A favorite of productivity hackers, the Pareto Principle, aka the 80/20 rule, has taken on a life of its own since it was first observed by an Italian economist over a century ago. The concept states that a small number of causes generates a large number of outcomes. Today on the show, the origins of the Pareto Principle, why marketing and business-types love it, and whether it holds up under scrutiny. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via A...
Nov 29, 2023•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Middle East is synonymous with oil production. And historically, oil prices usually surge when there's a conflict there. But right now, despite the Israel-Hamas war, we're seeing the opposite — oil prices have fallen. Today on the show: how the region's history, geography and markets are shaping oil prices. Related Episodes: Why oil price shocks are getting less shocking ( Apple Podcasts / Spotify ) What could convince Egypt to take in Gaza's refugees? ( Apple Podcasts / Spotify ) Learn more...
Nov 28, 2023•8 min•Transcript available on Metacast In 2021, a huge winter storm hit Texas. It caused a days-long blackout that resulted in hundreds of deaths. The Texas grid operator adopted a new policy to guard against another blackout: it would incentivize plants to keep power in reserve. The problem is: that may have caused major price spikes. Today, we make sense of the reserve policy, increased electricity prices, and the future of Texas' unique energy market. Related Episodes: ESG bans cost Texas ( Apple Podcasts / Spotify ) For sponsor-f...
Nov 27, 2023•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast It's an Indicator Friendsgiving! You're not alone in feeling the news has been awfully grim this year. So we're taking a collective breath and sitting down at the table to find some economic indicators to be thankful for. That includes an end to global shipping turmoil, the green-blue bubble détente and a palatable salary . Related Episodes: The great turnaround in shipping ( Apple Podcasts / Spotify ) Wisdom from the top For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to...
Nov 22, 2023•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast A lot of people have experienced some version of this: You sign up for the free one-week trial of some subscription service, only later to be surprised when you get a bill for the deluxe, forever plan. Or you log into a website once, and now your inbox is a flood of promotional emails. All because of a little pre-checked box tucked away, unnoticed. But what if that pesky, pre-checked box cost you thousands of dollars? On today's show, how some political campaigns used 'dark defaults' to raise mi...
Nov 22, 2023•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast The company behind ChatGPT pushed out its CEO Sam Altman on Friday. OpenAI's board gave the public little insight into its controversial decision. On Sunday, Microsoft announced it was hiring Sam Altman. By Monday morning, hundreds of OpenAI employees are threatening to leave unless the board resigns. Kate Clark, deputy bureau chief at tech publication The Information, says the saga is far from over. Today on the show, we explore the fault lines below the world of artificial intelligence develop...
Nov 21, 2023•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast We've been on a wild economic ride lately so let's find the key trends to make sense of where the economy's headed. On this edition of Indicators of the Week, the numbers you need to know about falling producer prices, rising unemployment claims and generational home-buying trends. 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 . Learn mor...
Nov 17, 2023•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast You ask, we answer! Today we answer listener questions on whether certain jobs are becoming "feminized" since COVID started and how that affects what these jobs pay. We also examine labor unions' economic impact and why Ryan Reynolds keeps sending one of our co-hosts a Christmas card. Related episodes: Women's labor comeback ( Apple Podcasts / Spotify ) A conversation with Claudia Goldin (Update) ( Apple Podcasts / Spotify ) Unions but make them grunge What's really going on with unions For spon...
Nov 17, 2023•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast School vouchers, or school choice as it's known among advocates, is public funding for children to attend private schools. It's a controversial policy — some say it undermines the public school system, others say it gives parents the ability to choose the best school for their children. And its popularity has been spiking recently. In 2021, 19 states introduced or expanded them. Partly it's been a reaction against public schools' covid control policies and teaching on sexuality, gender and race....
Nov 16, 2023•8 min•Transcript available on Metacast President Joe Biden and China's President Xi Jinping have not sat down for a face-to-face discussion in a year. In that time, Chinese-American relations have become even more tense with the spy balloon incident, the US cracking down on advanced computer chips and the continuing trade war. Today, we look at why the leaders of the world's two largest economies are meeting and what's at stake for their respective countries. Related Episodes: The mess at the heart of China's economy ( Apple Podcasts...
Nov 15, 2023•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast Fish and chips have long been a staple cheap comfort food for millions of people in the U.K. However, economic headwinds are putting the squeeze on owners of fish and chip shops. Today, we explore how changes in economic conditions play a role in our dietary habits and how the U.K. is grappling with their affordable staple food turning into a luxury. 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 Elec...
Nov 14, 2023•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast This time on Indicators of the Week: actors reached a deal with Hollywood studios after their months-long strike. The once-popular co-working company WeWork has filed for bankruptcy. Also, three pandas departed the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington D.C. as China repatriates the cuddly animals. Related Episodes: All WeWork and no play 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 . Fin...
Nov 11, 2023•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast In a little over a week, Argentines will head to the polls to pick a new president. Polls show a tightening race between right-wing populist Javier Milei and centrist challenger Sergio Massa. Both are pledging to address the country's out-of-control inflation. Today on the show, we look at Milei's radical proposal to change Argentina's currency to U.S. dollars and whether that could fix inflation. Related Episodes: The push and pull of inflation ( Apple Podcasts / Spotify ) It's complicated. Arg...
Nov 09, 2023•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast Hidden deep in an archive in New Jersey is the world's oldest living bond. Originally issued to fund a dike in the Netherlands after a big flood, these days, it's gearing up for its 400th birthday and still paying interest. Today on the show, we visit this elder bond and hear its story. 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 . Lear...
Nov 08, 2023•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast When economist Chris Ruhm first got the results from his study on the possible connection between recession and health, he thought he had made a mistake. But time and time again, he got the same results, overturning a decade of previous economic findings. Today, how a nation's health relates to your own. Related Episodes Healthcare and economic despair You can listen to an extended cut of Darian's interview with Christopher Ruhm by signing up for Planet Money+! (You'll hear stuff we couldn't fit...
Nov 07, 2023•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast Last week, the former crypto wunderkind Sam Bankman-Fried was found guilty for his role in the collapse of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX. The 31-year-old former billionaire fashioned himself as someone who would revolutionize the crypto industry, but now faces the prospect of a life sentence. Today on the show, NPR business correspondent David Gura tells us what stuck out over the course of the four-week trial. Related Episodes: A former teen idol takes on crypto ( Apple Podcasts / Spotify ) T...
Nov 07, 2023•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast The American economy is still running hot and the labor market is showing astounding resilience despite elevated interest rates. Things are so good that there's some pickiness being displayed by both employers and employees. Today, we look at what's turning out to be an unusual labor market and what that means for the wider economy. 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: Ti...
Nov 03, 2023•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast A new Hyundai plant in Georgia. A Ford mega campus in Tennessee. The Southeast is quickly becoming a hub for electric vehicles and the manufacturing of its components. Today on the show, we explore the South's formula for landing EV makers and what it means for workers at legacy auto plants. Related Episodes: How EV batteries tore apart Michigan ( Apple Podcasts / Spotify ) How unions are stopped before they start ( Apple Podcasts / Spotify ) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Plane...
Nov 02, 2023•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast If you're wincing at high interest rates on a potential loan right now, it's not just you. And the Federal Reserve's rate hikes actually isn't (entirely) to blame either. There's another culprit: the rate of a return, or yield, on a Treasury bond issued by the U.S. Today, we explore why this bond yield is so important and why it's at its highest level in years. Related Episodes The rat under the Fed's hat ( Spotify / Apple Podcasts ) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, ...
Nov 01, 2023•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the typical home sale, the home seller pays a commission, not just to their agent, but also to the buyer's agent. This fee-sharing arrangement is part of a decades-old practice involving what real estate agents call an "offer of compensation." Others call it a conflict of interest . That's the dispute at the center of a class action lawsuit that has the potential to upend the real estate business. Today on the show, we'll explain how real estate agents and the National Association of Realtors...
Nov 01, 2023•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast Halloween is just around the corner and our hosts are scrambling to find the perfect costume. Today on the show, we scare up fresh costume ideas based on Wall Street's scariest financial jargon. If you know where to look, you can find witches and zombies lurking near dark pools and shadow banks. Are these terms as scary as they sound? Related Episodes: Are you afraid of inflation? For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at pl...
Oct 30, 2023•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast This time on Indicators of the Week: the U.S. is seeing massive economic growth, but there are a couple of asterisks. The European Central Bank is holding off on additional rate hikes, citing a weak economy in the eurozone. Also, the story of how nearly a quarter of a million dollars was stolen out of a truck... in dimes. 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 , Inst...
Oct 27, 2023•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast The fiery debate over how the government should regulate the internet came to a head in 2017. That's when the Trump-led Federal Communications Commission repealed so-called net neutrality rules put in place during the Obama administration. The rules were meant to curtail practices like intentionally slowing down someone's internet speed. Now, under a new Democratic majority, the FCC is proposing reviving net neutrality. Today on the show, what happened in the years without it and what happens ne...
Oct 26, 2023•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast Every time a new Beige Book report rolls around, we honor the regional Federal Reserve bank with the best anecdote with our prestigious Beigie Award. The winner of the October 2023 Beigie highlighted an interesting shift in the behavior of some big banks. Today, we talk to our winner all about "loan diets." 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 , Faceboo...
Oct 25, 2023•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Gulf of Mexico saw its first-ever auction of leases for offshore wind this summer. It was another sign of the Biden administration's desire to get more renewable energy online as fast as possible. Expectations were high for the sale with over a dozen companies expressing interest. But two of the three patches of sea didn't get any bids at all. Today, we look at one clean energy experiment and see what choke points remain for offshore wind. Related A Man, A Plan, Wind Power, Uruguay - Planet ...
Oct 24, 2023•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the book of corporate folklore, former IBM CEO Thomas Watson Jr. deserves a special spot. Specifically, the massive gamble he took in 1964 to introduce the System/360, which had the potential to undermine his own company's entire business model. Today on the show, an interview with author Marc Wortman on what Watson Jr.'s decision reveals about the fragile relationship between innovation and destruction. Marc Wortman is co-author of the new book The Greatest Capitalist Who Ever Lived: Tom Wat...
Oct 23, 2023•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this edition of Indicators of the Week: older Americans recorded higher losses to certain scams, the yield on the 10-year Treasury bond is up to the highest it's been in more than a decade and United Airlines has a plan to improve how it boards planes. Related You should probably get your plane tickets soon 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 , Face...
Oct 20, 2023•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast One of the most crucial players in the war unfolding in the Middle East is Egypt, which neighbors Gaza and is facing pressure from the United States and its allies to open up its borders to refugees. Today, we explain how Egypt's rocky economy presents both a headwind and an opportunity for humanitarian talks in the Middle East and why this situation is testing the United States' economic and political influence. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet M...
Oct 19, 2023•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast There's no business like show business. Or is there? It turns out the business of producing a Broadway hit shares a few things in common with the business of investing in tech start-ups. Today on the show, the producer of hits like Dear Evan Hansen and Leopoldstadt explains how he applies lessons learned from venture capital tech funding to investing in multi-million dollar Broadway productions. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Po...
Oct 19, 2023•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was created in 2010 as the legislative response to the Great Recession. It's an aggressive regulator that challenges financial institutions on behalf of consumers. However, the unique power it wields may turn out to be its vulnerability. The bureau's critics take issue with the very tools that give the agency its might and are asking the Supreme Court to make changes. Today, we examine how the CFPB came to be such a powerful regulator and why some want to...
Oct 17, 2023•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
