The Indicator from Planet Money

Wildfires are becoming more frequent and serious due to human-caused climate change. This is prompting a new industry focused on residential wildfire preparedness. Today, we consider the new technology addressing wildfire risk and the cost of protecting yourself.Related Episodes:Gambling, literally, on climate change (Apple Podcasts / 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.

The Federal Reserve said today it wasn't raising interest rates, but left the door open to keep hiking later. But there's more to this decision than meets the eye. Today on the show, we use Disney's Ratatouille to explain the Fed's recipe for monetary policy — and take off the chef's hat to reveal the two interest rates that really matter when the Fed is hiking rates. Related Episodes:AP Macro gets a makeover (Apple Podcasts / 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.

The Beigies roll around once again to recognize the regional Federal Reserve Bank with the best Beige Book entry. This edition's winner put a spotlight on a company increasing their efforts to recruit young people for an important piece of the manufacturing puzzle.Related Episodes:The Beigie Awards: China Edition (Apple Podcasts / 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.

The coca leaf has been an important part of Andean culture for thousands of years. But when one indigenous woman decided to use the plant in a drink she calls Coca Pola, she awoke a sleeping giant. Today on the show, a small business goes head to head with Coca-Cola over a trademark dispute.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.

For this week's Indicators of the Week, Darian is joined by NPR colleagues Jeff Guo and Sydney Lupkin. We get into the latest numbers on child poverty in the U.S. and what it tells us about effective policy intervention. Sydney brings an update on the new covid booster and who's paying for it. And Jeff talks about Taylor Swift...again. He promises it has to do with economics.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.

Inflation remains stubbornly high as the Federal Open Markets Committee weighs whether they will raise interest rates again. However, new research suggests that elevated interest rates weren't the primary driver for the decline in inflation. Today, we take a look at the debate surrounding disinflation and what comes next for the Federal Reserve.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.

Yesterday we brought you a debate over whether the government should subsidize industries in the name of economic growth and societal benefits. Today on the show, we zero in on the climate industrial policy of the Biden administration, which is funneling billions into experimental projects that promise to remove, capture and store carbon. It's an effort by the U.S. to meet its ambitious climate goals, but it's not without its skeptics. Related Episodes:Industrial policy, the debate! (Apple Podcasts / 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.

There is a lot of taxpayer money going into propping up industry in the U.S. From semiconductor chip fabrication in Arizona to green hydrogen plants in California. Is this smart policy? Today on the Indicator, our guests debate! We're joined by Réka Juhász, economist at the University of British Columbia and Adam Posen, president of the Peterson Institute for International Economics.After the debate, tell us what you thought! Did anything you heard change your mind or make you think differently about industrial policy? Send us a note at indicator@npr.org.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.

Lately, retailers have been complaining to their investors about thieves coming to their stores and stealing stuff and blaming them for falling profits. It's the biggest part of a well-known industry problem called "shrink," but is this trend as pervasive as stores are making it out to be? Today on the show, retail theft and what stores are doing about it. 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.

Today on Indicators of the Week: government iPhone restrictions in China that walloped Apple's market value. Plus plans emerge over how the US government plans to negotiate drug prices. Also, a mass exodus of employees from a top dating app that sheds some light on where the whole working from home debate is. 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.

When refugees arrive in the U.S. the clock starts ticking. They usually have up to 90 days to get a job and become 'self-sufficient'.Researcher Blair Sackett says that that's simply not enough time for refugees to acclimate to a totally new country and culture and find work. She argues that current policy essentially resettles refugees into poverty. Today on the show we explore that 90-day policy and potential solutions to help refugees find their financial footing.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.

More than 7 million Americans are living with dementia. To take care of this population, family members must often make the difficult choice of giving up work or paying for a costly facility. Today on the show, the rising cost of memory care in an aging population. Related Episodes: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. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

The Beigies are back, with a twist! In China, data on the economy is sometimes difficult to come by, so we thought we'd take a leaf out of the US Federal Reserve's Beige Book instead. Today, we bring you some colorful anecdotes about China's economy, on inbound tourism and revenge spending, neither of which is fueling an economic comeback.Related Episodes:Boats, bikes and the Beigies (Apple Podcasts / Spotify)Young, 'spoiled and miserable' in ChinaTwo Indicators shaking China's economyFor 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.

The jobs report is in! And both the rate of employment AND unemployment went up in August. How does that happen? Plus, how disabled people are doing in the labor market.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.

The Panama Canal links the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It sees hundreds of billions worth of stuff pass through it every year. But a historic drought is making it a little harder for big cargo ships to get through the fifty-one mile long channel. Today on the show, we look at how this backup presents yet another test for global supply chains. Related Episode: Two Indicators: supply chain and solutions (Apple Podcasts / 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.

Every day, A Ze, a young woman in Beijing, would wake up early, do her makeup, and walk to her old work bus stop... and keep going. She'd left her job but couldn't let her parents know. China's urban youth unemployment rate hit 21% in June, a number way up from pre-pandemic times. But at the same time, factories are crying out for workers. Today, we talk about China's slowdown in growth, and how it's hit white-collar job openings the hardest, and how China's educated young people are sometimes opting out of work entirely.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.

Over the years, U.S. agriculture has grown increasingly dependent on the H-2A Guest Worker program to bring in foreign workers to harvest crops. H2A is a vestige of a U.S. and Mexican policy called the Bracero Program, which ended in the 1960s. Today on the show, why farmers and farm worker advocates are calling for more scrutiny of the current-day visa program, which has been dogged by concerns about worker exploitation and safety. Related Episodes:Farm Jobs Friday (Apple Podcasts / 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.

What's hotter than a leather car seat in the late summer? The Indicator Quiz! We bring a listener onto the show and test their econ knowledge. Today's quiz is all about the Internet and artificial intelligence. Play along with us and see how you do! Are you interested in being a contestant on our next Indicator Quiz? Just email us your name and phone number at indicator@npr.org and put "Indicator Quiz" in the subject line. Related Episodes: Breaking up big business is hard to do A night at the museum of the economy r/Boxes, r/Reddit, r/AI Is AI a job-killer or upskiller? Inside the underwater cables powering the economyFor 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.

It's Indicators of the Week, our weekly news roundup. Today, AI doesn't want to invest in AI, a county in Washington state implements a 4-day work week, and NYC says bye bye to Airbnb, sorta.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.

Russia's Ruble is hovering around its lowest value against the dollar since June 2022. A weak currency is already a big deal for ordinary people affected by inflation, but in Russia, the concern is only amplified because of the Ruble's unique history in Russia. Today, we dive deep into Russia's historical connection to the Ruble and why a weak Ruble puts Russia in a difficult position today. Related Episodes: The artificial strength of the Russian ruble (Apple Podcasts / 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.

The idea of a state-run bank in the United States feels like a foreign concept. While public banks are fixtures of the financial system in countries like Canada and Chile, only one state in the U.S. can say they have a public bank. Today, we explore the promises and challenges of public banking in the U.S. and what advocates can learn from 20th-century farmers in North Dakota. 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.

You ask, we answer! We help a parent explain exchange rates to their kid, a high school teacher explain bond prices to his students, and we follow up on what happened to the diversity of the student body at the University of California after the state's ban on affirmative action. If you have a question you'd like us to answer, email us at indicator@npr.org.Can't get enough of these topics? We've got you covered! Here's our reporting on how ending affirmative action changed California and NPR's follow up on what happened after. More on the birth of the bond, the bond market and the yield curve. And a whole lotta Iceland (Justin Bieber, planes), plus dollar-slice pizza.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.

For over 10,000 years, many peoples in what's now known as North America relied on bison. Thirty million of these creatures stretched from modern Canada all the way down to Mexico. But in the late 1800s hide-hunters and the U.S. military annihilated the bison, bringing them to the brink of extinction. And that had consequences for the people who relied on the bison. Consequences that we still see today.Today, we hear from an economist who revealed the shocking numbers telling this story, and one member of the Blackfeet Nation who is trying to bring back the bison.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.

Last year, the Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law as the Biden Administration's signature attempt to combat climate change. Today, we present three climate-related indicators with guest Nate Hegyi of the public radio podcast, Outside/In.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.

The average mortgage rate in the U.S. just hit 7.09%—its highest level in more than two decades. And that's having ripple effects in the wider economy. Some homeowners feel locked in, tethered to their super low interest rates and unable to find something better. Today on the show, what happens when homeowners are locked in by low rates? 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.

Yellow stunned the trucking industry when it filed for bankruptcy this month. The nearly hundred-year old company said it will lay off 30,000 employees and liquidate all of its assets. On today's show, a glimpse into Yellow's bankruptcy process: who's blaming who for what, and an explainer on a specific type of loan - the debtor in possession financing - which promises some rich returns to the lender in this case.For more on challenges in the trucking industry check out our story on the spot market and the so-called freight recession.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.

We are often taught to think of math as a rigid set of rules, never to be questioned. But that is exactly the wrong way to think about it, according to one mathematician. Today on the show, we talk to Eugenia Cheng about her new book "Is Math Real?: How Simple Questions Lead Us to Mathematics' Deepest Truths" and how math can help us ask more probing questions about the world around us. 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.

The Federal Trade Commission is the sheriff for big businesses. One of its main functions is to stop companies from buying up other companies in a way that hurts competition. Those investigations have been going way up under FTC Chair Lina Khan, and it's not gone unnoticed by critics in business and some Republican lawmakers. Today on the show, we look at the FTC's scorecard under Lina Khan. Related Episodes: Listen to Planet Money's three-part series on antitrust. • Antitrust one • Antitrust two • Antitrust three 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.

In a week jam-packed with major economic news, we've selected a few of our favorite stories for Indicators of the Week. Today we cover an Italian bank story, the drop in Chinese imports and the $1.6 billion acquisition of Simon & Schuster.Related Episodes: Are we entering a new dawn for antitrust enforcement? (Apple Podcasts / 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.

You've heard of The Price Is Right, but what about Is This A Bank? It's a game show where contestants puzzle over some obvious and not-so-obvious places where people store their money. This podcast may or may not remind you where your secret stashes of cash are hidden.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.

Dinosaur museums have dinosaurs. Space museums have spacecraft. But what would a dedicated museum of the economy have in it? That was a question author and friend of the show Tim Harford recently posed in his column for the Financial Times. So we decided to run with this thought experiment, too. Today on the show, get ready for a night at the museum — of the economy. Read Tim's original column and listen to his podcast.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.

RaeShawn and LaShone Middleton are twin sisters and business owners based in Columbia, Maryland. We last talked to them in the midst of the pandemic when they were just getting started with their steamed crab delivery service called R&L Crab. Today, we check back with the sisters and see how their business is fairing two years later.Related Episodes: Entrepreneurship On The Rise (Apple Podcasts / 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.

Even if there isn't a recession right now, there are still vulnerable spots in the economy that could cause economic pain. Today on the show, we explore why some are concerned about the markets for commercial real estate and private credit. 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.

Farm employment numbers are historically very hard to track. Partly because they fluctuate a lot from season to season, partly because a large portion of farm workers are undocumented. They're also not included in the monthly job numbers, which means we hardly ever talk about them on Jobs Friday. But today we're bringing you "Farm Jobs Friday" as we zoom in on three big trends in farm employment. 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.

Meta's new social media platform, Threads, had a rocket-like start when it launched a month ago as a challenger to X (formerly known as Twitter). But it's far from clear which platform will prove dominant. Today, an expert in online networks walks us through the economics of this social media battle. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

The credit rating agency, Fitch, caused a stir yesterday when it downgraded the United States' credit rating from AAA to AA plus. This came less than a week since Federal Reserve staff stopped forecasting a recession on the horizon. So what gives? Today, we talk to an economist to break down the reasons why Fitch no longer views the US as among the safest of bets. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Do office workers get as much done working from home as they do in person? We've been debating this question for years. At the beginning of the pandemic, many economists thought yes, people can be just as productive from home. Wouldn't it have been nice if they'd just stopped there? Well, they didn't. And new evidence suggests working from home, at least full-time, may not be as productive as we once thought. Some of the research referenced in this show:Jose Maria Barrero, Nicholas Bloom and Steven J. Davis – The Evolution of Working from HomeNatalia Emanuel and Emma Harrington – Working Remotely?Natalia Emanuel, Emma Harrington and Amanda Pallais – The Power of Proximity to CoworkersFor 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.

It's been a summer of record breaking heat. And for both outdoor and indoor workers, that heat poses a growing health risk. Around the country, worker advocates and industry groups are in an ongoing fight over how to address extreme heat and workplace safety. And that got The Indicator team thinking about an episode we did last year. Co-hosts Adrian Ma and Darian Woods spoke to an economist who said heat safety regulations could be a win-win-win for workers, businesses and the economy. You can find the original episode from last year here. 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.

In this edition of Indicators of the Week, we talk about the end of surprise IRS visits, new research on elite college admissions, and why a soft landing is in sight. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Hollywood has been on strike for weeks with writers and actors hitting picket lines from California to New York. The unions for both groups, the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA, say a major sticking point in negotiations with major studios has been over one item in particular: residuals. Today on the show, we talk to SAG-AFTRA's chief negotiator on how residuals are drying up for actors in the age of streaming. 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.

The Federal Reserve finds itself in a tricky spot with inflation just a notch above its target of 2%. This poses a challenge for the central bank as they enter what's known as the "last mile" of monetary policy. Today, we explain why the final stretch of the Fed's race to 2% inflation is considered the hardest. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Lots of women left the workforce early in the pandemic. At the time, there were fears these women would stay out of the workforce for years, if they returned at all. But women's participation in the labor force, between the ages of 25 and 54, is at an all time high.Check out more of NPR's Scott Horsley's reporting on women's return to the workforce. And listen back to our previous episodes about women leaving the workforce in 2020 and why many women didn't immediately return.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.

After a stunning box office opening of more than $300 million worldwide for the new Greta Gerwig film, the Barbieverse is having its moment. So what better time to examine what Barbie's 200-plus careers over the decades—from fashion model to astronaut to teacher—tell us about real-life women in the workforce. Today on the show, a former economics educator gives us a Barbie pink-colored lens on the labor market. You can find the St. Louis Fed's Barbie curriculum here. Related Episodes: Want more Barbie-nomics? Check out our episode on how Mattel turned the Barbie brand around.

Tired of waiting days for your money to transfer in the bank? So is the Fed. It's just launched a new instant payment system that could mean no more waiting for your paycheck to come through.Plus, after a nearly four-year wait, the bizarre-looking Tesla Cybertruck is here! We check in on how it compares to other electric pickup trucks on the market.And a draft research paper has the economics profession on edge. A popular online forum for econ jobs has long been littered with abusive, racist, misogynistic and otherwise toxic posts. Planet Money did a story on the site back in 2019. This new research ties toxic content to the universities it came from.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

The price of mailing a first-class letter in the U.S. went up to .66 this month, part of a series of price hikes that the postal service hopes will put it on a pathway to profitability. But from its inception, the United States Postal Service wasn't designed to run much like a business. Today on the show, how the U.S.P.S. went from a public service to a business burdened by debt.

Cryptocurrency's rise attracted the endorsements of several high-profile celebrities during the pandemic. Actor Ben McKenzie, however, wasn't really convinced by the promise of crypto and has emerged as a surprising skeptic of the industry. Today, we talk to him about his journey from former teen idol to outspoken crypto critic. Easy Money: Cryptocurrency, Casino Capitalism, and the Golden Age of FraudFor sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

The Beigies are back and headed down south! From boats and bikes to pigs and cows, you could call this one a wild ride. Eight times a year, the 12 regional Federal Reserve banks come together to share anecdotes from businesses and other industry experts in their respective parts of the country. These stories are published in the "Summary of Commentary on Current Economic Conditions by Federal Reserve District," more commonly known as the Beige Book. We pick our favorite anecdotes and crown a winner!Check out the previous Beigies winner here and click to listen to our recent story on greedflation.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.

When we talk about classic economic texts, you might think of something like Adam Smith's "The Wealth of Nations." But how about the Foundation series by Isaac Asimov? One of the big ideas at the heart of this science fiction saga is that math can predict and shape the future. We hear from two economists who tell us how the ideas in Foundation helped set them on their career path. Related episodes:The carbon coin: A novel idea Beach reads for econ nerdsFor sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

It's time again for our Indicators of the Week! Today on the show, we've got a new social network, a new lineup for an old stock index and some new fines for old grievances. Listen to the numbers that caught our attention on the launch of Threads, the Nasdaq 100's stock shake-up and Bank of America's big fine.

Stress tests are one of the many tools the Federal Reserve has to regulate the financial system. So why didn't stress tests help prevent the bank failures of Silicon Valley, Signature and First Republic? Today, we explain how stress tests work and why the Fed is considering an overhaul.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Earlier this week, China reported a headline CPI of zero. Observers are concerned about the potential for a deflationary environment in China that could have ripple effects for the rest of the world. Today, we find out why prices are falling in China and what the CCP could do to reverse that trend. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

It's another Indicator Quiz episode! We bring a listener onto the show and test their econ knowledge. Today's quiz is all about jobs and employment. Play along with us and see how you do! Are you interested in being a contestant on our next Indicator Quiz? Just email us your name and phone number at indicator@npr.org and put "Indicator Quiz" in the subject line.

Government websites and online services leave a lot to be desired. Today we look at California's unemployment insurance fiasco as a test case for how government can do digital services better.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

The US economy added more than 200,000 jobs in June. But are these good jobs? Today, we look at some ways to answer this question, and what it takes to transform a job from bad to good.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

In the past few years, Shein has grown into the world's largest online-only fashion retailer. And in the process, it has also drawn criticism, a cultural backlash, and the ire of U.S. lawmakers. Today on the show: how Shein's unusual business model helped it grow from a small internet startup to a global retail behemoth, and why it is so controversial.If you enjoyed this episode, check out our series on the influencer industry. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

In early 2016 the U.S. barely exported any liquified natural gas at all. Now it's the leading exporter of the fossil fuel — on track to way surpass Qatar and Australia. How did that happen? Today on the show, we talk to one of the men who triggered the American exporting revolution.

We have a few fascinating fireworks facts for your Fourth of July picnics! Over the last few decades, states and counties across the U.S. have liberalized fireworks laws. It's just one reason why sales of backyard pyrotechnics have exploded. So what happened to safety over this period?For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

On today's edition of Indicators of the Week, we cover the numbers behind stories relating to the Supreme Court's decision on affirmative action, the Wagner rebellion's effect on the Russian currency, and some huge 2023 sales numbers for the video game industry. Related Episode:How ending affirmative action changed California (June 8, 2023)For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Online banking has become so common that some banks don't have any physical locations at all. Today we track the transition to online banking in Mexico, where startups are eager to win over new customers who are tech-savvy but don't have any kind of bank account. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

The recent mutiny in Russia has put a spotlight on the quasi-military organization responsible: the Wagner Group. Today, we talk to an expert on the Wagner Group to get a sense of how it operates and what its failed rebellion against the Russian government means for the group's future.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Despite overwhelming scientific evidence that climate change is affecting our planet, a lot of people out there are still not convinced it's a problem. Today on the show, a tool that might actually shift people's opinions on climate change: gambling.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

American public transit is notoriously expensive to build compared to countries in Europe and Asia. Today, we visit a $837 million subway station in New York to learn why these projects come with such a high price tag all across the country.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Housing prices are easing! Good news for homebuyers, not great news for Adrian. Turkey's new central bank governor raises its interest rates. And is the FTC's Lina Khan riding into Amazon in a trojan horse?For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Climate change is changing the property insurance market. California is one state where major insurers have opted out of writing new property insurance policies. So how does that affect the people living in these states? Today, how climate change is breaking down the insurance market.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Arizona officials announced this month that all the groundwater in the Phoenix metro area is spoken for, potentially affecting its fast-growing suburbs. Despite the initial shock, the news hasn't exactly slowed development — or home prices. On today's show, we ask whether Greater Phoenix, and the west overall, is inching closer to a reckoning over water.

About 2 percent of the global population lives in countries where they're not citizens, and many of these migrants are seeking economic opportunities. This flow of people can benefit countries with aging populations and shrinking workforces, but only when migrants' skills are in demand in the places where they land. Today on the show, we look at what it can take to make a good match.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

How boxes contain all of our consumer goods, hopes and dreams. Why communities on Reddit went dark this week. And the European Union's plan to regulate AI. It's Indicators of the Week!For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Across the U.S. each month, utilities send meter readers out to record how much water their customers are using. Smart readers can do this virtually, and detect leaks, but many utilities have been slow to adopt the technology. On today's show, we dig into utilities' disincentives to save water.

The Fed just announced a pause on interest rate hikes for the first time in over a year. With inflation still double the Fed's 2% target, what's the plan here? Today on the show, how a shower helps explain the Fed's incremental approach.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Who's to blame for current inflation? It's one of the spiciest debates these days, with many fingers pointed at one villain: corporations. Today on the show, an economist who looked for evidence on whether or not greedflation is the answer.

It's another listener questions episode where we take on what you want to know! On today's show... The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage. It's a cornerstone of the U.S. housing market, but not so much in the rest of the world. Why? We also look at upgrade auctions in the economy and a measure of inflation often overshadowed by the CPI ... PCE.If you have a question you'd like us to answer, email us at indicator@npr.org. Please include your name and number.

Too many texts? Some of them could be scams! Plus the SEC is trying to play sheriff in the wild west that is crypto. And we remember the late economist William Spriggs who died this week, and read his open letter to economists. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

California's 25-year-old ban on affirmative action at public universities offers clues into how a Supreme Court ban on the policy would affect students and schools nationwide. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Turkey's strong-arm President Erdogan is at war with interest rates, which he's called the mother and father of all evil. But inflation is out of control and the Turkish lira keeps losing value. How did Turkey get here, and what's the plan to turn things around?For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Today, we power up our CB radios to find out what's roiling the transportation services sector, and talk to a trucking company operator who's feeling what one regional bank called a freight recession.

India's recent announcement that it'll get rid of its highest denomination bill brings back memories of a disastrous experiment to invalidate most of its currency in 2016. Today, a critical look at the challenges of going cashless around the world.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

The job market continues to surge despite fears of an economic slowdown. In recent months, Black Americans benefited from strong labor market conditions. But May's unemployment numbers hint that could change. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Decades before the current debate about ESG and "woke capitalism," there was a guy on Wall Street investing money on behalf of nuns and labor unions. He's known today as one of the pioneers of socially responsible investing.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

New economic research suggests that large companies can hold back inventors, and the overall economy. Today we talk to an inventor who left a big pharmaceutical company to start afresh, leading to some incredible treatments for serious diseases.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Is this Mars thing really happening? SpaceX did its first test launch of Starship this spring, the rocket that it's developing to send to Mars. But getting to Mars is still a long way off. So does SpaceX have the funding and business plan to pull it off?For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Indicators all about kicking the can down the road but never far enough. A deal on water in the west, the US's tippy top credit rating gets put on notice, and tech companies want us to have less fun and fewer shared passwords.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Money market funds are a key aspect of the financial system and hold about $5.75 trillion of assets. Today, we explain what makes up a money market fund, why they've been looking shaky lately, and why a potential debt default is making things worse. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

A corporate titan and a cautious professor face off before Congress and ... agree with each other? From the ivory tower to inside the boardroom, the pressure campaign to regulate AI.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

For all the talk about AI, one of the burning questions is how the technology will affect the workforce. Today, we talk to the authors of one of the first empirical studies that looks at AI in the workplace. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

It's another Indicator Quiz episode! We bring a listener onto the show and test their econ knowledge. This time around, the quiz is all about the banking system and its recent troubles.Are you interested in being a contestant on our next Indicator Quiz? Just email us your name and phone number at indicator@npr.org and put "Indicator Quiz" in the subject line. You have until the end of the day, Monday (05/29), to enter.

It's Indicators of the Week! We round up the economic indicators that caught our attention. On today's episode, we look at growing U.S. household debt, the shrinking sales of Home Depot and Montana's new TikTok ban. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

In the background of the debt ceiling fight between Congress and the Biden administration, we peek inside a little-known program created for citizens who want to help pay off the national debt. This special fund has been collecting donations from civic-minded Americans since the 1960s.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Nobel-winning economist Robert Lucas Jr. died on Monday. His revolutionary theories transformed the field of macroeconomics. His influential "Lucas critique" argued economic policy must take into account people's decisions in reaction to the policy itself, and just as importantly, their expectations. Not only is he remembered as a brilliant mind, but a supportive colleague as well. On today's episode, we remember Robert Lucas and his legacy.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

The United States is unusual in that it has thousands of relatively small and specialized banks. Even after adjusting for population size, countries like Canada, the U.K., India and Brazil have far fewer banks. Today, we examine America's love affair with small banks and why having so many could be a double-edged sword. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

In recent years, we've seen dozens of cities ban new dollar stores from opening up. The thinking goes, by keeping dollar stores out, it'll be easier to get much-needed grocery stores to come in. On today's show, we visit two cities that have passed dollar store bans, New Orleans and Birmingham, to see if they've worked. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

It's Indicators of the Week! We round up the economic indicators that caught our attention ... Germany's economic resilience comes in the form of a heat pump. As debt-ceiling negotiations continue, the debt default date continues to move around. And a new survey on job satisfaction that kind of surprised us.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Twitter's false labeling of the NPR Twitter account as "state-affiliated" put a spotlight on the website's handling of government-controlled accounts. Today, we talk to NPR tech reporter, Dara Kerr, about the recent surge in activity for state-controlled Twitter accounts. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

The rate of inflation is slowing, but still uncomfortably high, according to today's consumer price index report. The Federal Reserve has been front and center in fighting inflation, cranking up interest rates for more than a year. But how about Congress? It has fiscal tools to help bring down prices, but they've largely gone unused. On today's show, we look at why. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Hot, fresh and kinda salty, the Beige Book is back! This time we're headed to the beach as businesses get ready for summer.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

The coronation of King Charles III is putting the United Kingdom and its relationship with Commonwealth countries back in the spotlight. Today, we explore the economic links between the UK and Caribbean Commonwealth countries to see what the future might hold for them.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

It's one thing to quit your job and a completely other thing to get laid off or fired. A new indicator compares quits with firings and layoffs to measure who has more power in today's labor market, workers or employers.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

As a presidential candidate, Joe Biden promised to make climate change a major priority, But since taking office, President Joe Biden seems pretty friendly to the fossil fuel industry. What gives?For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

How much power does the Fed have? According to Fed Chair Jerome Powell, the limit basically does not exist! New York Times reporter Jeanna Smialek joins the show to talk about her new book Limitless: The Federal Reserve Takes on a New Age of Crisis.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Unsung hero of the financial system or enabler of failing banks? Today on the show, how the Federal Home Loan Bank system, originally designed to support homeownership and affordable housing, ended up loaning billions to failing banks like First Republic.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

The turmoil in the banking industry isn't over yet. Today, First Republic Bank was seized, following the failures of Signature Bank and Silicon Valley Bank back in March. How did we get here? And how do we prevent banks from failing in the future? A show-stopping mea culpa from the Federal Reserve provides some answers. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

As we wrap our series exploring the influencer marketing industry, we go to the cutting room floor for some extra insight into topics that we didn't have time for. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

When your lifestyle is your brand, the line between work and life can start to get blurred. From hate comments and sneaky contracts to prejudice and discrimination, it's not all sunshine and brand deals in the influencer industry.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

'Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life,' they said. How Gen Z is trying to do just that through ~influencing~For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

We wanted to know how many influencers are making a living from their content creation. Turns out, not many are. On today's episode of our series on the influencer industry, we meet a fashion influencer trying to piece together sponsorship deals ... and hit the shops for styling advice.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

This week, we're going deep into the multi-billion dollar influencer industry. Today, a researcher and two generations of influencers take us through the industry's history, from its origins in the blogosphere of the Great Recession to the sponsored content in your social media feeds today.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Why does Brazil's President Lula go to bed every night thinking about the US dollar? Did Taylor Swift know crypto exchange FTX was trouble? That and more on this week's financial news roundup.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Did Ed Sheeran steal from Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" in his hit single "Thinking Out Loud"? That case heads to trial next week, and our guest says the outcome should matter to music-lovers everywhere.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Earlier this year, Bao Fan, a prominent Chinese banker and tech billionaire, went missing in China. According to a statement from his company, he's "cooperating in an investigation being carried out by certain authorities in the People's Republic of China." The details are very murky, but his disappearance raises questions about doing business in China right now.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

A video game where you go on dates and also prepare your federal tax return? We obviously had to play. Plus the IRS's 20 year journey to make tax prep free.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

"Forced savings, you cowards!" Those aren't his exact words, but in 1940, macroeconomist John Maynard Keynes advocated for compulsory savings to help tame inflation during World War II. Could that work today?For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

In this edition of Indicators of the Week, our hosts cover the latest news from the International Monetary Fund, Tupperware and the media conglomerate behind HBO Max — or is it just Max now? For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Artificial intelligence has been portrayed as a solution to human bias. But, when it comes to finding top job talent, AI can get it just as wrong. So how can that be fixed?For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Earlier in the pandemic, we saw many businesses raise their prices because of the higher costs they faced. So we wondered, now that some of those costs are coming down, will companies also pass along that price relief to consumers? The answer reveals a lot about how corporations make pricing decisions.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

You've heard of the butterfly effect, right? A seemingly small action causes ripples in unexpected ways elsewhere. So, what would it mean if Japan's central bank raised interest rates on its 10-year government bonds, which have been near zero percent since 2016?For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Recent bank failures are putting a spotlight on risky behaviors in the financial sector. The Federal Reserve is introducing a new way for banks to borrow money that's better for banks, but exposes the government to more cost and risk. Today, we explain the Bank Term Funding Program.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Dominion Voting Systems is seeking $1.6 billion in damages from Fox News, which if it wins, would be the biggest defamation verdict in U.S. history. So we wondered, how do you price a reputation?For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

On the Internet, everything feels instantaneous. But how exactly did that data get to you? We'll take you on a virtual tour of the 19th-century technology that runs the modern world.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

There is one indicator that has predicted every recession since 1969, and that indicator is flashing red right now. It's the yield curve. But Mr. Yield Curve himself, Campbell Harvey, explains why this time he thinks his prediction could be wrong. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

U.S. government bonds have long been seen as a steady, reliable place for investors. So why has this safe 'merry-go-round' option turned into a rickety roller coaster ride? We step into the financial markets theme park to explain.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

We cover some of this week's top economic stories: Cryptocurrency company Binance's legal issues, patching a hole in the banking system's rainy day fund, and newly approved waters for oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

How one Ukrainian is circumventing the government exchange rate to turn U.S. dollars into medicine for Ukrainians near the front lines.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

The doctor shortage is a growing problem across the U.S. But there was a time when the government, researchers, and medical professionals worried about a doctor surplus.

Lithium-ion batteries—used in everything from smart phones and laptops to electric scooters and cars—are catching fire on land and at sea. A former cargo ship captain walks us through why these fires are so hard to put out and why ocean-going car carriers are particularly at risk.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

How do you do the most good in the world? Money and data! That's according to this new wave of philanthropy known as effective altruism, heralded by the likes of Sam Bankman-Fried. Today on the show we uncover the art and science of effective altruism.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Our indicators of the week: how a federal agency is trying to make it easier for you to cancel your subscriptions. And what's being done to address the 100,000-plus person backlog for organ transplants.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

The high seas — water 200 nautical miles from shore — are an ocean of possibility for industries looking to cash in. But without proper oversight, the problems could be as deep as the ocean itself.Could an international agreement help?For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

We're putting Fed Chair Jerome Powell in the hot seat. Without fear and without favor, our guests look at Powell's record on jobs, inflation and financial stability. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Recent banking turmoil is shining a spotlight on the people whose job it is to monitor banks themselves. Today, we examine the bank examiners and learn why their job is so important for the banking sector. Plus, a recent government report that shows they could be in short supply very soon. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Credit Suisse was a 167-year-old financial giant. A favored place for the world's super-rich to stash their cash. So why did it collapse?For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank continues to ripple across banking and tech. Today, three indicators on the fallout, including what's next for some startup CEOs and why you might be hearing the term, moral hazard. And we talk about the other bank failure that's been overshadowed by SVB, New York-based Signature Bank.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

It's time for another edition of the Beigie Awards! Today, our winner comes through with one of the best anecdotes in Beigie history with a story about a Montana construction company that flew in workers via a private jet.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Why are American consumers paying out the wazoo for drugs? Drug companies say it's because they need that money to fund the research and development that goes into making new life-saving drugs. Today we talk to a health economist who says you actually can have it all, lower prices and more innovation.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Prices are rising. A major bank has collapsed. And the Fed is left holding the hose trying to put out these fires. The question of whether to raise interest rates or not just got even more challenging.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

For decades, Silicon Valley Bank was the bank for thousands of startups and tech companies in the Bay Area. No longer. SVB's sudden failure last week has roiled the tech world. And it forced regulators to step in as concerns grew about the wider financial system. On today's episode, we look at what happened at SVB, and the three reasons that made the bank especially vulnerable to collapse.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Millions of people opted out of the labor force during the pandemic, and the Federal Reserve's most recent update on the economy explains why. Today, we hear from people who made that decision to leave the workforce.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

After a series of train derailments, the railroad industry is under scrutiny from politicians, the public and rail workers themselves. Many workers blame a relatively new management philosophy called precision-scheduled railroading (PSR). What is PSR and how has it changed the industry?For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

The U.S. is helping broker a $20 billion deal to transition Indonesia off coal. The hope is this climate financing plan could be a model to move other developing counties away from coal-fired electricity. But Indonesian energy experts and solar executives worry much of this deal may just be "omong kosong" — empty talk. Today on The Indicator, we bring you an episode of Short Wave, NPR's daily science podcast. Climate solutions reporter Julia Simon breaks down the realities and limitations of Indonesia's renewable energy aspirations with Short Wave co-host Aaron Scott. (You can read more about this story here.)

It's another listener questions episode where we take on what you want to know! On today's show... We look at the U.S. birth rate. Are we booming or busting? Does the Consumer Price Index capture what's happening in rural America? And copyrighting knitting & sewing patterns, it's a tangled issue! If you have a question you'd like us to answer, email us at indicator@npr.org.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

The UK's withdrawal from the European Union in 2020 came with plenty of challenges. And now one of its biggest — how to deal with Northern Ireland — may finally be resolved. On today's episode, we hear from a small business owner whose land and operations are split by the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Washington is doubling down on the industries it wants to see grow. From semiconductor chips to lithium-ion batteries, we trace where the money is going and why. And which part's got the European Union all bent outta shape.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org

For more than a decade, China has been a leader in global manufacturing, producing everything from trinkets and toys to advanced electronics. But there's another country looking to challenge China for manufacturing dominance: India.We ask, what would it take for India to become the world's factory?For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

In 1957, a group of scientists fed up with their boss set the modern venture capital model in motion. Today, the story of the unconventional investment idea behind Silicon Valley startup culture and so much of the technology we use today. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Consumers and politicians around the country are making a lot of noise about price gouging. But when do prices cross the line from simply high to something more painful? We talk to an economist to find out.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

From the depths of econ twitter straight to your podcast feed – this is economemes. Our guests bring us their favorite economic memes and explain what they mean. Can econ be funny? Only you can decide!For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

On this day one year ago, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Today, we cover three indicators about the war's economic impact. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Do work requirements actually work? The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, will soon require some benefit recipients to work in order to receive government aid. New economic research looks at whether that approach is effective in getting participants into the workforce and earning more.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Americans love TikTok – 100 million of them and counting. So why are politicians at the federal, state and local levels on both sides of the aisle calling for the China-owned social media app to be banned? We peer behind the rhetoric to see if there's anything to the labeling of TikTok as a national security threat. And we hear about the extraordinary plan the company has devised to stave off extinction in the U.S.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org

How one man's legal fight turned 26 ambiguous words from a 1996 law into the shield big tech companies use today. This key part of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act is at the heart of two cases being argued this week before the Supreme Court.This episode originally came out in April 2021.

Economic news of the week – from the government's new projections on unemployment and inflation to the latest retail spending numbers. Plus, what's the deal with companies retaliating against union organizers?For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

One of the most important tools the federal government has for cracking down on greenhouse gas emissions is a single number: the social cost of carbon. It represents all the damage from carbon emissions — everything from the cost of lost crops to the cost of climate-related deaths. Currently, the cost is $51 per ton of carbon, but the Environmental Protection Agency has proposed raising it to $190. Today on The Indicator, we bring you an episode of Short Wave, NPR's daily science podcast. NPR climate correspondent Rebecca Hersher and Short Wave co-host Aaron Scott discuss how this new number is simultaneously more accurate and an ethics nightmare.

The quest for dominance in artificial intelligence is taking shape in the tech world with some familiar players. Both Google and Microsoft are spending billions to come out on top of the chatbot arms race. Today, we put ChatGPT and Bard to the test to see which company hosts the superior chatbot. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

The latest inflation numbers are out, and prices are up 6.4% from a year ago. This, coupled with an increase in wages compared to last year, may have some economists concerned about a possible wage spiral.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Apparently the no-take-backs rule doesn't always apply when it comes to buying a car. Today on the show, how and why some dealerships can take back your car even after you've driven off the lot.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org

It's indicators of the week, when we break down our favorite economic headlines! This one's for all the flavor dust lovers out there.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Gautam Adani is no longer Asia's richest man. Since American firm Hindenburg Research released a scathing report last month alleging widespread fraud, market manipulation and corruption, the head of India's Adani Group has lost billions. What does this all mean for India's economy?For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Low-income countries are falling behind on their debt payments. Countries like Zambia, Chad and Sri Lanka have already defaulted, and others could be on the brink. Today, we examine the escalating debt crisis in the global economy and how the International Monetary Fund says it's going to help.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Open markets together with free and fair elections have long been the American ideal. But, in his new book, Financial Times chief economics commentator Martin Wolf argues this is a fragile marriage that is spinning towards divorce.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

It's another Indicator Quiz episode! We bring a listener onto the show and test their knowledge on inflation.Are you interested in being a contestant on our next Indicator Quiz? Just email us your name and phone number at indicator@npr.org and put "Indicator Quiz" in the subject line. We'll pick one person at random. Just one entry please. You have until the end of the day, Monday (02/13), to enter.

The U.S. economy is red hot, adding 517,000 jobs in January. Unemployment is at its lowest rate in more than 50 years. So why are there so many jobs when there's talk about a possible recession?One idea that's been talked about is labor hoarding, where employers hold onto more staff than they need. That's because the costs of rehiring are so high.We find that the answer is more complex — and maybe a little more optimistic as well.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

History remembers Arthur Burns as the Fed chair who let inflation run rampant. That's precisely the outcome that current Fed chair Jerome Powell wants to avoid. Today, we look back at the '70s to find out what went wrong.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

A Fed vice president gets a new pair of shoes. Does that mean supply chains are fixed? For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Chinese citizens are once again allowed to travel internationally and the global tourism industry is ready to welcome them with open arms. Why? Chinese tourism has meant big money in the past. In 2019, Chinese travelers spent a fifth of all tourist dollars. But a full rebound in Chinese tourism might be a ways off. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Advancements in artificial intelligence are making replicating the work of artists much easier. Some artists are arguing that AI art generators have been breaking the law to do this. Today, we talk to an artist whose paintings are at the center of a class action.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Tips, eggs and whisky...it's a food edition of Indicators of the Week! We talk egg-spensive food costs and why at least one whisky drinker is upset with the maker of Fireball. For more economics content, subscribe to Planet Money's weekly newsletter.

Forget extraordinary measures. Today we're going full extra extraordinary. How a trillion-dollar platinum coin could get the country around the debt ceiling limit. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

The U.S. reached its debt ceiling last week, and some lawmakers say they won't raise it unless there are also cuts to balance the budget. The problem? That would mean 25% reductions everywhere.For more economics content, subscribe to Planet Money's weekly newsletter.

One of the world's biggest banks acquires a promising tech company, and things go very, very wrong. It's a flashy tech startup story with some surprisingly low-tech twists and a web of alleged lies.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Prices for shipping carriers have gone back down to 2019 price levels after record highs during the pandemic. So what does this mean for consumers and businesses who rely on international trade? For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

What's up with China's GDP, what's down with China's population numbers, and what Marvel's return tells us. Indicators from China to bring in the Lunar New Year. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org

The debt ceiling approaches. A congressional standoff ensues. It wasn't always this way. So where did the debt ceiling come from? And how do other countries control their debt?This episode originally came out in October 2021.

A chatbot that can do your homework for you? Sounds like every student's dream. But one college senior is building an app to call out the fakes. For more HUMAN WRITTEN content like this, subscribe to Planet Money's weekly newsletter.

Today, a conversation with Mary Daly, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Her family faced the pain of high prices and a turbulent economy decades ago, so she dropped out of high school to earn money. That experience, she says, helps guide her today, as the Fed tries to bring down inflation without sparking a recession.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

We comb through the surveys, polls, and reports so you don't have to! Three caught our attention for Indicators of the Week: one asking CEOs on whether we're headed for a recession, another on the economic challenges facing rural communities, and a report offering further evidence on the high audit rates of low-income workers.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

The Federal Reserve has a dual mandate: keeping prices stable (and inflation low) and promoting "maximum employment." But sometimes, as the Fed attacks one goal, it can potentially hurt the other. It's a dueling dual mandate. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

What happens if someone can't perform their job in the same way because of pregnancy? Until now, they could be sent home without pay – essentially lose their job. But a new law aims to change that, by requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnant people. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

In 2016, the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union. More than 6 years later, a majority of voters are feeling some buyer's remorse. Today, we cover what's changed since Brexit. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Many sectors of the American economy depend on foreign nationals holding H-1B work visas for valuable skilled labor. But if a H-1B visa holder gets laid off, they're on their own.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Apprenticeships: not just for medieval guilds, but also useful in today's tight labor market! More employers in fields such as healthcare are turning to apprenticeship programs to train new hires for critical roles.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

The average labor strike lasts just over 40 days, but a union of coal miners in Alabama has been on strike for over a year and a half. Protesting for that long requires help, both from the community and the economy.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Dear listeners: You had questions, and we have answers! Today, we're digging into airline fares, buying in bulk at the supermarket and the Fed's wacky (?) district boundaries. It's a listener questions episode!For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

This episode originally came out in January 2022. We're back with a new episode tomorrow!It's a new year, and many people are excited for their fresh starts. But, it's no secret that following through with New Year's resolutions can be challenging. Today on the show, behavioral economist Katy Milkman shares her tips on how you can follow through.

This week, we're sharing some of our favorite Indicator episodes from 2022! Today, we hear one of our most downloaded from the year. This episode originally came out in August.Who your friends are may be the key to your economic success story. In a groundbreaking study by Harvard researchers, find out why cross-class friendships may be the key ingredient to the American Dream.

This week, we're sharing some of our favorite Indicator episodes from 2022! Today, we hear one of Darian's favorite episodes. It originally came out in August.Today on the show, why colleges and high school Advanced Placement Macroeconomics classes had to rip out old textbook pages and write a new chapter.

This week, we're sharing some of our favorite Indicator episodes from 2022! Today, we hear one of Adrian's favorite episodes. It originally came out in September."Gamification" as we know it has become increasingly common since the late 2000s. And proponents say adding game-like features to non-game activities — especially boring ones — can make us healthier, happier, and more productive. But Adrian Hon, who has made a career out of 'gamifying' mundane activities like jogging, says the trend has gone awry. Today on the show, Adrian argues that companies are using gamification to confuse, manipulate, or coerce people into doing things they wouldn't have done otherwise.

This week, we're sharing some of our favorite Indicator episodes from 2022! Today, we hear one of Wailin's favorite episodes. It originally came out in September.Shrinkflation, yeet, supply chain, unbanked. What do these terms have in common? They're some of Merriam-Webster's newest dictionary entries!

We love a good competition, so we brought on two Planet Money hosts for a special edition of indicators of the year. Who will take home the title of the indicator that's defined this year? You decide.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Most people assume that when the Fed says a two percent inflation target is best for the economy, they're correct. But that number is more arbitrary than it seems, and some economists are pushing back.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

When the Fed hikes interest rates, the interest rate on your savings account usually follows in step. But recently, that logic hasn't held up. We ask an economist and a community banker why.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

The U.S. economy does a bad job of serving the Latino population. Today, we hear from a researcher about why changing that is a win-win, and from one entrepreneur who took matters into her own hands.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Residential construction is one of the few industries that's gotten less productive over time. Modular housing, or building homes in factories to be assembled onsite, offers a solution.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

The sequel to Avatar has been hyped up for over a decade, but Covid outbreaks in China threaten its box office success. And the World Cup champion will have more than glory to celebrate — its GDP should rise, too.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Venture capital investors pour money into startups in hopes of landing a unicorn—a $1 billion company. But what happens to the companies that don't reach that status?For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Way back in January, when the economy was in a very different place, we picked three indicators to watch. Almost 12 months later, we're seeing how they fared.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Consumers' and businesses' inflation expectations usually stay safely anchored at the Fed's two percent target. But recently, that anchor has been slipping. It's one of the reasons inflation has risen.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Since World War II, the United States has prided itself on being a global leader in technological innovation. But shepherding those innovations from the lab to the masses has proven to be a sticking point.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Should we be worried about a recession? New polling shows that auto dealers certainly are. But leftover pandemic stimulus money is one of the biggest buffers holding one off.2022 is almost over and we want to know what your favorite Indicator episode of the year is ... Email us at indicator@npr.org and put "favorite Indicator" in the subject line. We'll reveal some of them at the end of the month!

The most recent Beige Book featured a little of everything — economic anecdotes from around the country, some positive, some not so good. But one Fed branch's contribution stood about above the rest.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

In part two of our ESG series, we speak with two insiders who have been involved with ESG since before it was cool. To them, it's come a long way — and is now mainstream enough to have a real impact.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

ESG investing claims to pursue both profits and morals at once. But is it really the future of finance, or just a PR sham? In part one of our series on the topic, a former ESG guy argues the latter.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Technical analysis, or finding patterns in stock charts to predict future price movements, is like cloud watching: You can see pretty much anything if you squint hard enough. Even a vomiting camel.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

This jobs Friday, we look to the tech sector, where companies are laying off thousands of workers in a rapid reversal of their pandemic-era hiring boom. What effects could tech layoffs have on the broader economy?For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Water utilities in the United States could gain from economies of scale: localized infrastructure can be inefficient and lead to outages in places like Jackson, Miss. But in practice, it's complicated.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Elon Musk bought Twitter for $44 billion, but almost a third of it was in loans—and Twitter's on the hook to pay them back. This strategy, popular in the '80s, is called a leveraged buyout.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

NYU professor Scott Galloway thinks America is drifting — away from investing in a strong middle class, and away from prosperity for all. Today on the show, he brings us the indicators that explain why.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Indicator fans and trivia fanatics, this one's for you. In our first ever Indicator Quiz episode, we invite a listener onto the show and test their knowledge on crypto and GDP.Are you interested in being a contestant on our next "Indicator Quiz"? Just email us your name and phone number at indicator@npr.org and put "Indicator Quiz" in the subject line. We'll pick one person at random. Just one entry please. You have until the end of the day, Monday (12/05), to enter.

Thanksgiving isn't immune from inflation — an annual survey recently found that a holiday meal for four is 20 percent more expensive than it was last year. We bring the Indicator team around the dinner table for a very nerdy Thanksgiving. Indicator listeners — as the end of the year approaches, we want YOUR feedback! What were your favorite shows of 2022? Are there any stories from the past year you'd like an update on? Let us know by emailing indicator@npr.org or commenting on social media!

Doing more by working less sounds like an oxymoron, but a slew of recent studies show that switching to a four-day workweek is linked with greater health, happiness and productivity for workers.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

For most people, buying scalped tickets may be the only way to see Taylor Swift's Eras tour. Thanks, Ticketmaster. But economically speaking, the resale market is more complicated than it seems.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

For this week's series finale, we explain Indonesia's climate deal, why nobody came #1 in the CCPI's climate rankings and whether it's possible to grow an economy without increasing carbon emissions.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

What if we could engineer a path towards solving the climate crisis...with monetary policy? Kim Stanley Robinson's novel The Ministry for the Future considers this question, and the idea is catching on in real life too. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Extreme heat takes a toll on workers. From heatstroke to an increased likelihood of workplace accidents, protecting employees from heat illness is a growing priority for state legislatures. We talk to an economist about how higher safety standards help businesses too.

Low- and middle-income countries are facing the worst consequences of the climate crisis, and rising global interest rates are making it harder to repay their debts. What if there was a way to solve both problems at once?For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

CATL is a hugely important company that a lot of people probably haven't heard of. It's grown from nothing to become the world's largest EV battery supplier — with some strong help from the Chinese government along the way. This story of how EV batteries became cheap kicks off The Indicator's week on the climate crisis — how markets, government and businesses can deal with growing emissions.

Crypto? Not doing well right now. But stocks? With elections soon to be behind us, history says they should be on the rise. This week's indicators explain the story behind FTX's bankruptcy and why markets love midterms.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

We all need a little hedonism in our lives sometimes. A spa day, a good meal ... and modeling to account for quality change? Today, how economists model pleasure – and what it means for inflation data.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Let's face it: buying a new car sucks. From the hidden dealership fees to the reams of paperwork, it just seems harder than it should be. Well, economically speaking, it is – and today, we explain why.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

As the COP27 climate conference begins, a tricky economic question is on the table: should wealthy nations compensate their lower-income neighbors who suffer most from the climate crisis? And how?For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

The labor union playbook just doesn't work like it used to. While unions enjoy the spotlight right now, they've faced years of declines. So advocates are deploying what one might call a grungier tactic: alt labor.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

The U.S. economy added 261,000 jobs in October, meaning there are still about two jobs available for each unemployed person. Could expanding the H2-B visa program for temporary foreign workers help America's tight labor market?For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Rare earth metals are everywhere – in cars, drones, the device you're listening on right now — and China has the market cornered. But a new laboratory breakthrough could level the playing field.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Today the Fed raised interest rates to just under 4%. The Taylor Rule says this should have happened a year ago. We talk to John Taylor about letting a formula do the work instead.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Your smartphone is pretty bad at keeping secrets – if it keeps track of your location, someone (or some app) almost definitely knows where you are. Today, the murky market for personal location data.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Spirit Halloween is known for its unique business model. On Halloween, we bring you an episode of It's Been A Minute about why this pop-up scheme is such a hit.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

How did energy-starved Europe end up with too much natural gas? New GDP numbers look strong, but how is the economy really doing? And is Meta betting too big on the metaverse? This week's indicators explain.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

What's in a name? New research shows that for some people, employment prospects could be on the line. We hear from two economists who looked at hundreds of econ Ph.D. students to find out if the ones with harder-to-pronounce names were hurt in the job market.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but it's keeping the Fed up at night. For this month's Beigie Awards, we look at how high energy prices and a strong dollar are disrupting the global apple market.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Labor productivity, historically the engine of American economic supremacy, is faltering. And even in a tight labor market, some workers are feeling less valued by their employers than ever before. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Xi Jinping was reappointed as China's leader over the weekend. He faces a housing market crisis that could put China's overall economy at risk.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Turkish interest rates, U.K. bond yields, Chinese GDP data (or lack thereof?) ... Our indicators this week bring us around the globe in just 10 minutes. Strap on those seatbelts!For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

The Liz Truss era is over. Headlines blame her budget fiasco, but we talk through the deeper story: slowing economic productivity in the UK. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

A week before the Communist Party of China's 20th congress kicked off, the US government announced comprehensive new rules blocking China's access to advanced semiconductor chips. It's a sign the Biden Administration can't disentangle security concerns from trade with China. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Juneau, Alaska doesn't have enough veterinarians. Nate Hegyi, host of the podcast Outside/In from member station NHPR, brings us there to show how the pandemic has reshaped animal healthcare work in Alaska and across the nation.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Every time you swipe a credit card, you produce data—and now, a new tool could make it easier for the financial industry to identify suspicious gun purchases. But will companies want to use it?For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

It's been a busy week for the economy: our key indicators cover key topics related to social security increases, rent and its relationship with recent CPI data, and a looming rail strike. All aboard!For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Gas prices have been dropping, but production cuts from OPEC+ and new inflation data bring back memories of oil shocks of the 1970s. However, the U.S. economy is better prepared now than it was then.

The IMF has been in the news for its criticism of the UK government's recent budget. But what exactly is the organization, and how does it fulfill its mission to achieve global economic prosperity?

Former Fed chair Ben Bernanke and two colleagues were awarded an economics Nobel for research on the role banks play in financial crises — research that's shaped the global financial system.

Social Security Disability Insurance helps support millions of Americans, but it's a slow-moving program that rejects most people who apply. This Jobs Friday: The 10 million working-age people who are neither working nor seeking a job — and they're living with a disability. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Ever had a pet turtle? Try a pet bond! They're a reliable addition to your 401k that can be valuable even when stocks are down. We discuss why bonds belong in your terrarium (or retirement plan).For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

How does sorority rush relate to organ donations, doctors, and New York high schools? Put on your best pearls because we're market matching with a Nobel Prize economist today. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

What will rebuilding Ukraine look like after the war with Russia ends? No one knows, but some are taking a page out of the history textbook for inspiration. Perhaps, a Marshall Plan 2.0 for Ukraine. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

When confronted with racial categories, which box do you tick? For Asian Americans, the grouping called AAPI – that's Asian American and Pacific Islander – is a strangely broad and ambiguous category. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Sound the alarms because Britain's financial markets are in turmoil. That, plus the upticking 'fear gauge,' and Porsche's vrooming public debut on indicators of the week. Markets edition. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

What happens when a country's foreign reserves are stored in another country, and then part of that is run by a third? No, it's not the start of a bad joke. It's the story of Afghanistan, the U.S., and Switzerland. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

According to the U.S Dollar Index, the U.S Dollar reached a twenty year peak. Today, we're revisiting a classic episode to ask: What exactly are the pros and cons to U.S dollar dominance? For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

What's cooking in the executive suite? Today, delve deep into the world of corporate investigations. Learn how checking the facts can avoid some seriously salacious scandals. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Shrinkflation, yeet, supply chain, unbanked. What do these terms have in common? They're some of Merriam-Webster's newest dictionary entries! For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

When interest rates are on the up and up, the housing market tends to slide down and down. That, plus the declining value of the Japanese yen, and updates about the global supply chain on indicators of the week. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

"Gamification" as we know it has become increasingly common since the late 2000s. And proponents say adding game-like features to non-game activities — especially boring ones — can make us healthier, happier, and more productive. But Adrian Hon, who has made a career out of 'gamifying' mundane activities like jogging, says the trend has gone awry. Today on the show, Adrian argues that companies are using gamification to confuse, manipulate, or coerce people into doing things they wouldn't have done otherwise. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

When Knut the polar bear was rejected by his mother at the Berlin Zoo, a debate caught fire over whether it was more humane to keep him alive or euthanize him. Today, as the Fed raises interest rates again, another polar bear is in danger: The economy. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Surf's up with the IRS! Patagonia's founder Yvon Chouinard recently gave his company and billionaire status away. But how he did so entails a complex tale of trusts, exemptions and a whole lot of taxes. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

According to a Forbes report, half of all Bitcoin trades are fake. Today, we unveil crypto's cryptic facade by diving deep into a classic concept: Wash trading. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Hands up! A bank heist with a toy gun exposes the chaos in Lebanon's financial system. That, plus declining child poverty rates, and Ethereum's "Merge" on indicators of the week. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

The September Beige Book is an emotional roller coaster. We crown the Federal Reserve bank who gave us the funniest and most poignant anecdotes about the economy. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

How would you like your burger? With a side of higher wages? Today on the menu, California's FAST Recovery Act is rethinking labor relations for the fast food industry. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Argentines party hard in the bustling bars of Buenos Aires, despite the stubborn cloud of inflation. Across the pond, German companies switch gears in response to high gas prices, as Russia shuts off its supply. Today on the show, the push and pull of inflation. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

From the aftermath of World War II to the coronavirus pandemic, Queen Elizabeth has lived through it all. But after her death, what happens to the future of the royal family... and its fortune? Today on the show, we're revisiting our classic episode to ask: Can "The Firm" really survive without its CEO? For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Crank up that AC because a record-breaking heat wave is sweeping through the American West. That, plus workplace surveys, and Apple's newest drop on indicators of the week. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

What happens to local government projects when the big banks that back them leave the state? A Texas-sized experiment in values-based financing.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Welcome to the Global Growth Gym, where countries are working out their economies. Over in the corner, the U.S. is standing there on a weight scale, just a tad confused... For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

From Sacramento to San Diego, the state of California is a tryhard when it comes to regulations. Today, we're singing about how the nation's strictest standards affect economies across state lines.

Headaches, fatigue, trouble breathing...the lingering health effects of COVID-19 continue to haunt millions of Americans, and the labor market, too.

A new paper in the Journal of Cultural Economics says happy songs are more popular during a recession. So we thought we'd have a little fun on today's show. Armed with a new soundtrack, what can we learn about past recessions?

Ever thought of spicing up your 401k with crypto? Well, we leave it up for the Prudent Man to decide. On today's episode, learn about how wonky pension regulations from the '70s opened a new era of riskier investments.

At first glance, mobile home ownership seems like the happy medium between renting and buying a house. But what happens when a tug-of-war ensues between the landlords and the residents? For the full read, click here.

Biden is canceling student loans for millions of Americans. Love it or hate it, one thing is for sure – many economists from the left and the right think that this plan is a not-so-good idea...

Canceled flights are the worst. So is inefficient healthcare and unaffordable college tuition. Today on the show, three indicators about new solutions to address age-old problems.

We learn about the Chinese government's global financing boom by zooming in on one country where controversy surrounding Chinese money is smoldering hot. We're going to the Pacific: The Solomon Islands.

The verdict is in: the current Supreme Court is the most business-friendly SCOTUS of the past century, according to a new study. But why the lean towards corporate?

China owns a LOT of Benjamins, greenbacks, whatever you like to call it, in the form of US treasury bonds. But it's been cutting back on some of those securities recently. So what would happen if Beijing decides to sell off all its holding of American debt, and is that the plan?

Ah, 2018, a good year in music. Don't agree? Just check out our playlist. It's also when Spotify rocked-and-rolled the finance world with its rebellious take on going public.

From sea to shining sea, rivers in the United States are drying up, including the Colorado River. For indicators of the week, three environmental indicators about the state of Mother Nature.

Long gone are the days of hauling sixty books home from the local library. With eBooks, the worlds of Fahrenheit 451 to Harry Potter are at your fingertips with just a tap. But what's the price behind the click?

Even the sheep are complaining. A severe drought is drying Europe to its limits, and the effects are widespread. From crops to shipping energy, what are the economic consequences?

Peer into the crystal ball with Kalshi.com. Will inflation stay high? Will daylight saving time become permanent? Place your bets.

Today on the show, why colleges and high school Advanced Placement Macroeconomics classes had to rip out old textbook pages and write a new chapter.

The economy cooled off a bit, but inflation is still really, really high. But, not all goods and services respond the same to a high inflation environment. Today on the show, we're talking about sticky prices, bonds, and that old chestnut, transitory inflation.

The Inflation Reduction Act has it all, from fighting climate change to cutting drug prices. But today, we're zooming in on one aspect of the bill. The changes to corporate taxes.

Not all recessions are created equal. Some look like Vs, while others look like Ks. But the scariest one of all is the L-shaped recession. Travel back to Japan's "Lost Decade" with us to understand why.

The cost of pharmaceuticals has been rising for years, well before inflation became the big economic talking point. Today on the show, why some policymakers suspect an obscure middleman is partly to blame.

Who your friends are may be the key to your economic success story. In a groundbreaking study by Harvard researchers, find out why cross-class friendships may be the key ingredient to the American Dream.

Baristas and warehouse workers unite! After decades of decline, we're hearing a lot about new unions starting around the country. But union membership actually declined last year. We look at what's really happening.

We crunched the numbers (on Excel of course), and the results are in. There's not enough Certified Public Accountants right now. Can the world of finance come up with a solution to address this issue?

More than three-quarters of adults in the United States say they've experienced extreme weather in the last five years, according to a nationwide survey conducted by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. And events like floods, wildfires and hurricanes are emptying bank accounts — especially when insurance doesn't cover the damage. Today on The Indicator, we bring you an episode of Short Wave, NPR's daily science podcast.

After two long years, the results seem to be in. Which countries were the 'Pandemic MVPs,' the countries most resilient to COVID-19? And more importantly, what was the secret to their success?

The world runs on semiconductors. From cameras to cars, tiny chips power most electronic devices. So why do we have such a shortage of them?

We assess the Inflation Reduction Act: Will there be unintended consequences from taking on Big Pharma? Will electric vehicles become cheap? And does the tax department need more money?

Ah, GDP, the titan of all economic indicators. But are we breaking it down correctly? Today, we're remixing GDP to evaluate the true health of an economy.

Can you feel the inflation emanating from the milk aisle? Today on The Indicator, we explore how food prices – and who does the grocery shopping – affect how we think about inflation. Oh and don't forget your grocery list, because we're headed to the supermarket too.

When Mario Draghi saved the euro with a 2012 speech, the world was in awe. Then he was called in to lead Italy's six motley political parties through the pandemic, and turn around Italy's economy.

Love is sharing a password, but maybe not anymore. With streaming services cracking down on account sharing, this got The Indicator team wondering, what exactly is the definition of a household?

The sweltering heat has us wondering, how exactly are people responding to climate change? Today on The Indicator, we're going green with three environmental indicators. Stay tuned for a sliver of hope at the end.

When in doubt, count on the price of metals like copper and gold to predict the economy. But what magical forces are driving prices in the metal market down?

Two years ago, the pandemic haunted New York City. But now the Big Apple is back in full swing, with tourists and bodegas galore. To celebrate the return to normal, join us for the Beigie Awards, live from Times Square!

For some student athletes, taco discounts and even Lamborghini partnerships are becoming a reality. That's because last summer , the NCAA changed a decades-old precedence that banned college sports stars from pursuing lucrative brand deals. How has that decision changed the game a year on?

Before, after, and during college, the cards are still stacked against Black students. Today, we look at how that reality translates into Black borrowers being more likely to default on their student loans.

On Earth and in space, economics affects us wherever we go. Today, we're looking at three indicators: The yen, copper prices, and NASA's James Webb telescope. Quite an otherworldly combination!

Seems like the British people might have to cut down on their afternoon tea... food prices in the UK are going through the roof, and wages are stagnating. Can the new Prime Minister handle the heat?

As countries crank up their interest rates to fight inflation, the whispers of a reverse currency war are getting louder. But is this cause for concern or just political posturing?

Amazon Prime Day, the unofficial holiday of the e-commerce enthusiast, is here. But for third-party-sellers, today might not be a day for celebration.