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You asked, we answered. On today’s show, we tackle questions from our dear listeners on whether AI interviewers are biased, what the heck M2 money supply is, and what’s up with the frenzied mobs fighting for rotisserie chickens at the grocery store. RELATED EPISODES: When AI is your job interviewer https://www.npr.org/2025/11/03/nx-s1-5593168/when-ai-is-your-job-interviewer How beef climbed to the top of the food pyramid https://www.npr.org/2026/01/22/nx-s1-5684348/how-beef-climbed-to-the-top-of-the-food-pyramid Retirement luck, Hassett hassles the Fed, and boneless chicken in ... court? https://www.npr.org/2026/02/20/nx-s1-5720184/retirement-luck-hassett-hassles-the-fed-and-boneless-chicken-in-court Behind the Tiny Desk and other listener questions https://www.npr.org/2024/09/17/1200034664/behind-the-tiny-desk-and-other-listener-questions For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org http://plus.npr.org/. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez. Music by Drop Electric https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/. Find us: TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney, Newsletter https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
The Supreme Court struck down a bunch of President Trump’s tariffs yesterday. The Trump administration originally used an emergency economic powers law to justify the tariffs. And the court said: No! You can’t do that! Bad Trump, bad! This is despite the U.S. having raked in over a hundred billion dollars in import taxes already. On today’s show, unpacking the Supreme Court’s blockbuster tariffs decision. What’s next for tariffs? And … are we getting tariff refunds? Asking for a friend. RELATED EPISODES: Trump's backup options for tariffs https://www.npr.org/2025/11/12/nx-s1-5605545/trumps-backup-options-for-tariffs Tariffied! We check in on businesses https://www.npr.org/2025/04/07/1243303429/tariffied-we-check-in-on-businesses Are Trump's tariffs legal? https://www.npr.org/2025/06/11/1253992700/tariffs-ieepa-trump-legal-emergencies-law Worst. Tariffs. Ever. https://www.npr.org/2024/12/11/1218506684/worst-tariffs-ever-update http://plus.npr.org/ https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez https://www.npr.org/people/nx-s1-63544/vito-emanuel https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney, https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/, https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney, https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
It’s … Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news. On today’s episode: Why you better hope you retire at juuuust the right time https://x.com/JesusFerna7026/status/2023742455204520249?s=20, why the researchers at the Federal Reserve https://libertystreeteconomics.newyorkfed.org/2025/06/are-businesses-absorbing-the-tariffs-or-passing-them-on-to-their-customers/are being scolded by a White House economic advisor, and taking boneless chicken to court. RELATED EPISODES: Chicken meat, Gulf of Mexico lawsuit and Social Security beyond the grave https://www.npr.org/2025/02/21/1232862545/chicken-meat-mexico-gulf-of-america-lawsuit-social-security Davos drama, credit card caps and tariff truths https://www.npr.org/2026/01/23/nx-s1-5685413/davos-drama-credit-card-caps-and-tariff-truths What would it take to fix retirement? https://www.npr.org/2024/03/06/1197962836/the-indicator-from-planet-money-retirement-social-security-pension-03-06-2024 http://plus.npr.org/ https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/ https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
The Trump administration is planning to pour more than $38 billion into warehouses for mass immigrant detention. While some communities are starting to push back, one rural town has agreed to expand its detention facility. On today’s show, we visit a small town in Georgia to learn about the trade-offs of becoming a detention town. Related episodes: How well are ICE’s 12,000 new officers being trained? https://www.npr.org/2026/02/18/nx-s1-5717052/how-well-are-ices-12-000-new-officers-being-trained How ICE crackdowns are affecting the workforce https://www.npr.org/2025/07/03/1255164459/ice-crackdown-jobs-friday-report Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
The Department of Homeland Security says it has more than doubled the workforce of Immigration and Customs Enforcement under President Trump. Yet videos of immigration officers killing two U.S. citizens and using aggressive arrest tactics have left some politicians and community leaders rethinking the agency’s approach. On today’s show, law enforcement experts assess the training and culture at DHS. Related episodes: How ICE crackdowns are affecting the workforce https://www.npr.org/2025/07/03/1255164459/ice-crackdown-jobs-friday-report Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
According to activists, Iran has killed over 7,000 people as part of a crackdown on protesters. Why did protests engulf Iran in the first place? A big contributor: Its flagging economy, which has been in a tailspin for years. It’s a tinderbox. RELATED EPISODES: Iran, protests, and sanctions https://www.npr.org/2026/02/06/nx-s1-5704815/iran-protests-us-sanctions The Lost Plane https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2019/02/06/692155923/episode-892-the-lost-plane http://plus.npr.org/ https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney, https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/, https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney, https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
It’s time for … Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news. On today’s episode: Analyzing the new jobs numbers, how letting in more immigrants could reduce elder mortality https://www.nber.org/papers/w34791, and betting https://www.nber.org/papers/w34702 on the return of … Jesus Christ. RELATED EPISODES: Just how bad are these job numbers? https://www.npr.org/2026/02/06/nx-s1-5702772/just-how-bad-are-these-job-numbers A market to bet on the future https://www.npr.org/2022/08/16/1117780172/a-market-to-bet-on-the-future Who's gonna take care of grandma? https://www.npr.org/2022/02/28/1083589726/whos-going-to-take-care-of-grandma http://plus.npr.org/ https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/ https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
Behind every Ilia Malinin or Alysa Liu, there is an army of elite figure skating coaches and choreographers who have been with them from the beginning. On today’s show, how much does it cost to achieve Olympic glory and why is it so expensive? Related episodes: How college sports juiced Olympic development https://www.npr.org/2026/02/05/nx-s1-5701399/how-college-sports-juiced-olympic-development Why the Olympics cost so much https://www.npr.org/2024/08/01/1197967951/paris-2024-olympics-hosting-costs Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
The prices of gold and silver are on rollercoaster rides; Gold has been rising over the last few years, silver shot up like a skyrocket in January … but then both plunged in price and sputtered around the end of the month. It raises the question: What is going on? Today on the show, we talk with some traders about what this volatility of gold and silver is saying about the state of the world. RELATED EPISODES: Why is everyone buying gold? https://www.npr.org/2025/10/01/nx-s1-5558443/why-is-everyone-buying-gold A new-ish gold rush and other indicators https://www.npr.org/2025/03/21/1239865425/gold-germany-tariffs-trump-mergers-acquisitions http://plus.npr.org/ https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/ https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
Food keeps getting more expensive, so how do shoppers respond? They change what they buy, right? It’s not just that cheaper foods get more popular. Shoppers are more nuanced than that. So, today on the show, we choose one classic meal that is tailor-made for this anxious economic moment. Why Hamburger Helper is poised to win 2026. RELATED EPISODES: How niche brands got into your local supermarket https://www.npr.org/2024/01/25/1197961375/battle-grocery-shelf-space-niche-brands Can you trust you're getting the same grocery prices as someone else? https://www.npr.org/2026/01/07/nx-s1-5668494/can-you-trust-youre-getting-the-same-grocery-prices-as-someone-else Hits of the Dips: Songs of recessions past https://www.npr.org/2022/09/01/1120622740/hits-of-the-dips-songs-of-recessions-past http://plus.npr.org/ https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney, https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/, https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney, https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
Trade wars. Financial panics. Inflation. How come it feels like it’s all bad news in the global economy these days? Economist Eswar Prasad’s answer: something he calls the ‘doom loop.’ That’s where massive geopolitical and economic forces feed off each other and send us careening into disorder. Sounds dire. But it’s not hopeless. On today’s show, are we in a doom loop? And if we are … how do we get out of one? Eswar Prasad’s new book is called “The Doom Loop: Why the World Economic Order Is Spiraling into Disorder” https://thedoomloopbook.com/. RELATED EPISODES: Is the financial media making us miserable about the economy? https://www.npr.org/2024/03/11/1197962938/negative-consumer-sentiment-npr-indicator-media-economy Why are some nations richer? https://www.npr.org/2024/10/15/1211165443/the-indicator-from-planet-money-nobel-economics-prize-institutions-10-15-2024 http://plus.npr.org/ https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney, https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/, https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney, https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
It’s a weird time for jobs numbers. Another month, another jobs report pushed back by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Averaging two private sources, ADP and Revelio Labs: an estimated 4,500 jobs were added in January. Sounds like … not many. And, yet, the unemployment rate hasn’t seemed to have risen. This might be, in part, due to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. We’ll explain through the story of one Angeleno.On today’s show, how bad are these job numbers? Or are they not bad at all? And what does immigration have to do with it? Related episodes: Can we still trust the monthly jobs report? (Update) https://www.npr.org/2025/08/05/1256758542/bls-firing-economic-data-integrity-update What you need to know about the jobs report revisions https://www.npr.org/2025/08/06/1256812323/bureau-of-labor-statistics-revisions-explained What really goes on at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (Update) https://www.npr.org/2025/08/04/1256727558/trump-fires-bls-director-jobs-report For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org http://plus.npr.org/. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez. Music by Drop Electric https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/. Find us: TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney, Newsletter https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
How did the U.S. become the Olympic powerhouse it is today? Cold War competition. The Soviet Union sponsored their athletes. But America wanted its athletes to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. It birthed an unexpected accelerator of Olympic development: College football. Stay with us now. On today’s show, how college football became an Olympic development engine. And how that engine might not be running as smoothly as it once did. RELATED EPISODES: Why the Olympics cost so much https://www.npr.org/2024/08/01/1197967951/paris-2024-olympics-hosting-costs You can't spell Olympics without IP https://www.npr.org/2024/08/08/1197968045/paris-olympics-trademarks-enforcement-intellectual-property A huge EU-India deal, Heated Rivalry, and a hefty $200k to Olympians https://www.npr.org/2026/01/30/nx-s1-5693173/a-huge-eu-india-deal-heated-rivalry-and-a-hefty-200k-to-olympians Why Host The Olympics? https://www.npr.org/2021/08/05/1025310133/why-host-the-olympics The monetization of college sports https://www.npr.org/2022/07/19/1112316993/the-monetization-of-college-sports http://plus.npr.org/ https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney, https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/, https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney, https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
People wanting to purchase heat pumps might soon face sticker shock. Many consumers have sought out energy credits to find a greener and more affordable alternative to heating oil, but the tax credit to help make them cheaper has expired. Today on the show: how homeowners, the renewables industry, and its critics all feel about it.RELATED EPISODES: Metals, government debt, and a climate lawsuit All these data centers are gonna fry my electric bill … right? Cold-o-nomics https://www.npr.org/2019/02/04/691359678/cold-o-nomicsFor sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org http://plus.npr.org/. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez. Music by Drop Electric https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/. Find us: TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney, Newsletter https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
Data centers are getting a lot of heat right now. There’s neighborhood pushback against them for water usage and environmental concerns, and some politicians on both sides of the aisle aren’t fans for the same reasons. There’s also fear that they could drive up the cost of electricity bills. But that last bit isn’t set in stone. Data center electric bill upcharge is not a guarantee. In fact, it is even possible for data centers to cause power bills to go down. Today on the show: the future of your power bill.Related episodes: No AI data centers in my backyard! https://www.npr.org/2025/10/22/nx-s1-5581445/no-ai-data-centers-in-my-backyard What AI data centers are doing to your electric bill https://www.npr.org/2025/12/19/nx-s1-5649814/ai-data-center-electricity-bill Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
Kevin Warsh has been tapped as the next chair of the Federal Reserve. We’re sure that he’ll have a lot of questions about how to run the Fed if confirmed. So we put together this briefing. On today’s show, three Fed watchers give their advice for the next chair. On politics, interest rate cuts and dealing with the Fed’s repeated trading scandals. Oh, and can someone please forward this episode to Kevin Warsh? RELATED EPISODES: One Fed battle after another https://www.npr.org/2026/01/13/nx-s1-5675867/one-fed-battle-after-another Lisa Cook and the fight for the Fed https://www.npr.org/2025/08/29/nx-s1-5522330/lisa-cook-trump-lawsuit-federal-reserve-independence A primer on the Federal Reserve's independence https://www.npr.org/2025/04/23/1246593555/federal-reserve-independence It's hard out there for a Fed chair https://www.npr.org/2025/05/08/1249919772/jerome-powell-fed-reserve-job-security http://plus.npr.org/ https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney, https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/, https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney, https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
It’s … Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news. On today’s episode: a HUGE trade deal between India and the European Union, all the hot hockey romance New Yorkers could ever want, and a heavy earnings purse for Olympic competitors, win or lose. RELATED EPISODES: Why the Olympics cost so much https://www.npr.org/2024/08/01/1197967951/paris-2024-olympics-hosting-costs The surprising economics of digital lending https://www.npr.org/2022/08/18/1118289764/the-surprising-economics-of-digital-lending http://plus.npr.org/ https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/ https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money Preorder Planet Money's new book here https://www.planetmoneybook.com/! Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
Macadamia nuts. Labor shortages. Volcanoes. All that might sound like econ Mad Libs, but they’re all connected to the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco’s entry into the Beige Book this month: labor shortages are hurting macadamia nut harvests in Hawaii. On today’s show, we take a vacation and talk to someone on the Big Island who runs a macadamia nut farm. He calls them “mac nuts.” Related episodes: Why beef prices are so high https://www.npr.org/2025/09/15/nx-s1-5539846/why-beef-prices-are-so-high For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org http://plus.npr.org/. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez. Music by Drop Electric https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/. Find us: TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney, Newsletter https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
President Trump has been storming through corporate America — taking a stake in Intel, demanding a cut of Nvidia’s sales, restricting skilled workers, among other big footed policies. Meanwhile, corporate leaders have mostly just … rolled over. Today on the show: As Trump rewrites the rules of doing business, why aren’t business leaders doing more to speak up? RELATED EPISODES: How close is the US to crony capitalism? https://www.npr.org/2025/10/02/nx-s1-5559759/how-close-is-the-us-to-crony-capitalism Davos drama, credit card caps and tariff truths https://www.npr.org/2026/01/23/nx-s1-5685413/davos-drama-credit-card-caps-and-tariff-truths http://plus.npr.org/ https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/ https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
“Sell America.” There’s new talk of how Europe could turn the economic screws https://www.ft.com/content/beeaf869-ca12-4178-95a1-bfb69ee27ae4 on the U.S. after President Trump’s play for Greenland. Selling U.S. Treasury bonds is one way. Another is a legal tool. It’s been called the EU’s bazooka. On today’s show, taking stock of Europe’s financial arsenal. How could America’s largest foreign lender lighten Americans’ wallets? https://www.planetmoneybook.com/ RELATED EPISODES: Davos drama, credit card caps and tariff truths https://www.npr.org/2026/01/23/nx-s1-5685413/davos-drama-credit-card-caps-and-tariff-truths Why Trump resurrected the Monroe Doctrine https://www.npr.org/2026/01/15/nx-s1-5677625/why-trump-resurrected-the-monroe-doctrine Lunch with the man who coined TACO https://www.npr.org/2025/07/22/1256040785/trump-taco-wall-street-stock-market-tariffs http://plus.npr.org/ https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney, https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/, https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney, https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
Pakistan has had some major economic bumps as of late, including a near default in 2023. At the root: seriously low tax collection. Millions of Pakistan residents opt out of paying income taxes entirely. This is a problem a lot of lower- and middle-income countries face. On today's show, we talk about why there are so many tax dodgers in Pakistan and what the government is trying to do about it. RELATED EPISODES: Is the US pushing countries towards China? https://www.npr.org/2025/04/29/1247777247/pakistan-us-china-trade-tariffs-aid A brief history of income taxes https://www.npr.org/2019/04/18/714788538/a-brief-history-of-income-taxes http://plus.npr.org/ https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/ https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
It’s time for … Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news. On today’s episode: Why does Davos feel interesting this year? What if we did cap credit card interest rates? And we’re paying most of those tariffs, aren’t we? Also, big news! Planet Money wrote a book and we’re going on tour this spring. Find tickets and info at planetmoneybook.com http://planetmoneybook.com. RELATED EPISODES: Trump's backup options for tariffs https://www.npr.org/2025/11/12/nx-s1-5605545/trumps-backup-options-for-tariffs Globalization At Davos: What Happened? https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2019/01/28/689518374/globalization-at-davos-what-happened The carbon coin: A novel idea https://www.npr.org/2022/11/11/1136169902/the-carbon-coin-a-novel-idea http://plus.npr.org/ https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/ https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
Beef is back on top. Well, at least on top of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s new food pyramid, unveiled alongside updated national dietary guidelines. Red meat really never left the great American menu. But how’d it climb all the way up there? On today’s show, America’s storied love affair with beef. And how big business and government have long influenced what winds up on our plates. RELATED EPISODES: Why beef prices are so high https://www.npr.org/2025/09/15/nx-s1-5539846/why-beef-prices-are-so-high Who’s buying all the beef? https://www.npr.org/2025/11/24/nx-s1-5616521/whos-buying-all-the-beef http://plus.npr.org/ https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney, https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/, https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney, https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
President Donald Trump is dead set on acquiring Greenland, and while national security is the stated reason, the country’s untapped mineral wealth could offer another explanation. Today on the show: is Greenland really an untapped land of riches? We talk to one Australian geologist who discovered the great costs and potential rewards of extracting these minerals himself. Related episodes: Add to cart: Greenland https://www.npr.org/2025/01/21/1225890655/add-to-cart-greenland Why Trump resurrected the Monroe Doctrine https://www.npr.org/2026/01/15/nx-s1-5677625/why-trump-resurrected-the-monroe-doctrine Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
In early January, President Donald Trump signed an executive order threatening bans on defense contractors paying dividends or buying their stock back. Today on the show, we learn about the Trump Administration’s frustrations with the weapons supply chain, find out what a defense industry investor makes of the move, and ask whether this reflects the state tightening its grip on the industry that arms the U.S. military. RELATED EPISODES: Are we overpaying for military equipment? https://www.npr.org/2024/01/29/1197961492/are-we-overpaying-for-military-equipment Can Just-In-Time handle a new era of war? https://www.npr.org/2024/01/30/1197961507/can-just-in-time-handle-a-new-era-of-war How to transform a war economy for peacetime https://www.npr.org/2024/01/31/1197961524/how-to-transform-a-war-economy-for-peacetime http://plus.npr.org/ https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney, https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/, https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney, https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
Welcome back to Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news. On today’s episode: Influencers for ICE https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/12/31/ice-wartime-recruitment-push/, China’s tremendous trade surplus, and America heads back to the moon. RELATED EPISODES: We resolve to watch these 2026 indicators https://www.npr.org/2026/01/02/nx-s1-5662709/we-resolve-to-watch-these-2026-indicators China's trade war perspective https://www.npr.org/2025/04/22/1246322286/chinas-trade-war-perspective Who owns the moon? https://www.npr.org/2021/08/18/1029084078/who-owns-the-moon http://plus.npr.org/ https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/ https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
203 years ago, President James Monroe declared the Western Hemisphere off limits to powerful countries in Europe. Fast forward, and President Trump is reviving the Monroe Doctrine to justify intervening in places like Venezuela https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115879509461234235, and threatening further action in other parts of Latin America and Greenland. On today’s show, how is Trump redefining the Monroe Doctrine and what does it mean for the world?RELATED EPISODES: Add to cart: Greenland Is the Panama Canal a rip-off? https://www.npr.org/2025/03/05/1235939386/us-panama-canal-shipping-fees- Venezuela didn’t steal U.S. oil. Here’s what happened https://www.npr.org/2026/01/08/nx-s1-5670419/venezuela-didnt-steal-u-s-oil-heres-what-happened Can Europe stand without the U.S. https://www.npr.org/2025/03/26/1240892104/can-europe-stand-without-the-us For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org http://plus.npr.org/. Fact-checking by Vito Emanuel. Music by Drop Electric https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/. Find us: TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney, Newsletter https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
Economic decisions aren’t only driven by hard data. A compelling story can change economic behavior and outcomes. In today’s episode, we explore real-world examples of “narrative economics” like how the Suez Canal ended up getting built. And we ask: why do narratives sometimes matter more than truth or data? Related episodes: This indicator hasn’t flashed this red since the dot-com bubble https://www.npr.org/2025/11/06/nx-s1-5600041/this-indicator-hasnt-flashed-this-red-since-the-dot-com-bubble Tariffs. Consumer sentiment. Cape Ratio. Pick The Indicator of The Year! https://www.npr.org/2025/12/19/nx-s1-5648809/tariffs-consumer-sentiment-cape-ratio-pick-the-indicator-of-the-year The Beigie Awards: Manufacturing takes center stage https://www.npr.org/2023/09/19/1197954171/the-indicator-from-planet-money-09-19-2023 For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org http://plus.npr.org/. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez. Music by Drop Electric https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/. Find us: TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney, Newsletter https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
Over the weekend, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the Department of Justice served the Fed with grand jury subpoenas. Powell says it’s all a sham. But the stakes are unprecedented: A potential criminal indictment. Central bank independence. Today on the show, the administration’s case against the Fed. How did we get here? And what comes next? RELATED EPISODES: Lisa Cook and the fight for the Fed https://www.npr.org/2025/08/29/nx-s1-5522330/lisa-cook-trump-lawsuit-federal-reserve-independence Trump's unprecedented attack on the Fed https://www.npr.org/2025/08/26/nx-s1-5518335/trumps-unprecedented-attack-on-the-fed A primer on the Federal Reserve's independence https://www.npr.org/2025/04/23/1246593555/federal-reserve-independence Why Is The Fed So Boring? https://www.npr.org/2021/06/15/1006953751/why-is-the-fed-so-boring http://plus.npr.org/ https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney, https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/, https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney, https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
While Americans are known for their generosity, the U.S. government, increasingly, is not. The Trump administration’s cuts to SNAP benefits among other aid programs have forced states, foundations and donors to fill the gaps. But can they? On today’s show, the limits of philanthropic efforts to supplant federal aid. RELATED EPISODES: Why tech bros are trying to give away all their money (kind of) https://www.npr.org/2023/03/24/1165958666/why-tech-bros-are-trying-to-give-away-all-their-money-kind-of http://plus.npr.org/ https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/ https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy
