The Indicator from Planet Money

Jimmy Kimmel’s brief departure from the airwaves triggered a wave of debate over free speech.  Partly triggering his suspension was the government threatening to leverage its power over pending media deals. That’s in part due to a piece of decades-old legislation.  Today on the show, we look at how the Telecommunications Act of 1996 set the stage for government meddling and corporate capitulation....

It’s Indicators of the Week! It is that show where we parse the most fascinating financial numbers in the news and bring them to you.  On today's show: Argentina needs a bailout, Microsoft’s new way to cool data centers, and retail hiring is not looking like it’s in the holiday spirit. Related episodes:   A radical plan to fix Argentina's inflation What $10 billion in data centers actually gets yo...

Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Junior says doctors are pushing vaccines onto their patients in order to make profits.  Healthcare in the US is a business … but does that mean that doctors actually make money on vaccines? Today on the show, we talk with doctors who explain the financial reality behind vaccines and how RFK Jr’s words and actions could harm public health.  R...

Faced with declining enrollment, public school districts across the country are rethinking how many schools they can run. Fewer students often means less government funding, forcing schools to cut services. Yet school closures can disrupt communities and have negative effects on learning. On today’s show, the tough calculus parents and schools confront.  Related episodes:   Why ‘free’ public educa...

When you walk into a store, you're probably used to seeing price tags on things, saying what they cost.  But when you shop online, there is no price tag. There's just the price you see on screen. What if companies use your online data — like your location and browsing history — to charge you more than somebody else … or maybe less? Today on the show: Surveillance pricing vs. personalized pricing. ...

Los Angeles is synonymous with car culture. But now that it's hosting the 2028 Olympics, could that be changing? On today's show, LA's public transit building bonanza, and why some worry the new infrastructure will benefit tourists more than locals.  Related episodes: Why the Olympics cost so much   Why building public transit in the US costs so much   For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator fr...

It’s … Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.  On today’s show: A rate cut and drama at the Federal Reserve, the average American gets a little less creditworthy, and those giant check sweepstakes winners? Well, they might have to get a job soon.  Related episodes:  Why an aggressive rate cut could backfire on Trump   Trump's unprece...

Back-to-school supplies are getting more expensive … so why are parents and teachers at public schools expected to foot the bill? Today on the show: An economist explains how the cost of school supplies fits into the larger history of public school funding, and what one school district is doing differently.  Related episodes:  A food fight over free school lunch   Mailbag: Children Edition   For s...

There has been an inordinate amount of trading activity recently in the crypto markets. But what if much of that activity was an illusion? A smokescreen? A fraud? Today on the show, we look at the practice of wash trading, and how it’s evolved in the crypto world.  Related episodes:  The fake market in crypto   For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money...

The Federal Reserve is expected to make a modest cut to interest rates this week of about a quarter or half a percentage point. President Trump, however, believes they should take a far more aggressive approach: a 3-percentage point cut.  Today on the show, we examine what a 3-percentage point cut would actually look like, and why that outcome would likely backfire on the president.  Related episo...

Beef is getting more expensive, and it doesn’t look as though that’s going to change any time soon. That’s the view of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, which wrote in its Beige Book entry this month that the trend of rising beef prices continues. There’s solid demand for beef, but falling supply, as production decreases. Ranchers are making more per cow, but their costs are rising. We speak wit...

It’s … Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.  On today’s episode: the concept of capitalism is cooling in American minds; the U.S. policies behind the Hyundai ICE raid; and an influential family’s succession saga comes to a thrilling (and expensive!) conclusion.  Related episodes:  Salvaging democratic capitalism, with Martin Wolf H...

We’ll never leave your messages unread. On today’s show, we open the inbox to hear from Indicator listeners about why seasoned software developers might have more AI-proof jobs, and an idea for how to improve  accreditation for crime labs .  Got a question, comment on a recent show or idea for an episode? Send us a message at indicator@npr.org .  Related episodes: Tech layoffs, recession pop and m...

Tesla’s board of directors recently proposed  a pay package for CEO Elon Musk that could pay him about a trillion dollars if he meets certain goals. It’s not a done deal yet—Tesla shareholders will vote on the proposal at the company’s annual meeting in November. But just how much of a say do shareholders actually have in that decision? Or any decision? Today on the show, we look at what it takes...

Animals are going extinct at an alarmingly fast rate, largely due to human activity. Same for plants. This is bad for all kinds of reasons, not least of which is that breakthrough drugs often come from nature. But there isn’t consensus on how to save these species.  Part of the debate asks the economic question: with limited money going to the work, where will it have the most impact? Today on the...

Behavioral scientist Jon Levy’s new book — Team Intelligence: How Brilliant Leaders Unlock Collective Genius — argues that, in the workplace, leadership is overrated and teamwork is underrated. Today on the show: How super chickens and NBA All-Stars demonstrate the perils of individual performance. Related episodes: Why women make great bosses   The Virtual Office   The Science of Hoops For sponso...

Moms are quitting — or getting pushed out. Workforce participation for mothers in the U.S. has been dropping for most of this year, and the reasons are more complicated than return-to-office mandates. Today on the show, we talk to moms about why they left their jobs and to economist Misty Heggeness , who has studied the phenomenon.  Find more of Misty’s research here .  Related episodes:   How ins...

There’s been a lot of big talk about how artificial intelligence is going to replace white collar workers. But what data do we actually have around AI’s impact on the workforce? Today on the show, we speak to an expert who has measured one aspect of these changes. She tells us how this moment in AI compares to the Industrial Revolution.  Related episodes:  AI creates, transforms, and destroys… job...

In late July, President Trump signed an executive order to get rid of de minimis, a kind of a loophole where packages valued less than $800 could come into the US without tariffs. Last week, post offices from India to Austria to France suspended some types of packages to the US. We speak to an Australian jewelry maker, a logistics expert and an economist to learn how this is changing shopping in A...

A booming underground vape market is thriving. It’s unapproved, unregulated, and risky. Today on the show, we hear from The Atlantic’s Nick Florko to dig into why illegal vapes have flooded the U.S., and what’s at stake. Related episodes:  The vapes of wrath   How sports gambling blew up   For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts o...

It’s … Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.  On today’s episode: AI shuts out youth from the grind , China leaves U.S. soybeans behind, Gap has the then-and-now in marketing mind.  Related episodes:  AI creates, transforms and destroys... jobs   What do farmers do in a trade war?   For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Pl...

Trump's tariffs are making business harder for international olive oil producers and it turns out those tariffs are even complicating other parts of the Trump administration's agenda, too. Today on the show: Olive oil and the unintended consequences of Trump's tariffs. Related episodes:  Three ways companies are getting around tariffs The legal case for — and against — Trump's tariffs For sponsor-...

Last night, President Donald Trump posted a letter firing Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook. The reason? She was accused of listing two properties as her primary residences, which potentially gave her more favorable lending terms. This marks another escalation in the president’s battle for control of America’s central bank.  We’re publishing our conversation early about whether this is lega...

Businesses are scrambling for ways to minimize the impact of the Trump administration’s global tariff policy. Today on the show, we go over some of the tricks and legal loopholes that companies are employing to get around these sudden import taxes. Related episodes:  The legal case for — and against — Trump's tariffs The secret tariff-free zone You told us how tariffs are affecting you For sponsor...

Copyright is the legal system used to reward and protect creations made by humans. But with growing adoption of artificial intelligence, does copyright extend to artwork that’s made using AI? Today on the show, how a test case over a Vincent Van Gogh mashup is testing the boundaries of copyright law.    Related episodes: ‘Let’s Get it On’ … in court   Copyright small claims court The alleged theft...