Wanna see a trick? Give us any topic and we can tie it back to the economy. At Planet Money, we explore the forces that shape our lives and bring you along for the ride. Don't just understand the economy – understand the world. Wanna go deeper? Subscribe to Planet Money+ and get sponsor-free episodes of Planet Money, The Indicator, and Planet Money Summer School. Plus access to bonus content. It's a new way to support the show you love. Learn more at plus.npr.org/planetmoney
…
continue reading
A bite-sized show about big ideas. From the people who make Planet Money, The Indicator helps you make sense of what's happening in today's economy. It's a quick hit of insight into money, work, and business. Monday through Friday, in 10 minutes or less.
…
continue reading
Economics is a game you should know how to play. And once you get the fundamental concepts, you start to see it everywhere: the news, the supermarket and even your dating life. So it's time to learn the rules. Planet Money Summer School is a crash course in economics for your ears. See the world through the lens of an economist and you'll start to feel a little less overwhelmed when making financial decisions. And if you're in front of the classroom? Teachers, this is made for you, too. Let ...
…
continue reading
Wekeza means 'save' and 'invest' in Swahili. Join the Wekeza.com community for informative interviews regarding all aspects of money: *Authors: Business, history, finance *Ancestral money mindsets and personalities *History of money *African stock market participation *Estate planning *Investing and dividends *Credit management *Global licensed financial and business influencers *Breaking News #money #financialliteracy #financialplanning #estate #estateplanning #africandiaspora #immigrants # ...
…
continue reading

1
You told us how tariffs are affecting you
9:18
9:18
Spill senere
Spill senere
Lister
Lik
Likt
9:18Americans like to spend money. In fact, we spend more per person than almost any other country in the world. So, we wanted to know how an uncertain economy is affecting that. Today on the show, we hear from consumers directly on how their spending habits have changed the past few months. Related episodes: How's ... everybody doing? (Apple / Spotify…
…
continue reading

1
The U.S. is the world's bribery cop. Is that about to change?
28:07
28:07
Spill senere
Spill senere
Lister
Lik
Likt
28:07The U.S. has been policing bribery all over the world for nearly half a century using a law called the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. But now, President Trump has said that this anti-corruption law is crippling American businesses. Since taking office, his administration has reduced the number of investigators, killed some cases, and changed the ru…
…
continue reading
It's ... Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news. On today's episode: the Senate passes the GENIUS Act, the SALT cap might be DOA in the OBBB, and a gender split on the state of the economy. Related episodes: How stable is Stablecoin? (Apple / Spotify) Feeling inflation in the grocery s…
…
continue reading

1
Jay & Shai's debt ceiling adventure (Update)
30:19
30:19
Spill senere
Spill senere
Lister
Lik
Likt
30:19Note: A version of this episode first ran in 2023. Every year, the U.S. government spends more money than it takes in. In order to fund all that spending, the country takes on debt. Congress has the power to limit how much debt the U.S. takes on. Once we reach that limit, Congress has a few options so that the government keeps paying its bills: Rai…
…
continue reading
Last week, the U.S. Treasury held an auction for 30-year bonds. Some were worried no one would show up to buy these things! That didn't happen, but the 'long bond' isn't exactly thriving at the moment. Today on the show, we look back at why we have such a long maturity bond and why it might be a good idea to start paying attention to it going forwa…
…
continue reading

1
Mixing family business with US trade policy in Vietnam
8:44
8:44
Spill senere
Spill senere
Lister
Lik
Likt
8:44Last month, Eric Trump, executive vice president at The Trump Organization, attended a ceremony in Vietnam to break ground on a $1.5 billion residential development and golf course. This comes as Vietnam's government is in trade talks with the administration of Eric's father, President Donald Trump. Today on the show, we look at how the Trump famil…
…
continue reading
Nintendo has been a titan in the video game industry for decades, but that wasn't always the case. At its very core, Nintendo sees itself as a toy company which is evident in its products from the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) to the Nintendo Switch 2. Today on the show, we explore Nintendo's history and examine how a small playing card compa…
…
continue reading
What was it like to work inside Elon Musk's DOGE? The cost-cutting initiative promised transparency, but most of its actions have been shrouded in secrecy. For months, there were reports of software engineers and Trump loyalists entering agencies and accessing sensitive data. DOGE also helped the Trump administration lay off thousands of government…
…
continue reading

1
Trump's parade, FEMA phase out, and Warner Bros. Discovery divorces ... itself?
8:46
8:46
Spill senere
Spill senere
Lister
Lik
Likt
8:46It's ... Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news. On today's episode: the monetary cost of Trump's military parade, looks like FEMA could be phased out, and another change to Warner Bros. Discovery. Related episodes: Coyote vs. Warner Bros. Discovery (Apple / Spotify) Gilded Age 2.0? (A…
…
continue reading
Healthcare churn—when people switch insurance plans—is particularly bad in the US. In today's episode, why Americans switch healthcare plans so much, and how that can cost a lot in money ... and in health. Related episode: How doctors helped tank universal health care (Apple / Spotify) Healthcare And Economic Despair For sponsor-free episodes of Th…
…
continue reading
When President Trump announced his sweeping new tariffs this year, many trade law experts were startled. Typically, presidents don't have the authority to impose broad tariffs with a snap of their fingers. But Trump's advisors have an unusual new legal theory. They say that as long as there's a national emergency of some kind, Trump may be able to …
…
continue reading
There's something interesting happening at the Port of Baltimore. On today's show, we explore the hidden world of bonded warehouses, where you can stash your imported Latvian vodka or Dutch beer tariff free (for a while). Related episodes: Tariffied! We check in on businesses (Apple / Spotify) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet …
…
continue reading
For four decades, the US has maintained a consistent policy position: money should be fairly free to come and go in and out of the country. That's changing. Two sections in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act would add friction. First is a 3.5% tax on immigrants sending money home, commonly known as remittances. Second is what's known as Section 899 or,…
…
continue reading

1
How doctors helped tank universal health care
9:26
9:26
Spill senere
Spill senere
Lister
Lik
Likt
9:26A debate has been raging over universal health care in the U.S. since the 1940s. Back then, a formidable opponent emerged to dump a lot of money into ensuring it wouldn't happen. That opponent was doctors. Today on the show, Sally Helm, a Planet Money reporter, comes to us in her capacity as the host of HISTORY This Week to detail how doctors helpe…
…
continue reading

1
When Chinese manufacturing met Small Town, USA
31:03
31:03
Spill senere
Spill senere
Lister
Lik
Likt
31:03Over the past decade, politicians from both parties have courted American voters with an enticing economic prospect – the dream of bringing manufacturing and manufacturing jobs back to America. They've pushed for that dream with tariffs and tax breaks and subsidies. But what happens when one multinational company actually responds to those incentiv…
…
continue reading

1
Why U.S. workers keep getting more productive
9:29
9:29
Spill senere
Spill senere
Lister
Lik
Likt
9:29For the last couple of years, U.S. labor productivity has been on the rise. And economists don't know exactly why. So today on the show, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago plays economic detective and helps us investigate some different theories about why U.S. workers seem to be more productive than in prior decades. Related episo…
…
continue reading
To hear President Trump tell it, the late 1800s, i.e. the Gilded Age, were a period of unparalleled wealth and prosperity in the U.S. But this era was also marked by corruption and wealth inequality. Sound familiar? On today's show, is history repeating itself? Related episodes: Trump's tariff role model (Apple / Spotify) Worst. Tariffs. Ever. (App…
…
continue reading

1
Trump's crypto interests (Two Indicators)
18:13
18:13
Spill senere
Spill senere
Lister
Lik
Likt
18:13Today on the show – our crypto president. Just before President Donald Trump began his second administration in January, he and his business partners launched the $TRUMP coin. It's a memecoin that quickly raked in hundreds of millions of dollars. And there's a lot of earning potential still left on the table. Is that even legal? We bring you two st…
…
continue reading
The U.S. government has tallied the economic impact of major natural disasters going back to 1980. State and local governments used this data for budgeting and planning. But last month, the administration retired its Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters disaster database. Today on the show, we speak to Adam Smith, the architect of the progr…
…
continue reading
By 2048, more than $100 trillion is expected to be inherited, or passed down from one family member to another. But a lot of the time, the money doesn't end up where it's intended. On today's show, we navigate the thornier questions in estate planning. Related episodes: What women want (to invest in) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from …
…
continue reading
A significant portion of young people feel like they aren't on solid financial footing. And yet, the numbers show Gen Z adults on average actually earn more and have more wealth than previous generations did at their age. This phenomenon has been dubbed (by the internet) as 'money dysmorphia'. Today on the show, we chat with a neuroscientist who co…
…
continue reading

1
The U.S.-China trade war, according to game theory
28:24
28:24
Spill senere
Spill senere
Lister
Lik
Likt
28:24Over the last few months U.S.-China trade relations have been pretty hard to make sense of – unless you look at what's happening through the lens of game theory. Game theory is all about how decisions are made, based not just on one side's options and payoffs, but on the choices and incentives of others. So, are Donald Trump and Xi Jinping competin…
…
continue reading

1
Let's 'TACO' 'bout General Motors gassing up V-8s and golden shares
9:29
9:29
Spill senere
Spill senere
Lister
Lik
Likt
9:29It's ... Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating numbers from the news. On today's episode, we examine: General Motors invests big in V-8s; U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel flirt with the Golden Share; Trump's tariffs just got more unpredictable. Related episodes: Dealmaker Don v. Tariff Man Trump (Apple / Spotify) The te…
…
continue reading
Top Trump advisers have been boasting about 'awesome' trade deals the administration is negotiating with other countries. But are these deals real? Today on the show, we ask a former U.S. trade negotiator whether these agreements hold up. Related episodes: Dealmaker Don v. Tariff Man Trump (Apple / Spotify) Why there's no referee for the trade war …
…
continue reading

1
Why does the government fund research at universities?
27:11
27:11
Spill senere
Spill senere
Lister
Lik
Likt
27:11American universities are where people go to learn and teach. They're also where research and development happens. Over the past eight decades, universities have received billions in federal dollars to help that happen. Those dollars have contributed to innovations like: Drone technology. Inhalable Covid vaccines. Google search code. The Trump admi…
…
continue reading
If you had to guess, would you say the president of a university usually makes more money than the football coach? Well, you may be wrong. A college's football coach is often their highest paid employee. The University of Alabama pays its football coach on average close to $11 million. Today on the show, why are college football coaches paid so muc…
…
continue reading
Why is building affordable housing so hard these days? We talk to author Derek Thompson about his new book with Ezra Klein, Abundance, about what they believe is keeping affordable housing out of reach in high-income cities. Related: How big is the US housing shortage? (Apple / Spotify) How California's speed rail was always going to blow out (Appl…
…
continue reading
Today on the show, we bring you a special episode from the Understood feed at CBC podcasts. It's an excerpt from a series called Who Broke the Internet hosted by Cory Doctorow. The four part series details his criticisms on the state of the modern internet and what we can do about it. From his conversations with Eric Corly the publisher of 2600, an…
…
continue reading

1
The secret world behind those scammy text messages
34:24
34:24
Spill senere
Spill senere
Lister
Lik
Likt
34:24You might have seen these texts before. The scam starts innocently enough. Maybe it's a "Long time no see" or "Hello" or "How are you." For investigative reporter Zeke Faux it was – "Hi David, I'm Vicky Ho. Don't you remember me?" Many people ignore them. But Zeke responded. He wanted to get scammed. This led him on a journey halfway around the wor…
…
continue reading

1
Target, Klarna and Sesame Street's new addy
9:26
9:26
Spill senere
Spill senere
Lister
Lik
Likt
9:26Can you tell me how to get... how to get to Indicators of the Week? This week's econ roundup looks at Target's sagging sales, Klarna's pay-later problem, and Sesame Street's new streaming address. Related: When do boycotts work? (Apple / Spotify) Buy now, pay dearly? For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet …
…
continue reading

1
How Trump is making coin from $TRUMP coin
9:23
9:23
Spill senere
Spill senere
Lister
Lik
Likt
9:23Just before Trump began his second administration in January, he and his business partners launched the $TRUMP coin. It's a meme coin that quickly raked in hundreds of millions of dollars. And there's a lot of earning potential still left on the table. Is any of this legal? Today on the show, we examine how the $TRUMP coin works and talk to an expe…
…
continue reading

1
How economists (and TikTok) know if a recession is coming
23:33
23:33
Spill senere
Spill senere
Lister
Lik
Likt
23:33Lately we've noticed that something we think about all the time here at Planet Money is having a viral moment: recession indicators! From the more practical (like sales for lipstick going up and men's underwear going down) to the absurd and nonsensical (like babysitter buns coming back into style?) — people are posting to social media every little …
…
continue reading

1
The old trade war that brought foreign carmakers to the U.S.
8:58
8:58
Spill senere
Spill senere
Lister
Lik
Likt
8:58President Donald Trump wants more products made in America, and he's not afraid of a few trade wars to make it happen. Back in the 80s, a different trade dispute brought new manufacturing to the U.S. Today on the show, how former President Ronald Reagan used the threat of trade protectionism to bring car-making stateside, and why the same strategy …
…
continue reading

1
The rise of the credit card airport lounge
9:28
9:28
Spill senere
Spill senere
Lister
Lik
Likt
9:28We are back to answer your questions, listeners. Today on the show, we tackle three big questions: Are airport lounges worth it for credit card companies? How effective have carbon taxes been for Canada? Why is gasoline getting more expensive over the last few months as the price of crude oil has sunk? If you want to submit your OWN question to be …
…
continue reading
All of us negotiate — whether it's accepting a job offer, buying a house or working out who does the dishes. Economist Daryl Fairweather has a new book out: Hate the Game: Economic Cheat Codes for Life, Love, and Work. It's all about the negotiation lessons she's learned through the research, her own career and Destiny's Child. Related episodes: Wh…
…
continue reading

1
The 145% tariff already did its damage
26:53
26:53
Spill senere
Spill senere
Lister
Lik
Likt
26:53Even though the 145% tariff on Chinese imports only lasted a month, it already inflicted its scars on the economy. Global trade is just not something you can turn off and on like that. Some companies got really unlucky. Like those whose goods arrived at U.S. ports before the pause. If a medium size company had a million dollars worth of goods impor…
…
continue reading

1
Brain-controlled iPhones, a Japanese asset buy-a-thon, and Trump tax cut debt
8:59
8:59
Spill senere
Spill senere
Lister
Lik
Likt
8:59It's ... Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news. On today's episode: Japanese asset buyers make it rain, an iPhone ... powered by the brain?! And, how are we going to pay for these Trump tax cuts? We explain! Related episodes: What's going to happen to the Trump tax cuts? (Apple / Spot…
…
continue reading
In early April, the bond market gave people a scare. Investors began selling off their historically secure U.S. Treasuries in large quantities. It reportedly encouraged President Trump to pause his flurry of liberation day tariffs. These jitters offered a glimpse into what could go wrong for U.S. Treasuries if economic uncertainty gets worse. On to…
…
continue reading

1
What happened to U.S. farmers during the last trade war
25:30
25:30
Spill senere
Spill senere
Lister
Lik
Likt
25:30The U.S. exports billions of dollars worth of agricultural products each year — things like soybeans, corn and pork. And over the last month, these exports have been caught up in a trade war. U.S. farmers have been collateral damage in a trade war before. In 2018, President Trump put tariffs on a bunch of Chinese products including flatscreen TVs, …
…
continue reading
The U.S. is known around the world for its problem with gun violence. The vast majority of murders in the U.S. are committed using guns. But what leads one person to shoot another? The "conventional wisdom" says gun violence is usually the act of calculated criminals or people acting out of desperate economic circumstances. But economist Jens Ludwi…
…
continue reading
Where does NPR get its funding? Today on the show, we open our books and share a brief history of public radio. And we learn what's at stake with President Trump's executive order to cut off federal funding to NPR. Under NPR's protocol for reporting on itself, no corporate official or news executive reviewed this story before it was posted publicly…
…
continue reading

1
It's actually really hard to make a robot, guys
9:26
9:26
Spill senere
Spill senere
Lister
Lik
Likt
9:26Robots have been a thing for a long time, but they've never quite met expectations. While AI has changed the game for chatbots, it's not quite so clear for robots. NPR science desk correspondent Geoff Brumfiel spoke to our colleagues over on our science podcast Short Wave on how humanoid robots are actually developing with the help of artificial in…
…
continue reading
For decades, dollars have been the world's common financial language. Central banks everywhere hold dollars as a way to safely store their wealth. Countries, businesses, and people use it to trade; around 90% of all foreign exchange transactions involve dollars. It's the world's money, the world's "reserve currency." But what if that is changing? W…
…
continue reading
It's ... Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news. On today's episode: China bulks up for a financial chill, how much Americans should save for a rainy day, and the price of used cars goes up. Related episodes: America's small GDP bump, China's big stimulus dispersal, and a Monkey King (…
…
continue reading
President Trump has flirted with firing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell since returning to office, but can he legally do that? Not without good cause. Today on the show, the danger of Trump's amped up attacks on Powell and the Fed's independence. Follow Chris Hughes on Substack. Related listening: A primer on the Federal Reserve's Independence …
…
continue reading
Virtually every product brought into the United States must have a so-called "country of origin." Think of it as the official place it comes from. And this is the country that counts for calculating tariffs. But what does it really mean when something is a "Product of China"? How much of it actually comes from China? And how do customs officials dr…
…
continue reading
Many businesses are scared of what President Trump's tariffs will mean for their industry. However, the shrimping industry is one that doesn't seem to be worried. In fact, shrimpers say they welcome them. On today's episode, why shrimpers are embracing the tariffs and whether economists agree that this tariff is good for Americans. Related episodes…
…
continue reading
Two American farmers tell us how they're feeling about a trade war that targets the soybean industry's biggest customer: China. Related episodes: How many times can you say uncertainty in one economic report? (Apple / Spotify) Why Trump's potential tariffs are making business owners anxious (Apple / Spotify) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicat…
…
continue reading
The Beigie Awards are back to recognize the regional Federal Reserve Bank with the best Beige Book entry. On today's episode, we shine a spotlight on a Midwest food bank. Related episodes: Why Midwest crop farmers are having a logistics problem (Apple / Spotify) How many times can you say uncertainty in one economic report? (Apple / Spotify) For sp…
…
continue reading

1
Why it's so hard to find a public toilet
24:07
24:07
Spill senere
Spill senere
Lister
Lik
Likt
24:07Why is it so hard to find a bathroom when you need one? In the U.S., we used to have lots of publicly accessible toilets. But many had locks on the doors and you had to put in a coin to use them. Pay toilets created a system of haves and have nots when it came to bathroom access. So in the 60s, movements sprung up to ban pay toilets. Problem is: wh…
…
continue reading