A bite-sized show about big ideas. From the people who make Planet Money, The Indicator helps you make sense of what's happening in today's economy. It's a quick hit of insight into money, work, and business. Monday through Friday, in 10 minutes or less.
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 ) For sponsor-free episodes of T...
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 ) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org . Fac...
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 ar...
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) 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: T...
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 in...
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 ) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ vi...
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? For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or ...
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...
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 For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ v...
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...
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? 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 , Ne...
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 gam...
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 / Spot...
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 [email protected] . Related episodes: Can cap and trade work in the US? ( Apple / Spotify ) A Qui...
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 For sp...
The Indicator discusses Japanese investment in US assets amid market instability, the costs of Trump's tax cuts and potential impacts on Medicaid, and Apple's work with brain implants to aid those with paralysis, exploring the intersection of economics, healthcare, and technology.
This episode explores potential nightmare scenarios for the U.S. bond market. It examines the consequences of investors fleeing US Treasuries, the possibility of a forced debt swap, and the more reasonable policy options like raising taxes and spending less. The episode highlights the delicate balance required to maintain the U.S.'s financial stability.
Economist Jens Ludwig challenges conventional views on gun violence, arguing it's often rooted in human frailty and high-stress environments rather than premeditated criminal acts. He highlights behavioral economics as a key to understanding the problem and proposes solutions like social-cognitive skills training and environmental improvements to de-escalate conflicts and reduce shootings. Research-backed strategies offer a more hopeful outlook on addressing gun violence.
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. 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 Si...
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 underrate...
This episode of The Indicator discusses China's recent interest rate cut to stimulate its economy amid trade tensions with the US, explores how much Americans should ideally save in an emergency fund, and examines the rising prices of used cars due to anticipated tariffs on new vehicles. The conversation provides insights into global economic strategies, personal finance benchmarks, and market dynamics.
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? For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+...
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: Tariffied! We check in on businesses ( Apple / Spotify ) Go ask ALICE about grocery prices ( Apple / Spotify ) What the cluck is happening with egg ...
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 ) 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 ....
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 ) 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...
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 Ro...
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 ) ...
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? Related episodes: What's this about a crypto reserve? ( Apple / Spotify ) Is 'government crypto' a good idea? ( Apple / Spotify ) WTF is a Bitcoin ETF? ( Apple / Spotify ) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscr...
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 )...
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: SPAM strikes back ( Apple / Spotify ) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr...
