The Indicator from Planet Money
Alle afleveringen
300 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
-
How bots are overtaking humans on the internet
26 oktober 2026 · 9 min
There are now more bots than humans online. What does that mean for how we experience the internet? Can bots and humans peacefully coexist online? Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
–Can the internet survive AI summaries?
–Over 2,000 episodes in our archive on the NPR AppConnect with The Indicator from Planet Money
–The Indicator newsletter — a weekly roundup of news, ideas and staff picks.
–Instagram, TikTok and YouTube
–Find the Planet Money book
–Find the Planet Money game, Sell Me A Sasquatch, and other merch at the NPR Shop!Support public media by subscribing to NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
CoreWeave woes, Pokémon foes, and maple syrup lows
23 oktober 2026 · 9 min
This week’s notable indicators: A distressing credit warning for CoreWeave, a Pokémon heist, and depleted maple syrup reserves in Canada. Lees meer
Fact checking by Cooper Katz McKim.
Your Next Listen
–Why Pokemon cards are growing faster than your retirement account
–Over 2,000 episodes in our archive on the NPR AppConnect with The Indicator from Planet Money
–The Indicator newsletter — a weekly roundup of news, ideas and staff picks.
–Instagram, TikTok and YouTube
–Find the Planet Money book
–Find the Planet Money game, Sell Me A Sasquatch, and other merch at the NPR Shop!Support public media by subscribing to NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
Can a "moneyball" system work for campaign funding?
22 oktober 2026 · 8 min
Elections are more expensive than ever, but are campaign donations going to the races where they’ll make the most impact? Today, we talk to the startup co-founder of Oath who believes there’s a smarter way to allocate individual donations. Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
–How did political campaigns get so expensive?
–Over 2,000 episodes in our archive on the NPR AppConnect with The Indicator from Planet Money
–The Indicator newsletter — a weekly roundup of news, ideas and staff picks.
–Instagram, TikTok and YouTube
–Find the Planet Money book
–Find the Planet Money game, Sell Me A Sasquatch, and other merch at the NPR Shop!Support public media by subscribing to NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
The case for sharing your salary
21 oktober 2026 · 9 min
Should money and class figure more prominently in how we identify ourselves? Pulitzer Prize-winning data journalist Mona Chalabi thinks yes. Today on the show, a conversation with Mona, author of the forthcoming book Ten Lives: How What We Have Shapes Who We Are. Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
–Chasing the American Dream at Outback Steakhouse
–Over 2,000 episodes in our archive on the NPR AppConnect with The Indicator from Planet Money
–The Indicator newsletter — a weekly roundup of news, ideas and staff picks.
–Instagram, TikTok and YouTube
–Find the Planet Money book
–Find the Planet Money game, Sell Me A Sasquatch, and other merch at the NPR Shop!Support public media by subscribing to NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
The gamble of trying to inflate away debt
20 oktober 2026 · 9 min
The United States national debt is running at more than $40 trillion dollars. It’s a potential crisis in the making, but President Donald Trump suggested it can all be solved just by inflating the debt away. Today, we dig into the nitty gritty on how and when inflating the national debt could work. Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
–Is the federal debt REALLY that bad?
–Over 2,000 episodes in our archive on the NPR AppConnect with The Indicator from Planet Money
–The Indicator newsletter — a weekly roundup of news, ideas and staff picks.
–Instagram, TikTok and YouTube
–Find the Planet Money book
–Find the Planet Money game, Sell Me A Sasquatch, and other merch at the NPR Shop!Support public media by subscribing to NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
Why Oracle's debt load could be your problem
19 oktober 2026 · 9 min
Oracle, the multinational tech giant has taken on a lot of loans to build up its AI capacity. But Oracle’s investors are not happy with this piling debt load. We explain why Oracle is such a pivotal player — and potentially weak link — in the AI-fueled economy. Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
–How the bond market is handling AI risk?
–Over 2,000 episodes in our archive on the NPR AppConnect with The Indicator from Planet Money
–The Indicator newsletter — a weekly roundup of news, ideas and staff picks.
–Instagram, TikTok and YouTube
–Find the Planet Money book
–Find the Planet Money game, Sell Me A Sasquatch, and other merch at the NPR Shop!Support public media by subscribing to NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
Will AI take my job? Ask an economist!
18 oktober 2026 · 2 min
Is AI coming for our jobs? Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei believes AI could wipe out many white-collar jobs in the next few years. While Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang argues AI will reshape existing roles and create even more jobs than we have now. So which future are we really facing: a job-pocalypse or a jobs transformation? Lees meer
For answers, join The Indicator's Adrian Ma for "Ask An Economist.” This is a virtual event and live Q&A featuring two economists who've studied this issue: Daron Acemoglu, a Nobel Prize-winning professor at MIT, and Erik Brynjolfsson, a professor at Stanford and director of the Stanford Digital Economy Lab. We’ll also invite you to ask questions and share your thoughts!
It's Wednesday, October 28th, at 3:00pm ET, noon PT. This is a Zoom event exclusively for NPR+ and other qualifying supporters. For registration and event details, you can listen to this audio message or check out npr.org/askaneconomist.
Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
Supercore inflation, Bumble valuation and Pooh's repatriation
16 oktober 2026 · 9 min
This week’s indicators: Why is inflation so super (derogatory)? How did Bumble go from dating app doldrums to a stock market sweetheart?; And oh, bother! Could Winnie the Pooh be moving home to England from New York City? Lees meer
Fact checking by Leyla Doss.
Your Next Listen
–Retiree benefits bump, credit repayment slump, and a dating app in the dumps
–Over 2,000 episodes in our archive on the NPR AppConnect with The Indicator from Planet Money
–The Indicator newsletter — a weekly roundup of news, ideas and staff picks.
–Instagram, TikTok and YouTube
–Find the Planet Money book
–Find the Planet Money game, Sell Me A Sasquatch, and other merch at the NPR Shop!Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
How did political campaigns get so expensive?
15 oktober 2026 · 8 min
The 2026 midterm elections are fast approaching, and it’s gearing up to be the most expensive election in American history. So how did we get here, where every election feels more expensive than the last? Lees meer
Today on the show, we’re exploring what’s causing the flood of money into our politics.
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
–Bad economics, smart politics
–Over 2,000 episodes in our archive on the NPR AppConnect with The Indicator from Planet Money
–The Indicator newsletter — a weekly roundup of news, ideas and staff picks.
–Instagram, TikTok and YouTube
–Find the Planet Money book
–Find the Planet Money game, Sell Me A Sasquatch, and other merch at the NPR Shop!Support public media by subscribing to NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
A rebate runaround, a car rental rip-off and … roaches?!
14 oktober 2026 · 9 min
A labyrinthine rebate process. Shrinking cereal boxes. Mystery rental car charges. Cockroaches?! We share listener tales of Consumer Rage and unpack the economic forces driving that ANGER. Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
–Consumers are mad as hell and aren't gonna take it anymore–Over 2,000 episodes in our archive on the NPR AppConnect with The Indicator from Planet Money
–The Indicator newsletter — a weekly roundup of news, ideas and staff picks.
–Instagram, TikTok and YouTube
–Find the Planet Money book
–Find the Planet Money game, Sell Me A Sasquatch, and other merch at the NPR Shop!Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
How did we get a Nobel Prize in economics?
13 oktober 2026 · 9 min
This year's Nobel Prize for Economics went to American economists Robert E. Hall and Michael Woodford! Their research focused on macroeconomic models and economic shocks. Lees meer
But … How did we get a Nobel Prize in economics, or as it’s actually called, the more long-winded “Swedish Central Bank Prize in Economic Sciences in memory of Alfred Nobel”? And why did nearly 70 years pass between the first Nobel Prizes and a Nobel recognition for economics?
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
–Why do we live in unusually innovative times?
–Over 2,000 episodes in our archive on the NPR AppConnect with The Indicator from Planet Money
–The Indicator newsletter — a weekly roundup of news, ideas and staff picks.
–Instagram, TikTok and YouTube
–Find the Planet Money book
–Find the Planet Money game, Sell Me A Sasquatch, and other merch at the NPR Shop!Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
The echo of the bison (Encore)
12 oktober 2026 · 10 min
Nearly 30 million bison once roamed North America, from modern Canada to Mexico. In the late 1800s, white settlers and the U.S. military annihilated the population of bison, bringing these creatures to the brink of extinction. The consequences for the people who relied on the bison were dire — and still being felt today. In an episode that first aired in August 2023, we spoke to one economist who reveals the shocking numbers about the destruction of the bison, and one member of the Blackfeet Nation who is trying to bring them back. Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez. This episode originally aired Aug. 21, 2023.
Your Next Listen –Blood, oil, and the Osage Nation: The battle over headrights
–Over 2,000 episodes in our archive on the NPR AppConnect with The Indicator from Planet Money
–The Indicator newsletter — a weekly roundup of news, ideas and staff picks.
–Instagram, TikTok and YouTube
–Find the Planet Money book
–Find the Planet Money game, Sell Me A Sasquatch, and other merch at the NPR Shop!Support public media by subscribing to NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
SNAP strains, youth baseball's class divide, and Meta's bug bounty
9 oktober 2026 · 9 min
This week our top indicators include changes to the funding model for SNAP, private equity’s influence on youth baseball and Meta’s attempt to find flaws in its brand new AI assistant. Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
–Why Trump's spending bill could close your grocery store
–Over 2,000 episodes in our archive on the NPR AppConnect with The Indicator from Planet Money
–The Indicator newsletter — a weekly roundup of news, ideas and staff picks.
–Instagram, TikTok and YouTube
–Find the Planet Money book
–Find the Planet Money game, Sell Me A Sasquatch, and other merch at the NPR Shop!Support public media by subscribing to NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
The chilling effect of ICE in hospitals
8 oktober 2026 · 9 min
Federal immigration enforcement arrests reached record highs this past summer, and under the second Trump administration, immigration agents can now more easily access so-called sensitive areas, including hospitals. Today on the show: how both patients and healthcare workers are bearing the physical and economic costs of these deportation campaigns. Lees meer
Featuring Dr. William D. Lopez, author of Raiding the Heartland: an American Story of Deportation and Resistance.
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
How ICE arrests are creating 'economies of fear'Connect with The Indicator from Planet Money
The Indicator newsletter - a weekly roundup of news, ideas and staff picks.
Buy the Planet Money book
Instagram
TikTok
YouTubeFor sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+
Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
One economist's answer to data center anxiety
7 oktober 2026 · 9 min
Rising electricity prices are one of the primary reasons why data centers are a public enemy this election cycle. But is it realistic to expect energy prices to stay high forever? Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
No AI data centers in my backyard!
Over 2,000 episodes in our archive on the NPR AppConnect with The Indicator from Planet Money
The Indicator newsletter — a weekly roundup of news, ideas and staff picks.
Instagram, TikTok and YouTube
Find the Planet Money book
Find the Planet Money game, Sell Me A Sasquatch, and other merch at the NPR Shop!Support public media by subscribing to NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
Inside Norway's sovereign wealth fund dilemma to divest from Israel
6 oktober 2026 · 8 min
Norway has the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, but it’s facing a self-imposed dilemma. Should the fund's investments include companies that directly or indirectly contribute to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war? On today’s show, the ethical tightrope Norway is walking to invest its oil riches responsibly. Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
—How would a US sovereign wealth fund even work?Connect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
The proper etiquette of the Venmo nudge
5 oktober 2026 · 9 min
How do you ask your friends to pay you back in a timely way? We’ve got an etiquette coach to help with that. Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
— Is this a bank?Connect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
Can we make Social Security better for blue-collar workers?
2 oktober 2026 · 9 min
Most workers can’t start collecting full Social Security benefits until age 67. But a new proposal from Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens would allow workers in “physically demanding jobs” to receive full retirement benefits at 60. Today, two social security experts tell us the pros and cons. Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
— Iceberg ahead for Social SecurityConnect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
New college degrees designed to job-proof graduates
1 oktober 2026 · 8 min
What do influencing, AI and health sciences have in common? They’re all degree programs colleges have launched in the last few years to attract students looking for a new career path. On today's show, how colleges are rethinking degrees for a changing job market. Lees meer
Fact checking by Leyla Doss.
Your Next Listen
— Community colleges are kind of underratedConnect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
Is investing in sports worth it for universities?
30 september 2026 · 9 min
Universities spend millions of dollars every year on their athletics programs. But does that investment pay off? Today, we interrogate the “Doug Flutie Effect.” Lees meer
Fact checking by Cooper Katz McKim.
Your Next Listen
— How college sports juiced Olympic developmentConnect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
What does every business need but not every industry has?
29 september 2026 · 9 min
What rhymes with "snakes" and helps the government classify economic activity? NAICS — or the North American Industry Classification System. These codes categorize every industry from artificial turf installation to zucchini farming. But they’re not exactly easy to get. Today we look at one business’ quest for a NAICS code and what makes them so valuable. Lees meer
Fact checking by Leyla Doss.
Your Next Listen
— How to take the temperature of the US consumerConnect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
How the rich make money by losing money
28 september 2026 · 9 min
Decades ago, rich Americans used to pay taxes as high as 40% on their investments. Nowadays, an obscure investment strategy is helping them slash that figure toward … 0%. Today on the show, Bloomberg reporter Loukia Gyftopoulou, tells us about this generation’s “great American tax dodge,” and the “mad genius” behind it. Lees meer
A Tax Strategy for the Rich Built the World’s Largest Hedge Fund - Bloomberg
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
— What’s a revenge tax?Connect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
Unaffordability index: Rent, GLP-1s, Obamacare
25 september 2026 · 9 min
This week’s indicators: Rent is squeezing middle-income earners, the Trump admin is squeezing ACA enrollees, and GLP-1s are squeezing employers. Lees meer
Fact checking by Julia Ritchey.
Your Next Listen
—Why GLP-1s aren't lowering employers' costsConnect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube ad more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
What Doordash, Dell and Palantir all have in common
24 september 2026 · 8 min
President Trump and his money managers made more stock trades since his second term started than all members of Congress combined. The White House says there is no conflict of interest. Today on the show, we look at three companies he’s traded in that raise ethical flags because of their relationship with the federal government. Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
— Did Trump enable insider trading?Connect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
Why are used cars priced like new cars?
23 september 2026 · 9 min
The used car market is out of control and there doesn’t seem to be an easy fix for high prices. Today, three reasons why finding an affordable car is so difficult. Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
— Prepping for a rainy day and higher used car pricesConnect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
How will the US refill its dwindling oil reserves?
22 september 2026 · 9 min
Whether it’s oil from Venezuela or somewhere else, the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve needs to be refilled. The SPR is widely considered critical for energy security. On today’s show, the challenges to refilling the reserves at a time of high federal debt and climbing gas prices. Lees meer
Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
— So… how long before these oil prices get REALLY bad?Connect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
How Hemp-THC businesses are bracing for a near total ban
21 september 2026 · 9 min
Follow us to Tennessee where hemp farmers are already pivoting in the face of a state ban and soon, a looming federal ban on basically all THC-derived hemp products. Will Congress step in to save this $28 billion industry? Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
— How would-be weed merchants hit a ‘grass ceiling’Connect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
OpenAI's waiting game, gas pump pain, and severe sulfur strain!
18 september 2026 · 9 min
This week’s indicators: Tracking your pain at the gas pump in real-time; OpenAI’s IPO hard-launch tug-of-war; one unexpected ingredient is making fertilizer—and potentially your groceries—a whole lot more expensive. Lees meer
Fact checking by Schuyler Swenson.
Your Next Listen
— What Iran teaches us about why wars startConnect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
Strait talk: Why the oil crisis is getting worse
17 september 2026 · 9 min
A vital artery for Saudi oil exports is under siege and it’s not the Strait of Hormuz. Today on the show, we explain what’s going on in the Bab el-Mandeb shipping lane connected to the Red Sea, why it’s important, and why the global oil crisis is poised to get even worse. Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
— Fixing the oil crisis might not fix the Persian GulfConnect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
How the bond market is handling AI risks
16 september 2026 · 9 min
Big tech companies are borrowing billions of dollars to finance the build-out of AI data centers, and your 401(k) might be helping to fuel that. Today on the show, what AI hyperscalers are doing to the bond market. Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
— Who's financing Meta's massive AI data center?Connect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
How much safer do Flock cameras make us?
15 september 2026 · 10 min
Flock cameras promise to reduce crimes like car theft. But these automated license plate readers come with a trade-off: a wide-reaching surveillance network. Today on the show, does Flock actually make communities safer? Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
— Stuck In China’s PanopticonConnect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
A beautiful bill, Mamdani's market, and stock subscriptions
14 september 2026 · 9 min
It’s time for another Indicator Quiz! For today’s quiz, we’re testing the Indicator knowledge of a brilliant mathematician. Will we stump his theoretician brain? Tune in and find out! Lees meer
Interested in being a contestant on our next Indicator Quiz? Email us your name and phone number to indicator@npr.org and put "Indicator Quiz" in the subject.
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
— An urban planner, infinite scroll, and … what is a public good?Connect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
Bessent's yen bet, cold Argentine data centers set, and the summer box office net
11 september 2026 · 9 min
This week’s indicators: Is The U.S. Treasury Department futzing with financial markets?; Is Patagonia’s pretty picturesque setting … for data centers?; Was the summer box office actually swell? Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
— A Treasury showdown with the bond marketConnect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
Are small town colleges going extinct?
10 september 2026 · 9 min
Our favorite entry on the regional economy from the latest Beige Book reveals a troubling development in higher education. Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
— Community colleges are kind of underratedConnect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
Let's play ... Who Wants To Be a Bank!
9 september 2026 · 9 min
Why do so many fintech companies — like Square and Mercury — want to be banks? And what does it take to get there? Find out today when we play our fake game show … Who Wants To Be A Bank! Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
—Is this a bank?Connect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
Canada fights tariffs with tariffs
8 september 2026 · 9 min
The era of friendly diplomacy has fallen to the wayside once again as the U.S. - Canada trade war enters a new phase. This time, Canada is countering the latest round of tariffs with their own, targeting American dairy, steel and electronics. Today on the show, we hear from the host of CBC’s Cost of Living podcast Paul Haavardsrud on Canada’s trade war strategy. Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
— Why there's no referee for the trade war
— Why a trade war makes wigs (and bones) cost more + LeBond JamesConnect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
Which jobs are future-proofed?
7 september 2026 · 9 min
With AI disrupting the workplace, is your job going to exist in ten years? The Bureau of Labor Statistics has just the handbook for that. Lees meer
Today on the show, we flip through the Occupational Outlook Handbook and answer your questions about the future of work.
This episode originally aired on May 8th, 2026
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
— How AI is shrinking the job market for teensConnect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
Are job hoppers better at their jobs?
4 september 2026 · 9 min
People with jobs are not always eager to leave them … but there are exceptions. Call them job hoppers. While many employers look down on this sort of professional promiscuity, new research suggests there are benefits to switching jobs frequently. Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
— I'm just here for the health benefitsConnect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
Does Planet Money’s game pass the shelf test? We go undercover to find out
3 september 2026 · 10 min
We go undercover at a big box store for an inside look at the secret shelf test the makers of Exploding Kittens use for their hit games. Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
— Who decides what big box sells? Our GAME got us answersConnect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
For a lot of Gen Z, gambling is investing
2 september 2026 · 9 min
Why are more than half of Gen Zers using investment dollars for sports gambling? It’s been eight years since sports betting became widely legal. Today we look at its impact on a new generation of sports bettors and efforts to curb gambling’s more harmful effects. Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
— Prediction markets are threatening national security. Who's gonna fix it?Connect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
A Treasury showdown with the bond market
1 september 2026 · 9 min
Why is the U.S. Treasury planning to buyback at least double the number of long-dated government bonds it usually does? And will Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s buyback plan pit him against both the bond markets and the Federal Reserve? Today we explain what the Treasury’s up to and what it means for you. Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
—Bond vigilantes. Who they are, what they want, and how you'll know they're comingConnect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
How ICE arrests are creating 'economies of fear'
31 augustus 2026 · 8 min
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested nearly 50,000 people in July, marking the biggest month for ICE arrests of President Trump’s second term. We talk to a researcher who thinks this increased ICE activity is creating an “economy of fear” in cities around the country — and has the data to prove it. Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
— How ending TPS is squeezing workers, businesses and (soon) consumersConnect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
The teacher pay penalty, Meta's major settlement, and a footwear flop
28 augustus 2026 · 9 min
This week’s indicators: The teacher pay penalty; Meta’s massive settlement; Nike and Dick’s Sporting Goods are struggling. Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said that comparable college graduates in other professions make around 25% more than teachers. Those workers make about 33% more.
Your Next Listen
— Why infinite scroll's inventor wants to kill his creationConnect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
Coyote vs. Acme finally gets its big break
27 augustus 2026 · 9 min
Coyote vs. Acme will finally get its theatrical release on Friday after a years-long saga involving supposed tax write-downs, negotiations and multibillion-dollar studio deals. It's a drama almost straight out of a Hollywood screenplay. Today we have the story from the inside. This episode is an update of an episode from December 2023. Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
— Why Paramount went looney tunes for Warner Bros.Connect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
What Mark Cuban REALLY thinks of Medicare for All
26 augustus 2026 · 9 min
Medicare for All could save the U.S. trillions… or maybe way less than that? In our second episode on Medicare for All, we look at the convoluted figures behind the hot political topic. We hear directly from billionaire and healthcare voice Mark Cuban on what works about Medicare for All, and why its actual cost is so complicated. Lees meer
Fact checking by Vito Emanuel.
Your Next Listen
— Why do hospitals keep running out of generic drugs?Connect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
Medicare for All is not Medicare for All
25 augustus 2026 · 9 min
As midterms near, Medicare for All is back in the spotlight and Michigan U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed has become the newest face for it. Today, we dig into what Medicare for All would actually do and hear directly from El-Sayed on why he thinks it’s critical to figure out. Lees meer
Tomorrow, billionaire Mark Cuban joins the show as we continue our discussion on Medicare for All.
Fact checking by Vito Emanuel.
Your Next Listen
— I’m just here for the health benefits
Connect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
Could politics put your city's funding at risk?
24 augustus 2026 · 8 min
The Trump administration recently admitted to pulling grants over politics. This practice could become more common. How do cities use grant money, and how will they adapt? Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
— How far can philanthropy go to fill government gaps?Connect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
EV sales slow, US Treasury yields grow, 'Niu Lai' has impressive box office mojo
21 augustus 2026 · 9 min
This week’s indicators: EV sales sputter in North America but flutter internationally; U.S. Treasury Yields … RISE!; a low-budget movie so terrible, it became a box office hit in China. Lees meer
Fact checking by Julia Ritchey
Your Next Listen
— The story of China and Hollywood's big-screen romanceConnect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
Is bankruptcy really all that bad?
20 augustus 2026 · 9 min
Bankruptcy has a negative stigma surrounding it. But what if we told you it’s not as bad as you may think? In fact, economists think we should actually see more of it! Lees meer
Based on the radio story: More Americans are going bankrupt. What does that mean?
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
— We're in a renter's market (believe it or not)Connect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
-
Have a bad manager? Science explains why.
19 augustus 2026 · 9 min
The best manager isn’t necessarily the best employee. Turns out it isn't so easy to predict what DOES make a good manager. Today on the show, we turn to science to help answer that very question. Lees meer
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
— Productivity and workforce whiplashConnect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter!
— Buy the Planet Money book
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy