The Indicator from Planet Money

The Indicator from Planet Money

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.

Episodes

March 27, 2026 9 mins
It’s Indicators of the Week (now on YouTube!). It’s our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news. 

On today’s episode: The US ain’t doing too hot in attracting European tech workers; OpenAI takes its video generator Sora behind the barn; and a rapper, pound cake, and the police. 

Related episodes: 
OpenAI's deals are looking a little frothy 
We're about to lose a lot of fore...
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Every time you buy a ticket that leaves a U.S. airport, you pay a fee that’s supposed to help fund the TSA. So why have TSA workers been working without pay? Today on the show, we explore the history behind an earmarked tax and its very personal impacts.

Come see Planet Money live on stage in April! 12 cities. Details and tix here: https://tix.to/pm-book-tour

Related episodes:
Your next flight doesn't have t...
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Why are flight tickets so expensive right now? Increased oil prices seems like it’d be the obvious answer. That’s mostly right. Airlines used to do some financial magic to help keep airfare down as oil prices increased, a strategy called “fuel hedging.” But they stopped. And now fliers are on the hook for a lot of the difference. 

On today’s show, the lost art of fuel hedging. How it worked, plus why airlines stopped doing...
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How has Russia’s economy not completely collapsed after four years of war, sanctions and billions in debt? One economist says it is the war that has been propping up Russia's economy, not the other way around. He calls it smertonomika or death economics.

On today’s show, six reasons why Russia’s economy is still chugging along despite burning money by the billions waging war on Ukraine.

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Live from London, it’s Saturday Night? Saturday Night Live made its UK debut over the weekend after a well-hyped promotional campaign. Will this all-American sketch show translate to British audiences? We examine SNL’s multi-million dollar gamble. 

Come see Planet Money live on stage in April! 12 cities. Details and tix here: https://tix.to/pm-book-tour

Related episodes: 
Why Paramount went looney tunes for W...
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It’s Indicators of the Week (now on YouTube!). It’s our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news. 

On today’s episode: The Trump administration cracks down on immigrant truck drivers, Poland becomes a top-twenty economy, and the booming business of … ant smuggling? 

Related episodes: 
A trucker, a farmer, and an entrepreneur walk into a global supply shock 
You Could Always ...
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Iran is using an affordable strategy to even the playing field in the war with the U.S. It’s using drones that cost in the thousands of dollars to combat American missiles that cost several million. Military analysts have already signaled concern about the U.S. producing enough munitions, and this isn’t helping. Today on the show, why the U.S. spends so much on munitions and what it’s learning from Iran. 

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March 18, 2026 8 mins
It’s really hard to estimate the total cost of war in the middle of one. Over the first six days of the Iran war, an estimated $11.3 billion was charged to the public purse. But long-term costs take years to manifest. Even daily costs are fuzzy. Take munitions: the Department of Defense hasn’t budgeted for  many of the bombs it's dropping. One more time. The bombs – the bombs! – are not totally priced in.

On today’s show, ...
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The U.S. and Israel war with Iran is causing a shock to the economic system. Gas prices are higher, diesel too, and even fertilizer is being affected. Today on the show, we speak to three people about the economic ripple effects of the conflict: a truck driver, an Iowa corn farmer, and a manufacturer of an alternative to plastics.

Come see Planet Money live on stage in April! 12 cities. Details and tix here: https://tix.to...
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March 16, 2026 9 mins
If you were in the business of making a bunch of money in 2026, you probably wouldn’t pick journalism. From social media to AI, the attention economy has upended the economic calculus for delivering news. But some entrepreneurs are looking to buck the trend.

Today on the show, we examine what the success of two startups could mean for the future of journalism.

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It’s  Indicators of the Week (now on YouTube!), our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news. 

On today’s episode: How big is this gas crisis  and could releasing oil reserves help? Also, Live Nation gets a deal from the government.  

Related episodes: 
Are concert tickets UNDER priced? 
Will Trump’s shipping insurance plan work? 

For sponsor-free episodes of The In...
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At a dinner in 2010, physicist Sean Carroll is handed a phone. On the other end: A wealthy patron looking to potentially fund his research. Months later came an invite to a conference. It would take place on an island. The caller was Jeffrey Epstein. Sean declined. Many others didn’t.

On today’s show, why did so many academics say yes to Epstein’s invites and money? And what Epstein’s ability to ingratiate himself with the...
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During the pandemic, mostly unregulated lenders went after struggling restaurants and music venues, charging at times sky high rates. Now, they’ve found a new market: small businesses that desperately need cash to pay tariffs.

Today on the show, the story of a financial lifeline that can turn into a financial choke hold.

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More than a thousand ships are stranded outside the Strait of Hormuz, bobbing in the water. A big reason? Insurance. War insurance premiums have skyrocketed since the war with Iran began. It’s an add-on that covers things regular insurance doesn’t, like missile strikes. And shippers don’t want to foot the bill or put their crews at risk. Cue the traffic jam. 

On today’s show, how a critical trade chokepoint became the park...
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It turns out healthcare in America CAN be cheaper. If your employer wants it to be. Today on the show, we speak with a Canadian-founded startup that has unusually generous benefits for their employees. 

Come see Planet Money live on stage in April! 12 cities. Details and tix here: https://tix.to/pm-book-tour

Related episodes:
Health insurance premiums are going up next year — unless you work at these compani...
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The night shift isn’t for everyone, but it often means a boost in pay and a foot in the door. Yet a smaller share of Americans are working the graveyard shift than in decades past. Today on the show, where did all the third shift workers go? 

Come see Planet Money live on stage in April! 12 cities. Details and tix here:
https://tix.to/pm-book-tour

Related episodes: 
Why Americans don’t want to move for jobs any...
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March 5, 2026 9 mins
Remember those juicy mortgage rates from back in 2021? You don’t actually need a time machine to get one today. You just need to find someone willing to sell their house AND their mortgage to you. Called ‘assumable mortgages,’ they take a long time to get, and you’ll probably need a fat wad of cash.

On today’s show, how to buy your way into a cheap mortgage rate.

Related episodes: 
How mortgage rates get made
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March 4, 2026 9 mins

China will soon unveil its economic blueprint for the next five years, including a target for economic growth. This comes as consumption is down, wages aren’t rising, and property prices continue to drop. So what’s the plan? Today, we hear from NPR’s China correspondent Jennifer Pak about the challenges facing China’s economic policymakers.

FYI, we are going on a book tour! Planet Money’s first ever book co...

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Paramount Skydance is making a $110 billion play for Warner Bros. Discovery, and with it intellectual property like Harry Potter, Batman, and subsidiaries HBO and CNN. On today’s show, who is the man behind the deal? Does he really want to make movies? Will any regulators try to stop it? 

FYI, we are going on a book tour! Planet Money’s first ever book comes out in April. We’ll be celebrating in about a doz...

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Two economists get into the business—and stakes—of organ donation, and they argue why the government should financially compensate their families.

FYI, we are going on a book tour! Planet Money’s first ever book comes out in April. We’ll be celebrating in about a dozen cities. There’s a limited edition tote bag included with your ticket, while supplies last. Details, dates and how to get your ticket at plan...

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