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
August 8, 2025 • 9 mins
It's ... Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.
On today's episode: Palantir crosses a billion dollars in quarterly revenue (what do they actually do again?); mRNA vaccine research gets a big cut in RFK Jr's health department; and a climate disaster database gets a new lease on life.
Related episodes:
How Palantir, the secretive tech company, is ...
On today's episode: Palantir crosses a billion dollars in quarterly revenue (what do they actually do again?); mRNA vaccine research gets a big cut in RFK Jr's health department; and a climate disaster database gets a new lease on life.
Related episodes:
How Palantir, the secretive tech company, is ...
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August 7, 2025 • 9 mins
President Trump's new round of tariffs took effect today. It will bring in billions of dollars to the government, in part paid for by U.S. importers who can decide whether to pass that cost onto American families. But are these tariffs legal?
Today on the show, the arguments for and against the president's tariffs and what happens to that tariff revenue if Trump loses.
Related episodes:
Trump's tariff role mode...
Today on the show, the arguments for and against the president's tariffs and what happens to that tariff revenue if Trump loses.
Related episodes:
Trump's tariff role mode...
Mark as Played
August 6, 2025 • 9 mins
Why do revisions to the jobs report happen? Today on the show, we speak with a former Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics about why revisions occur and how we should interpret the monthly report's actual message.
Related episodes:
Can we still trust the monthly jobs report? (Update)
What really goes on at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (Update)
How you're using AI at work
For sponsor-free ep...
Related episodes:
Can we still trust the monthly jobs report? (Update)
What really goes on at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (Update)
How you're using AI at work
For sponsor-free ep...
Mark as Played
August 5, 2025 • 7 mins
Since his return to office, President Trump has waged something of a pressure campaign on economic data and the people in charge of delivering it. His firing of the Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner following a weak jobs report now has some wondering: can we still trust the official numbers? Today on the show, we're resharing our conversation with former BLS commissioner, Erica Groshen on her current fears for the integrity o...
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August 4, 2025 • 9 mins
On Friday, we reported on the latest jobs numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which showed weaker than expected growth. On Friday afternoon, President Trump fired the person in charge of those numbers.
The monthly jobs report is a critical tool for the economy, used by businesses to make decisions and the Federal Reserve to set rates. So how exactly are those figures collected? Today, we're re-airing our behind-t...
The monthly jobs report is a critical tool for the economy, used by businesses to make decisions and the Federal Reserve to set rates. So how exactly are those figures collected? Today, we're re-airing our behind-t...
Mark as Played
August 1, 2025 • 9 mins
AI is a hot topic for both employers and employees in the workforce. That's why we wanted to hear from our listeners about how they are using AI at work. Today on the show, we explore the good, the bad and the ugly of AI in the workplace.
Related episodes:
Is AI overrated?
Is AI underrated?
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus...
Related episodes:
Is AI overrated?
Is AI underrated?
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus...
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July 31, 2025 • 9 mins
The Fed is on the hook for an estimated one-and-a-half trillion dollars. Despite the recent headlines, that's not because of building renovations. It's a much larger cost blowout caused by big actions taken during the pandemic to help the economy: quantitative easing.
Today on the show, we talk to both a critic of these actions and someone who helped put those those actions in play.
Learn more about sponsor messa...
Today on the show, we talk to both a critic of these actions and someone who helped put those those actions in play.
Learn more about sponsor messa...
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July 30, 2025 • 9 mins
Private equity is a risky business. There are high-highs and low-lows. A retirement plan, on the other hand, is meant to be a reliable beast. But President Trump believes your 401(k) can handle it! On today's show, the president's expected executive order could help offer some legal cover for fund managers who include private equity in your retirement portfolio. What are the risks and benefits?
Related episodes:
The Pru...
Related episodes:
The Pru...
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July 29, 2025 • 9 mins
BRICS is an economic alliance of countries that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa and several other nations. They met earlier this month to discuss everything from international law to global health. President Trump, however, is not a fan of BRICS and threatened members with increased tariffs.
So why has this alliance generated so much animosity from the President? Today on the show, we talk to the econo...
So why has this alliance generated so much animosity from the President? Today on the show, we talk to the econo...
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July 28, 2025 • 9 mins
Baby bond fever is catching on. In recent years, states like Connecticut have been experimenting with giving newborns government-seeded accounts that grow tax-free until they are 18. Now, President Trump's signature tax and spending bill will give a thousand dollars to every U.S.-born baby through 2028. On today's show, what are baby bonds and could they help tackle wealth inequality?
Related:
Baby bonds, proportional...
Related:
Baby bonds, proportional...
Mark as Played
July 25, 2025 • 9 mins
It's ... Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.
On today's episode: Nigeria gets a GDP surprise, Magic the Gathering mutes tariff impact for Hasbro, and Bitcoin reaches record highs following the passage of the GENIUS Act.
Related episodes:
How stable is Stablecoin? (Apple / Spotify)
Episode 609: The Curse Of The Black Lotus
For sp...
On today's episode: Nigeria gets a GDP surprise, Magic the Gathering mutes tariff impact for Hasbro, and Bitcoin reaches record highs following the passage of the GENIUS Act.
Related episodes:
How stable is Stablecoin? (Apple / Spotify)
Episode 609: The Curse Of The Black Lotus
For sp...
Mark as Played
July 24, 2025 • 9 mins
It's the Beigie Awards, our eight times a year salute to the art and science of telling stories about the economy. The most recent Beige Book shows that Americans are finding ways to spend less money ... including on their vacations. On today's show, we find out what Benjamin Franklin and Jersey Beach goers have in common.
Related episodes:
How many times can you say uncertainty in one economic report?
Trump's cuts c...
Related episodes:
How many times can you say uncertainty in one economic report?
Trump's cuts c...
Mark as Played
July 23, 2025 • 9 mins
The quintessential American economic myth is that the free market picks winners and losers. But the federal government has long had a role in this equation, from the current administration all the way back to the Great Depression. Today on the show, we uncover the history of the country's national investment bank, which shaped the relationship between the government and the market in ways that are still felt today.
Check o...
Check o...
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July 22, 2025 • 8 mins
Despite presidential saber rattling and huge tariff threats, the U.S. stock market keeps reaching record highs. Why?
Today we sit down with the man who coined the acronym TACO (Trump Always Chickens Out) and chew through several hypotheses. (Over tacos, of course.)
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Today we sit down with the man who coined the acronym TACO (Trump Always Chickens Out) and chew through several hypotheses. (Over tacos, of course.)
Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices
NPR Privacy Policy
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July 21, 2025 • 8 mins
Once upon a time, the states had a thriving tinned fish market. Like a lot of U.S. manufacturing though, that's been lost. But sardines are having a moment right now and that may help a growing effort to resurrect this lost industry.
Related episodes:
Why do shrimpers like tariffs (Apple / Spotify)
When a staple becomes a luxury (Apple / Spotify)
We're gonna need a bigger boat-building industry (Apple / Spotify)...
Related episodes:
Why do shrimpers like tariffs (Apple / Spotify)
When a staple becomes a luxury (Apple / Spotify)
We're gonna need a bigger boat-building industry (Apple / Spotify)...
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July 20, 2025 • 14 mins
To cap off our weeklong series on all things Hollywood, we're going to have a little fun! Tune in to hear Adrian, Darian and Wailin battle it out as they try to name movies based on cryptic descriptions of the businesses featured in them. You can play along!
Related episodes:
When is cosplay a crime?
The story of China and Hollywood's big-screen romance
Why aren't filmmakers shooting in LA?
Before La La Land th...
Related episodes:
When is cosplay a crime?
The story of China and Hollywood's big-screen romance
Why aren't filmmakers shooting in LA?
Before La La Land th...
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July 18, 2025 • 2 mins
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Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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July 18, 2025 • 9 mins
The movies come to Indicators of the Week. We dig into why one film is letting you reserve tickets a whole year in advance, what ticket prices might tell us about tariffs and inflation, and how Los Angeles might be cutting back on the red tape when it comes to making movies there.
Related episodes:
Why aren't filmmakers shooting in LA? (Apple / Spotify)
The story of China and Hollywood's big-screen romance (Apple ...
Related episodes:
Why aren't filmmakers shooting in LA? (Apple / Spotify)
The story of China and Hollywood's big-screen romance (Apple ...
Mark as Played
July 17, 2025 • 9 mins
Cosplay—or dressing up as your favorite character from pop culture—is fun! But it can fall into a legal gray area when it comes to companies' intellectual property.
Today on the show: a group of cosplayers, Lucasfilm(!), a lawyer, and finding economic symbiosis in order to express yourself.
Related episodes:
Before La La Land there was Fort Lee, New Jersey (Apple / Spotify)
Why aren't filmmakers shooting i...
Today on the show: a group of cosplayers, Lucasfilm(!), a lawyer, and finding economic symbiosis in order to express yourself.
Related episodes:
Before La La Land there was Fort Lee, New Jersey (Apple / Spotify)
Why aren't filmmakers shooting i...
Mark as Played
July 16, 2025 • 9 mins
No country can come close to the amount of money Americans spend at the box office each year ... that is, until China came along. The US and Chinese film industries have a long intertwined history, with shifting power dynamics.
Today on the show, we continue our week-long look at the movie business as we explore the on-and-off romance between Hollywood and China's film industries.
Related episodes:
Why aren't...
Today on the show, we continue our week-long look at the movie business as we explore the on-and-off romance between Hollywood and China's film industries.
Related episodes:
Why aren't...
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