The Indicator from Planet Money
NPR
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.
Location:
United States
Networks:
NPR
Description:
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.
Language:
English
Episodes
The return of Chinese tourism?
1/31/2023
Chinese citizens are once again allowed to travel internationally and the global tourism industry is ready to welcome them with open arms. Why? Chinese tourism has meant big money in the past. In 2019, Chinese travelers spent a fifth of all tourist dollars. But a full rebound in Chinese tourism might be a ways off.
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Duration:00:09:30
Artists vs. AI
1/30/2023
Advancements in artificial intelligence are making replicating the work of artists much easier. Some artists are arguing that AI art generators have been breaking the law to do this. Today, we talk to an artist whose paintings are at the center of a class action.
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Duration:00:09:00
Indicators of the Week: tips, eggs and whisky
1/27/2023
Tips, eggs and whisky...it's a food edition of Indicators of the Week! We talk egg-spensive food costs and why at least one whisky drinker is upset with the maker of Fireball.
For more economics content, subscribe to Planet Money's weekly newsletter.
Duration:00:09:37
What's the deal with the platinum coin?
1/26/2023
Forget extraordinary measures. Today we're going full extra extraordinary. How a trillion-dollar platinum coin could get the country around the debt ceiling limit.
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Duration:00:09:41
Want a balanced federal budget? It'll cost you.
1/25/2023
The U.S. reached its debt ceiling last week, and some lawmakers say they won't raise it unless there are also cuts to balance the budget. The problem? That would mean 25% reductions everywhere.
For more economics content, subscribe to Planet Money's weekly newsletter.
Duration:00:09:05
A big bank's big mistake, explained
1/24/2023
One of the world's biggest banks acquires a promising tech company, and things go very, very wrong. It's a flashy tech startup story with some surprisingly low-tech twists and a web of alleged lies.
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Duration:00:09:46
The great turnaround in shipping
1/23/2023
Prices for shipping carriers have gone back down to 2019 price levels after record highs during the pandemic. So what does this mean for consumers and businesses who rely on international trade?
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Duration:00:08:16
Can China save its economy - and ours?
1/20/2023
What's up with China's GDP, what's down with China's population numbers, and what Marvel's return tells us. Indicators from China to bring in the Lunar New Year.
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org
Duration:00:09:45
Simon says we're stuck with the debt ceiling (Encore)
1/19/2023
The debt ceiling approaches. A congressional standoff ensues. It wasn't always this way. So where did the debt ceiling come from? And how do other countries control their debt?
This episode originally came out in October 2021.
Duration:00:08:54
Did AI write this headline?
1/18/2023
A chatbot that can do your homework for you? Sounds like every student's dream. But one college senior is building an app to call out the fakes.
For more HUMAN WRITTEN content like this, subscribe to Planet Money's weekly newsletter.
Duration:00:09:14
A chat with the president of the San Francisco Fed
1/17/2023
Today, a conversation with Mary Daly, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Her family faced the pain of high prices and a turbulent economy decades ago, so she dropped out of high school to earn money. That experience, she says, helps guide her today, as the Fed tries to bring down inflation without sparking a recession.
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Duration:00:10:18
CEO predictions, rural voters on the economy and IRS audits
1/13/2023
We comb through the surveys, polls, and reports so you don't have to! Three caught our attention for Indicators of the Week: one asking CEOs on whether we're headed for a recession, another on the economic challenges facing rural communities, and a report offering further evidence on the high audit rates of low-income workers.
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Duration:00:10:10
Jobs vs prices: the Fed's dueling mandates
1/12/2023
The Federal Reserve has a dual mandate: keeping prices stable (and inflation low) and promoting "maximum employment." But sometimes, as the Fed attacks one goal, it can potentially hurt the other. It's a dueling dual mandate.
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Duration:00:10:16
The pregnant workers fairness act, explained
1/11/2023
What happens if someone can't perform their job in the same way because of pregnancy? Until now, they could be sent home without pay – essentially lose their job. But a new law aims to change that, by requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnant people. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Duration:00:10:19
From Brexit to Regrexit
1/10/2023
In 2016, the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union. More than 6 years later, a majority of voters are feeling some buyer's remorse. Today, we cover what's changed since Brexit. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Duration:00:09:45
The precarity of the H-1B work visa
1/9/2023
Many sectors of the American economy depend on foreign nationals holding H-1B work visas for valuable skilled labor. But if a H-1B visa holder gets laid off, they're on their own.
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Duration:00:09:43
Jobs Friday: Why apprenticeships could make a comeback
1/6/2023
Apprenticeships: not just for medieval guilds, but also useful in today's tight labor market! More employers in fields such as healthcare are turning to apprenticeship programs to train new hires for critical roles.
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Duration:00:10:15
The never-ending strike
1/5/2023
The average labor strike lasts just over 40 days, but a union of coal miners in Alabama has been on strike for over a year and a half. Protesting for that long requires help, both from the community and the economy.
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Duration:00:09:39
Listener Questions: Airline tickets, grocery pricing and the Fed
1/4/2023
Dear listeners: You had questions, and we have answers! Today, we're digging into airline fares, buying in bulk at the supermarket and the Fed's wacky (?) district boundaries. It's a listener questions episode!
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Duration:00:10:06
How to keep your New Year's resolutions (Encore)
1/3/2023
This episode originally came out in January 2022. We're back with a new episode tomorrow!
It's a new year, and many people are excited for their fresh starts. But, it's no secret that following through with New Year's resolutions can be challenging. Today on the show, behavioral economist Katy Milkman shares her tips on how you can follow through.
Duration:00:09:45