Slate Money

Welcome to a very special Money On Film miniseries! Over three episodes, Slate Money’s Felix Salmon and Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe revisit three films at the intersection of culture and finance. On this episode, Felix and Nadira discuss dating and money in Celine Song’s 2025 romantic comedy Materialists , which centers on a love triangle between a millionaire matchmaker (Dakota Johnson), a...

This week: The war in Iran has caused a dramatic spike in global oil prices. Felix Salmon , Elizabeth Spiers , and Emily Peck discuss the international repercussions of the oil shortage and how central banks are responding. And: With the dust settling on the Paramount-Warner Brothers deal (including a $700 million payout to David Zaslav for some reason), the biggest loser in the megamerger might b...

 Welcome to a very special Money On Film miniseries! Over three episodes, Slate Money’s Felix Salmon and Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe revisit three films at the intersection of culture and finance. On this episode, we’re headed to Wall Street to watch a Felix Salmon favorite: Margin Call , the 2011 thriller-drama starring a long list of famous people, including Jeremy Irons, Paul Bettany...

In this Money Talks: UVA law professor Mitu Gulati joins Felix Salmon and Emily Peck to explain how an over-reliance on boilerplate language in contracts—that apparently never gets updated or even read—is leaving all of us vulnerable to legal traps. Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe dire...

This week: We summoned technologist and journalist Paul Ford to answer all our questions about A.I. As he explains to Felix Salmon , Elizabeth Spiers , and Emily Peck , A.I. is a hyperobject that touches everything in unknowable ways. They get into “ vibe coding ,” how it could change the game for small businesses and large corporations alike, and other concerns—like A.I.-powered wars.  Hoste...

This week: The U.S. started a war in Iran. Felix Salmon , Elizabeth Spiers , and Emily Peck break down why the war is bumping the US dollar and threatening the UAE’s image as a safe haven, with a notable lack of “oil-shock.” Then, the hosts get into why Pete Hegseth’s Department of War is clashing with Anthropic, as modern warfare becomes increasingly reliant on AI. And finally, McDonald’s CEO Chr...

In this Money Talks: Emily Peck is joined by Slate ’s Editor in Chief Hillary Frey and former Slate Money host Anna Szymanski of Reuters to break down this season of the HBO financial drama ‘Industry’. They'll get into the psychodrama of Kit Harrington’s Henry Muck, the thrilling parallels to real world stories, the tragic downfall of Eric Tao, and more. Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus epis...

This week: We saw the fallout from the Supreme Court’s ruling that Trump’s tariffs were indeed unconstitutional. Felix Salmon , Elizabeth Spiers , and Emily Peck , weigh in on the decision and the ensuing confusion around what tariff refunds would actually look like. Then, in a surprise twist, Netflix has backed off the Warner Brothers deal, allowing Paramount to swoop in. The hosts explain what s...

This week: Beloved NPR podcast Planet Money is now a book too! Author and Planet Money contributor Alex Mayyasi joins Felix Salmon , Elizabeth Spiers , and Emily Peck to give us a peek into the upcoming Planet Money: A Guide to the Economic Forces That Shape Your Life . Pulling from their favorite chapters of the book, the hosts get into how Argentina’s attempt to foster manufacturing mirrors Trum...

In this Money Talks: Felix Salmon is joined by journalist Mariana van Zeller , who has spent years reporting on black and gray markets around the world and has a new podcast, The Hidden Third , that delves into these powerful underground economies. They’ll get into what Mariana has seen embedded with criminal operators, from the surprisingly mundane to the darker side of working outside the system...

This week: Alphabet announced a rare 100-year bond issuance.  Felix Salmon , Elizabeth Spiers , and Emily Peck , explain the calculation the tech giant is making here and how the market responded to the move. Then, an analysis from the NY Fed has concluded that most of the burden of Trump’s tariff hikes is on US households and the hosts debate the possible pros – and obvious cons – of this sn...

This week: Anthropic released an update that seems to have tipped the scales against Software as a Service companies, erasing billions in market value. Felix Salmon , Elizabeth Spiers , and Emily Peck , unpack why there was such a massive market response to such a small AI plugin, and what it says about the future of tech investment. Then, Disney has finally named a new CEO in Josh D’Amaro. The ho...

In this Money Talks: Emily Peck is joined by Andrew Biggs, author of The Real Retirement Crisis , to talk about how the data contradicts the so-called "retirement crisis” in the US, what we misunderstand about the system, and what we should be thinking about when it comes to retirement savings.  Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all...

This week: Volatility in the Japanese bond market is threatening the global trade house of cards. Felix Salmon , Elizabeth Spiers , and Emily Peck , unpack the changes in Japan’s economy and why they have such a big worldwide impact. Then, they discuss the weakening US dollar and what Trump's fed chair nominee says about his administration. And finally, corporate messaging around social issues has...

This week: World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos is all over the news. Felix Salmon , Elizabeth Spiers , and Emily Peck , explain the moments that made headlines and why Davos feels so much more relevant this year. Then, Trump promised to address the affordability crisis at Davos but failed to say much. The hosts discuss what he did say, and how the ongoing crisis is being addressed overa...

In this Money Talks: Joe Salama, Chief Compliance Officer at Coinbase and anti-money laundering expert, joins Felix Salmon to give us a rundown on the current state of money laundering around the world. They’ll get into the ongoing battle between criminals and AML to stay one step ahead of the other, why money laundry is thriving in China right now, and how the rise of cryptocurrency factors into...

This week: Polymarket teamed up with the Golden Globes, displaying a live ticker for betters on the broadcast. Felix Salmon , Elizabeth Spiers , and Emily Peck , discuss the rising popularity of prediction markets and the potential consequences of having real world events–from award shows to geopolitical actions–be the basis for gambling payouts. Then, the Trump administration began an investigati...

This week: The Trump administration kidnapped the president of Venezuela. Felix Salmon , Elizabeth Spiers , Emily Peck , and guest Lizzie O'Leary , host of What Next: TBD , discuss Trump's rationale for the attack and the complex economics around Venezuelan oil that come with it. Then, Lizzie breaks down the unsettling trend of AI-generated nudes of real people, including many children, being crea...

In this Money Talks: Journalist and author Tarpley Hitt joins Emily Peck to discuss her new book Barbieland: The Unauthorized History which reveals the shady history behind the super-star doll. They’ll get into inventor Ruth Handler’s so-called "inspiration" by a popular German doll, Mattel’s industry spies and many, many lawsuits, and how Handler single-handedly prevented Nixon-era maternity leav...

This week: 2025 ended on high for the US stock market but no one seems too pleased with its performance. Felix Salmon , Elizabeth Spiers , and Emily Peck , unpack the story of the US markets in 2025, why it was outperformed internationally, and the role AI has  played. Then, the hosts discuss how, amid the uncertainty and chaos of Trump’s trade war, Mexico has found a way to come out on top. And f...

This week: We’re celebrating a year full of hot takes! Felix Salmon , Elizabeth Spiers , and Emily Peck , debate and rate the hottest takes they’ve heard this year — like Elon Musk’s claim that there will be no poverty in the future , the idea that Trump’s tariffs didn’t matter – and the collection of fire takes Felix gathered from around the Bloomberg news room.  In the Slate Plus episode: The ho...

In this Money Talks: Planet Money’s Mary Childs joins Felix Salmon to share what she learned reporting on how private philanthropy is trying to cope with the influx of need now that USAID is gone. They’ll get into the headaches and heartbreaks charitable organizations Givewell and ALIMA are experiencing after the loss of billions of dollars of humanitarian aid, the practical costs of saving lives,...

This week: The European Commission pushed back its timeline for all EV Europe.   Felix Salmon , Elizabeth Spiers , and Emily Peck are joined by Bloomberg’s Global Automotive Editor Craig Trudell who helps understand how and why the global electronic vehicle transition is unraveling . Then, in a twist move, Truth Social parent company, Trump Media & Technology Group, merged with TAE Technologie...

This week: Disney has agreed to make a $1 billion equity investment in OpenAI along with a licensing deal setting limitations on the use of it’s IP on Sora. Felix Salmon , Elizabeth Spiers , and Emily Peck discuss this is a precedent-setting deal and how well OpenAI will actually be able to enforce the terms of the licensing agreement. Then, the hosts examine the likelihood of rumored tech IPOs th...

In this Money Talks: Elizabeth Spiers is joined by Tim Wu to discuss his new book, The Age of Extraction , which breaks down how we ended up with an economy dominated by Big Tech and its purely profit-seeking mindset. They’ll get into the slow erosion of optimism around the internet as a democratizing force, the state of antitrust enforcement in America, and what it might look like if we stop allo...