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. Sign up for our newsletter . Support public media by joining NPR+ at plus.npr.org. You’ll get perks for over 25 NPR podcasts, including bonus episodes for Planet Money and sponsor-free listening for The Indicator.
The podcast discusses why the U.S. does not have an extensive passenger train system like Europe, Japan, or India. The hosts interview Alan Zaremsky, a railroad engineering professor, who explains that the U.S. prioritizes freight transportation, which is highly profitable, over passenger rail. He clarifies that the U....
This episode of "The Indicator from Planet Money" features a "Quizbowl" competition between co-hosts Darian Woods and Wailin Wong, with Adrian Ma serving as the quizmaster. The trivia topic is "the economics of the public sector, a.k.a. government economics." Darian Woods answers all five questions correctly, covering ...
This episode of The Indicator from Planet Money discusses Meta's Hyperion project, a $30 billion AI data center in Louisiana, and the unusual financing methods used for its construction. Meta partnered with private credit firm Blue Owl Capital, which borrowed $27 billion through bonds to fund the project, keeping the d...
This episode of The Indicator from Planet Money addresses listener questions about how government announcements regarding international trade deals, such as increased beef imports from Argentina or investment pledges from Japan and South Korea, actually translate into action. The hosts explain that for Argentine beef, ...
In this episode of The Indicator from Planet Money, Darian Woods, Wailin Wong, and Nick Fountain discuss three indicators of the week. The first indicator is 2.5%, the average amount wages have changed following pay transparency laws. The second indicator is $4 an hour, which is what some participants in a study were p...
This podcast episode of "The Indicator from Planet Money" features an interview with Navina Sadasavam from Grist, a nonprofit newsroom, discussing the issue of contractor scams that emerge after natural disasters. The episode highlights the "disaster economy" where desperate homeowners become targets for fraudulent con...
This podcast episode discusses the impact of tariffs on the automotive industry, particularly how they are prompting carmakers to consider sourcing parts from American suppliers. It highlights a "speed dating" event for auto manufacturers and suppliers in Huntsville, Alabama, where companies like Honda, Mercedes, and H...
The podcast discusses "flexicurity," a Danish labor market model combining flexible hiring/firing with strong social safety nets like unemployment benefits, retraining, and job counseling. The hosts, Stephen Massaha and Darian Woods, introduce the concept, noting its relevance to current labor market anxieties and the ...
In this episode of The Indicator from Planet Money, Wailin Wong, Darian Woods, and Keith Roemer discuss three economic indicators of the week. Darian leads with the concerning statistic of wages for low-income households falling by 2% after accounting for inflation, highlighting a K-shaped economy where high-income ear...
This episode of "The Indicator from Planet Money" discusses the U.S. government's decision to extend a $20 billion swap line to Argentina, using the Exchange Stabilization Fund. The hosts explain that this 90-year-old emergency fund, established in 1934 to stabilize the U.S. dollar, has since been used for various purp...
This episode of The Indicator from Planet Money discusses the legal challenges facing President Trump's use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEPA) for tariffs, as the Supreme Court reviews its legality. The hosts, Stephen Basaja and Wailin Wong, along with guests Phil Magnus and Inu Manik, explore al...
The Indicator from Planet Money discusses the upcoming FIFA World Cup in the US, Canada, and Mexico, highlighting concerns about high ticket prices and the challenges for average fans to attend. The conversation explores FIFA's dynamic pricing strategy, the lottery system for ticket sales, and the introduction of hospi...
The podcast episode, "The Indicator from Planet Money," discusses France's "omnishambles" in politics, specifically its struggle to balance the budget due to high public debt from generous pension payments. The French retirement system, while providing high benefits (an A grade for adequacy), receives a D for sustainab...
This episode of The Indicator from Planet Money, co-hosted by Wailin Wong and Steven Basaja, discusses the impact of a government shutdown on the U.S. economy and federal workers. With the Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report unavailable due to the shutdown, the hosts cite data from ADP and Revelio Labs, which show d...
This episode of The Indicator from Planet Money discusses the Shiller PE Ratio, also known as CAPE (Cyclically Adjusted Price-to-Earnings), a stock market indicator currently at its highest level since November 1999, just before the dot-com bubble burst. Co-hosts Darian Woods and Paddy Hirsch, along with guests Liz Ann...
This episode of The Indicator from Planet Money discusses the impact and complexities of sanctions imposed on Russia since its invasion of Ukraine. While over 5,000 sanctions have been implemented by the U.S. and its allies, causing some economic strain on Russia, they have not halted the war. The hosts, Darian Woods a...
The podcast discusses the increasing use of mobile apps and social media groups by residents in cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland to report sightings of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The federal government has responded by asking tech platforms like Facebook and Apple to remove the...
This episode of The Indicator from Planet Money explores the increasing use of AI in job interviews and the surprising results of a new study on its effectiveness. Hosts Adrian Ma and Wailin Wong discuss how companies like PSG Global Solutions are using AI recruiters, such as "Anna," to streamline the hiring process an...
This Halloween-themed episode of "The Indicator from Planet Money" features co-hosts Adrian Ma, Wailin Wong, and Darian Woods discussing three economic indicators of the week. Adrian Ma reports on Amazon's decision to cut 14,000 corporate jobs, partly attributing it to AI, and notes a broader trend of companies like Sa...
Follow this podcast in Podwise
Sign in to get AI summaries, transcripts and mind maps for any episode, including new ones.
