The Indicator from Planet Money

A little show about big ideas. From the people who make Planet Money, The Indicator helps you make sense of what's happening today. It's a quick hit of insight into work, business, the economy, and everything else. Listen weekday afternoons. Got money on your mind? Try Planet Money+ — a new way to support the show you love, get a sponsor-free feed of the podcast, *and* get access to bonus content. A subscription also gets you access to The Indicator and Planet Money Summer School, both without interruptions.

Episodes

Russia's sanctions, graded

June 29, 2022 • 9 min

On a scale of 1 to 10, how effective are the sanctions on Russia? Today on the show, we're grading the hodgepodge of sanctions aimed at persuading Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine.

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The promise and peril of crypto for Black investors

June 28, 2022 • 9 min

Black consumers are more likely to own crypto than white consumers and crypto enthusiasts laud the crypto world as a driver for racial equity. In today's show we explore that premise. If you're interested in learning more, listen to the episode and check out Terri Bradford's article on Black crypto ownership.

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The celebrity crypto nexus

June 27, 2022 • 9 min

From Jimmy Fallon to Reese Witherspoon, why are so many celebrities promoting crypto? We untangle the web of connections between Hollywood A-listers, Bored Apes, and one influential talent agency, with journalist Max Read. He wrote about this in his Substack newsletter, Read Max.

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Burgers in Russia, Juul vaporized, THE trademarked

June 24, 2022 • 9 min

This Friday, we're looking at fast-food companies who are still hanging on in Russia. Juul getting banned. And as a cherry on top, THE Ohio State University deciding to patent you guessed it, "the."

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Does Bitcoin have a grip on the economy?

June 23, 2022 • 9 min

The crypto market has taken a beating lately, and even though Bitcoin and other crypto assets are risky, they're becoming more mainstream. How concerned do we need to be about the recent crypto collapse?

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What took the Fed so long?

June 22, 2022 • 9 min

What took the Fed so long to address high inflation? Today on the show, we're exploring six reasons behind the Fed's hesitancy to hike interest rates, according to Bill Nelson, who spent two decades working for the Federal Reserve. For more background, check out our episode last week, Jerome Powell's ghosts.

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The price of free stock trading

June 21, 2022 • 9 min

Everyone's a stock trader these days. With a press of a button, companies like Robinhood allow everyday people to buy and sell shares with no fee. But, this practice is just a tad bit controversial.

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The housing shakeup

June 17, 2022 • 9 min

With rising interest rates, this economy has got us scratching our heads. To rent, or not to rent? To borrow money, or not to borrow? To qualify for a mortgage...or maybe not. Maybe our three indicators on the housing market will give clues.
Hey, we're off for Juneteenth but The Indicator will be back on Tuesday!

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Going backwards on child poverty

June 16, 2022 • 9 min

School's out, and so are pandemic-era relief measures for families with children. But when universal free lunches and expanded child tax credits roll to a halt, what are the consequences?

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Jerome Powell's ghosts

June 15, 2022 • 9 min

The Fed hiked interest rates by 0.75 percentage points. But why the sudden jump now? Why not earlier? To understand the psyche of the Fed and its chair, Jerome Powell, we're turning back the clock to the 2013 Taper Tantrum, and a 2019 road trip.

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Securing the (Telfar) bag

June 14, 2022 • 9 min

3... 2... 1... GONE? Already? The Telfar Shopping Bag's been considered the "it" bag the last few years, if you can get your hands on one. It's also making big fashion statements by redefining luxury and accessibility in the fashion world.

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Mergers, acquisitions and Elon's "rude" proposal

June 13, 2022 • 9 min

For the corporate engagement of Elon Musk and Twitter, the road to the chapel has been unusually rocky. So how are these deals supposed to go, anyway?

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A macroeconomist walks into a bar fight

June 10, 2022 • 9 min

Welcome to the macroeconomic bar fight. Today, fists are being thrown over the causes of high inflation. But off to the corner stands John Cochrane, an economist with a core explanation for rising prices: government borrowing and spending.

Check out some of our earlier episodes on inflation:
- Why some economists last year were concerned about low interest rates and high government borrowing and spending
- Why the term 'transit...

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The Beigie Awards: The gallon is half full

June 9, 2022 • 9 min

June. School's out, the sun is shining and most importantly, the Beige Book is here again! Among the Federal Reserve Banks, which gave the best anecdote about how the economy is doing?

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Are we entering a new dawn for antitrust enforcement?

June 8, 2022 • 8 min

For decades, antitrust agencies focused on the harm to consumers. But lately, the federal government has started paying more attention to anticompetitive behavior when it comes to workers. Could this be a major turning point for antitrust enforcement?

For more on monopsony, check out the paper referenced in the show: Monopsony in Labor Markets: A Meta-Analysis.

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The rocky road ahead for startups

June 7, 2022 • 9 min

What happens to the flow of venture capital when the market drops? We look at each player – from limited partners to venture capitalists to startups – and the choices they face when turbulent times are ahead.

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The lopsided market for higher ed

June 6, 2022 • 9 min

Ah, college... the classes, the parties, the debt. Is it still worth it? While most schools are seeing their enrollment decline, 'elite' schools are receiving a jump in applications.

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Behind the scenes of Jobs Friday

June 3, 2022 • 9 min

The United States added 390,000 jobs in May. Today, we go behind the scenes to find the surprisingly delightful secrets to how the Bureau of Labor Statistics collects that number.

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Home prices could fall, but is it a bubble?

June 2, 2022 • 9 min

Housing prices all over the country are rising at historic rates. Some are concerned about a housing bubble and crash like the one in 2008. So what's happening?

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How to get 20 million tons of grain out of Ukraine

June 1, 2022 • 8 min

Russia's blockade of Ukraine's seaports have stopped 20 million tons of grain from getting exported. Today, how Ukraine is trying to get its trapped grain to countries that rely on these crucial food supplies.

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The Indicator from Planet Money

Episodes

.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Russia's sanctions, graded

.css-r6mb8g{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:1;overflow:hidden;}The promise and peril of crypto for Black investors

The celebrity crypto nexus

Burgers in Russia, Juul vaporized, THE trademarked

Does Bitcoin have a grip on the economy?

What took the Fed so long?

The price of free stock trading

The housing shakeup

Going backwards on child poverty

Jerome Powell's ghosts

Securing the (Telfar) bag

Mergers, acquisitions and Elon's "rude" proposal

A macroeconomist walks into a bar fight

The Beigie Awards: The gallon is half full

Are we entering a new dawn for antitrust enforcement?

The rocky road ahead for startups

The lopsided market for higher ed

Behind the scenes of Jobs Friday

Home prices could fall, but is it a bubble?

How to get 20 million tons of grain out of Ukraine

Popular Podcasts

For You.css-1r2bfgw{margin:0 0 -2px 5px;}

Russia's sanctions, graded

The promise and peril of crypto for Black investors

For You