald Trump had promised new tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China. However, after negotiations with both Mexico and Canada on Monday tariffs against those countries are paused for at least a month. He said tariffs are not a negotiating tool, but he's used them as one as recently as January in a dispute with Colombia. Today, we dissect the game theory behind Trump's use of tariffs.

Related episodes:
Canada's key resource against Trump's potential trade war (Apple / Spotify)
How tariffs have been used throughout US History (Apple / Spotify)
The game theory that led to nuclear standoffs (Apple / Spotify)

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The reality stopping water pipelines to the parched western US

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 08:00:59 +0000

With so much water in the eastern U.S., why can't the region pipe some of it to its drought-prone neighbors in the West? This perennial question nags climate journalists and western water managers alike. We break down why building a pipeline is unrealistic right now for the Colorado River.

Related episodes:
How Colorado towns are trying to get some water certainty
The trouble with water discounts

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Running the numbers on deportation, interest rates and math

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 08:00:59 +0000

Why haven't American 8th graders' math scores recovered? Does Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actually have the resources to make all the deportations Trump's promised? And what's the path for interest rates in the Trump economy? All that on Indicators of the Week.

Related Episodes:
The U.S. once banned Chinese immigrants — and it paid an economic price
Why Is The Fed So Boring?

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Canada's key resource against Trump's potential trade war

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 08:00:59 +0000

Canadians have a key leverage point if President Trump makes good on his threat to impose 25% tariffs: oil. We talk to a business journalist with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation on why oil would be the "biggest arrow in the quiver" should Canada and the U.S. descend into a trade war — but only as a last resort.

Listen to CBC's Cost of Living with Paul Haavardstrud here.

Related episodes:
I will PAY you to take my natural gas
Oil prices and the Israel-Hamas war

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Federal hiring is about to get the Trump treatment

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 08:00:59 +0000

President Trump is making big moves to shrink and reshape the federal workforce. He's offered buyouts, instituted a hiring freeze, and called for prioritizing job seekers who are "passionate about the ideals of our American Republic." While his actions have drawn criticism, some see an opportunity for the new administration to improve the federal hiring process.

Today on the show, Jennifer Pahlka, Senior Fellow at the Niskanen Center, tells us why, in her view, government hiring has been broken for a long time while sharing her thoughts on Trump's proposals to fix it.

Related episodes:
What happens when Social Security runs out of money? (Apple / Spotify)
Why Trump's potential tariffs are making business owners anxious (Apple / Spotify)

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The cautionary tale of a recovering day trading addict

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 11:47:13 +0000

The story of a man who started buying and selling stocks as a hobby ... and got seriously addicted. We also speak with a neuroeconomist about the human brain on day trading.

Related episodes:
The young trolls of Wall Street are growing up
Invest like a Congress member

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How GoFundMe can affect your FEMA eligibility

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 08:00:59 +0000

With the LA wildfires still burning, we were left with a lot of questions. Today, we answer two of them: whether GoFundMe campaigns could interfere with receiving federal assistance and how much of those "proceeds" from special product sales actually go to wildfire victims.

Related episodes:
After the fires (Apple / Spotify)
Why is insurance so expensive right now? And more listener questions (Apple / Spotify)

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Why China's DeepSeek AI is such a big deal

Fri, 24 Jan 2025 08:00:59 +0000

Indicators of the Week unpacks numbers from the news. This week, we delve into what President Trump's first AI announcement reveals about the economics of the industry, a Chinese company's answer to OpenAI, and the reason why Prince Harry may have settled with Rupert Murdoch's media empire.

Related listening:
Is AI overrated or underrated? (Apple / Spotify)
AI creates, transforms and destroys... jobs

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Why Trump's potential tariffs are making business owners anxious

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 08:00:32 +0000

A freshly re-inaugurated President Trump is reportedly considering making his first moves on tariffs: a 10% tariff on Chinese imports and a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico, both of which he says could start as early as next week.

If the U.S. slaps tariffs on foreign products, U.S companies that import foreign goods, and their customers, will bear the cost. But, before any of that happens, businesses can also face a less tangible cost—uncertainty.

Today on the show, we hear from a couple business owners who experienced Trump's first trade war. And we'll learn how the uncertainty from tariffs, or just the threat of them, can have ripple effects throughout the economy.

Related episodes:
How Trump's tariffs plan might work
Trump's contradictory trade policies

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Go ask ALICE about grocery prices

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 08:00:59 +0000

Grocery prices have gone up 27 percent since before the pandemic. And high prices are especially painful for lower income households, who have less wiggle room to adjust their spending. But their experience isn't always reflected in broad measures of inflation.

Today on the show, we look at a different way of measuring price increases that's designed to capture the pain that many households feel daily, including at the supermarket.

Read more about the ALICE Essentials Index.

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A food fight over free school lunch
Feeling inflation in the grocery store

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Add to cart: Greenland

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 08:00:59 +0000

President Donald Trump's proposal that the United States take "ownership" of Greenland has raised a lot of eyebrows. Can the U.S. just buy itself this big territory? Is that a thing? Turns out if you look at U.S. history, it's absolutely a thing.

Today on the show: how massive land deals called "sovereignty purchases" have shaped the country we live in today, and why the idea of the U.S. buying Greenland is a lot more complicated than it would have been in the past.

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Student loans, savings accounts, and goodbye to artificial red dye

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 08:00:59 +0000

It's ... Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating numbers from the news.

On today's episode, we examine three measures the Biden administration is squeezing in before the clock runs out. Those include student loan cancellations, a lawsuit against Capital One, and the banishment of a sweet, sweet artificial dye.

Related Episodes:
How a consumer watchdog's power became a liability
Why big banks aren't interested in your savings account

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Who's on the hook for California's uninsurable homes?

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 08:00:54 +0000

The Southern California wildfires are devastating large swathes of Los Angeles, destroying homes and businesses and displacing thousands. In the state's strained insurance system, homeowners who can't get fire coverage from traditional insurers are left with just one option—the FAIR Plan.

Today on the show, we explain how the FAIR Plan works and the existential problems it now faces as the wildfires put new pressure on California's insurance market.

Related episodes:
When insurers can't get insurance

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The race to produce lithium

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 08:00:59 +0000

Lithium is one of the hot commodities of the 21st century: needed for electric vehicles, semiconductors needed for AI, and grid-scale batteries. While the U.S. was once a pioneer in lithium production, it's fallen off — with others, including China, taking the reins. On our third and final episode of our grid battery series, we look at the race to produce the key ingredient in most of these batteries.

Related episodes:
How batteries are already changing the grid (Apple / Spotify)
How EV batteries tore apart Michigan (Update) (Apple / Spotify)
The surprising leader in EVs (Apple / Spotify)
How China became solar royalty (Apple / Spotify)

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How batteries are riding the free market rodeo in Texas

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 08:00:59 +0000

If you want to build a grid-scale battery project in Texas, be prepared to ride the free-market rodeo. On our second episode of this week's battery series, we visit the state that has the second-most battery storage capacity to understand whether large-scale batteries can help prevent blackouts.

Related episodes:
How batteries are already changing the grid (Apple / Spotify)
Texas' new power grid problem (Apple / Spotify)

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How batteries are already changing the grid

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 08:00:59 +0000

Renewable energy, when it comes to solar and wind power, has always had a caveat: it can only run when the wind blows or the sun shines. The idea of a battery was floated around to make renewables available 24/7. For years, it existed as an expensive, little-used technology. And then in 2021, it took off.

In California, there is now enough grid-scale battery storage to power millions of homes, at least for a few hours, and it's growing fast. How did that happen, and what does the newfound success mean for the grid?

This week, we dig into three stories about grid-scale battery storage. Today, we go on-the-ground to California, where batteries first took off in the U.S.

Related episodes:
Rooftop solar's dark side (Apple / Spotify)
How EV batteries tore apart Michigan (Update) (Apple / Spotify)
How China became solar royalty (Apple / Spotify)
Wind boom, wind bust (Two windicators) (Apple / Spotify)

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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What's going on with men's labor force participation?

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 22:24:48 +0000

It's the first Jobs Friday of the new year, and there's good news!

The unemployment rate ticked down slightly to 4.1%, and the economy added 256,000 jobs. So, for the last month of 2024, the jobs market finished pretty strong.

Today on the show, we look at the indicators from this month's jobs report that give us a snapshot of where our economy's headed. We look at how men are potentially reversing a decades-long trend of declining labor force participation, how people who are unemployed are staying that way for longer and how a lot of Americans saw their wages rise in 2024.

PLUS ... we reveal the winner of our Indicator of 2024!

Related episodes:
Help us pick the indicator of the year!
Getting more men into so-called pink-collar jobs

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

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What's a moneyline bet anyway?

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 08:00:59 +0000

The online financial website Investopedia compiles an annual list of the top ten financial terms that drew the most interest from their audience. The 2024 list covers familiar concepts like inflation and tariffs, as well as more niche terms like moneyline bets and stock splits. Today, we visit the highlights of 2024 in economic terms.

The 2024 Investopedia Terms of the Year

Related episodes:
The Indicator's bet on the Super Bowl
How Trump's tariffs plan might work
The tower of NVIDIA

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Why Netflix spent billions for WWE

Tue, 07 Jan 2025 08:00:59 +0000

Last night, after years on cable, WWE's flagship show, Monday Night Raw, made its debut on Netflix. It's another example of live sports programming making the move to streaming as more people abandon cable television.

Today on the show, we talk to a TV analyst about what Netflix's increasing investments in live sports means for the war between streamers and cable companies.

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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The water mystery unfolding in the western U.S.

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 08:00:59 +0000

There's a rural area in Arizona with massive groundwater basins underneath the earth. Water should be plentiful there, but wells are running dry. Today on the show, what's behind the water issues in rural Arizona?

Related episodes:
Why Midwest crop farmers are having a logistics problem (Apple / Spotify)
Why the US government is buying more apples than ever (Apple / Spotify)

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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President Jimmy Carter's economic legacy

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 08:00:59 +0000

On this edition of Indicators of the Week, we discuss the economic legacy of former President, Jimmy Carter. Today on the show, we detail some of his top accomplishments from empowering the Federal Reserve's aggressive approach to inflation, deregulation of major industries and his push for cost saving energy measures that we still feel to this day.

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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