The Indicator from Planet Money

This episode examines the strategic threat posed by the Houthis seizing control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical chokepoint for global trade.

This episode explores how tech giants are reshaping the bond market by issuing massive debt to finance AI data centers.

This episode examines the economics and effectiveness of Flock, a network of automated license plate readers now worth over $8 billion.

This Indicator Quiz episode features listener Daniel Cain, a professor, who answers questions on recent economic topics.

This episode examines the US Treasury's intervention in currency markets to support the Japanese yen, a move aimed at preventing Japan from selling US Treasuries and spiking borrowing costs.

Hosts Robert Smith and Wayan Wong present the "Beiji Awards," celebrating the best anecdotes from the Federal Reserve’s Beige Book.

This episode, styled as a game show, explores why fintech companies are aggressively seeking U.

Host Adrian Ma discusses the escalating trade war with guest Paul Haversrude, host of CBC's "Cost of Living.

This episode explores the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook, a resource used to predict future job growth.

This episode analyzes recent jobs data and explores the benefits of job hopping.

Planet Money hosts Kenny Malone and Wayan Wong join Exploding Kittens co-founder Alan Lee to conduct secret shelf tests for a new board game, "Sell Me a Sasquatch.

This episode explores why many Gen Zers blur the line between investing and sports gambling, driven by overconfidence and economic anxiety.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent faces backlash for expanding bond buybacks, a move investors view as an attempt to suppress yields rather than improve liquidity.

This episode examines how increased ICE enforcement creates a "fear-driven economy," causing permanent declines in local consumer spending and foot traffic.

The Indicator examines three economic trends: public school teachers earn 74.

This episode updates listeners on the turbulent journey of Warner Bros.

This episode examines the economics of Medicare for All, featuring Mark Cuban and Yale epidemiologist Alison Galvani.

This episode examines the political and economic implications of Medicare for All, featuring Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and economist Craig Garthwaite.

The Indicator examines proposed OMB rules that could make federal grants more political, allowing cancellations based on shifting administration priorities.

Hosts Adrian Ma, Ricky Mulvey, and Cooper Katz McKim discuss three key economic indicators.

This episode challenges the stigma surrounding personal bankruptcy, featuring Rebecca Leslie’s journey from job loss to financial relief.

Planet Money explores why companies struggle to identify good managers, featuring Harvard economist David Deming.

This episode explores why banks shut down accounts, focusing on anti-money laundering protocols and the controversial practice of "debanking" for reputational or political reasons.

This episode explores the legal battle in Fenwick Island, Delaware, where trusts and businesses are permitted to vote in local elections.

Hosts discuss three key economic indicators: a 3.

Hosts Waylon Wong and Patti Hirsch examine the debate over whether the U.

This episode explores the surge in American consumer rage, driven by record-high complaints and declining satisfaction.

This episode examines the risks of margin trading, highlighted by record U.

This episode examines the Trump administration’s strategy of paying billions to cancel offshore wind leases, a novel approach to halting renewable energy projects.

This episode explores "job lock," where workers stay in unfulfilling roles to retain employer-sponsored health insurance.

This episode examines the PR challenges facing Taylor Farms and Taco Bell amid a cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce.

This episode examines the economic and social impact of the Trump administration terminating Temporary Protected Status for nearly a million workers.

This episode explores critical shortages of blood, helium, and water.

NPR’s Isabella Gomez-Sarmiento investigates how record labels secretly pay TikTok and Instagram influencers to promote songs without disclosing the sponsorship.

This episode of The Indicator covers three economic trends: NYC’s plan for government-subsidized grocery stores, the surge in US sports betting revenue, and Gen Z’s drinking habits.

The AI boom is driving up memory prices, disrupting the long-held belief in Moore’s Law that electronics would consistently get cheaper and faster.

Host Waylon Wong and Redfin chief economist Daryl Fairweather discuss the stagnant U.

Hosts Waylon Wong, Darian Woods, and Stephen Bissaha explore three petty restaurant grievances: slow tableside payment systems, menu prices excluding…

This episode of The Indicator covers three key stories: U.

This episode investigates how FCC commissioners accepted lavish gifts from Paramount Skydance while overseeing its $111 billion merger with Warner Bros.

Host Waylon Wong and guest Maria Aspin explore “Y’all Street,” the financial boom in Dallas as banks like Goldman Sachs expand there.

The episode examines how Micron’s massive chip plant in Syracuse, New York, is driving housing prices up due to regulatory hurdles and limited construction.

Charlotte Palomino discusses the U.

This episode promotes "We Keep Us Safe," an NPR Embedded series investigating the 2020 killing of 16-year-old Antonio Mays Jr.

The Indicator hosts discuss a proposed Strait of Hormuz toll, China’s pollution drop signaling reduced oil demand, and the economics of IMAX screenings for The Odyssey.

This episode explores Pope Leo XIV’s new encyclical on artificial intelligence, drawing parallels to Pope Leo XIII’s 19th-century stance on industrialization.

Hosts answer listener questions about economic diversification in Gulf states, the U.

This episode explores the "zero-click internet," where AI summaries and walled gardens reduce website visits, threatening publishers' ad and affiliate revenue.

Former FDIC chair Sheila Bair hosts a mock "Car Talk" show to advise young adults on car purchases.