NPR: Planet Money

You might notice we're looking a little refreshed thanks to our new podcast logo. Today on the show, we ask some marketing experts what goes into building a strong brand, and whether our own makeover hits the mark. Listeners, help us name our new Indi-Gator mascot! Email your suggestion to indicator@npr.org with "Indi-gator" in the subject line. Related episodes: How to make an ad memorable (Apple / Spotify) BRAND new friends For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

Countries all over the world are making big moves in monetary policies. From unexpected cuts to long-awaited hikes to a cautious cling to the status quo, this edition of Indicators of the Week has it all. Today, we explain the motivations for these drastically different approaches.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

It is rare that a new e-commerce company has such a meteoric rise as Temu. The company, which launched in the fall of 2022, has been flooding the American advertising market, buying much of the inventory of Facebook, Snapchat, and beyond. According to the market intelligence firm Sensor Tower, Temu is one of the most downloaded iPhone apps in the country, with around 50 million monthly active users.On today's show, we go deep on Temu: How does it work, how did it manage such a quick rise in the U.S., and what hints might it offer us about the future of retail? Plus, we'll talk to the bicycle-loving U.S. Representative who is working to shut down a loophole that has proved very helpful to Temu's swift ascent. This episode was hosted by Nick Fountain and Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi with reporting from Emily Feng. It was produced by Sam Yellowhorse Kesler and Emma Peaslee. It was edited by Keith Romer, fact-checked by Sierra Juarez, and engineered by Cena Loffredo. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer. Help support Planet Money and get bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.

Snowmaking has helped cover up the effects of climate change for a long time. But by the turn of the century, that started to change. A recent report shows US resorts are opening later, closing earlier, and taking a financial hit. For an industry that relies on snow, the threat is existential. Can ski resorts survive?Related Episodes: Ski resorts are welcoming winter storms The Backcountry BoomFor sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

The number of teenagers in the workforce today is at its highest level in about 20 years. At the same time, child labor violations are up and states are relaxing some protections for their youngest workers. On today's show, we examine the state of the Gen Z labor force, and the distinction between youth employment and child labor. Related episodes: Young, 'spoiled and miserable' in China (Apple / Spotify) Teenage (Employment) Wasteland For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

Steel manufacturing was at one point the most important industry in the United States. It was one of the biggest employers, a driver of economic growth, and it shaped our national security. Cars, weapons, skyscrapers... all needed steel.But in the second half of the 20th century, the industry's power started to decline. Foreign steel companies gained more market power and the established steel industry in the U.S. was hesitant to change and invest in newer technologies. But then, a smaller company took a chance and changed the industry. On today's episode: What can the fall of a once-great industry teach us about innovation and technology? And why you should never underestimate an underdog.This episode was hosted by Erika Beras and Mary Childs. It was produced by Willa Rubin and edited by Jess Jiang. It was engineered by Cena Loffredo. It was fact-checked by Sierra Juarez. Our executive producer is Alex Goldmark.Help support Planet Money and get bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.

The political pressure on TikTok continues to ratchet up. This week Biden administration officials are throwing their support behind legislation that would essentially give an ultimatum to TikTok's Chinese parent company ByteDance. Sell TikTok to another owner not controlled by a "foreign adversary" or be banned from US app stores.It's a big step towards an outcome that some high-ranking U.S. officials have desired for years. But why is there so much concern about TikTok, and just how likely is a ban? Today, a couple of TikTok creators talk about what a ban would mean for them, and NPR tech correspondent Bobby Allyn explains how we got where we are and what could be coming next. Related episodes:Is Project Texas enough to save TikTok? (Apple / Spotify)For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

The majority of European members of NATO are not spending as much on defense as they agreed to. But that may change as the European Union considers a move to a "war economy." Today, we examine what that means and what barriers to a "war economy" look like.Related episodes: The Military Industry ... It's ComplexAre we overpaying for military equipment? (Apple Podcasts / Spotify) Can Just-In-Time handle a new era of war? (Apple Podcasts / Spotify) How to transform a war economy for peacetime (Apple Podcasts / Spotify)For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

When you buy a bottle of rum in the United States, by law nearly all the federal taxes on that rum must be sent to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It's an unusual system that Congress designed decades ago to help fund these two U.S. territories. In 2021 alone, these rum tax payments added up to more than $700 million.Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands split the money according to how much rum each territory produces. And the territories produce a lot of it - especially Puerto Rico, which single handedly supplies the majority of the rum that Americans drink.But in 2008, the U.S. Virgin Islands pulled off a coup. It convinced one of the largest rum brands in the world, Captain Morgan, to abandon Puerto Rico and to shift its operations to the tiny island of St. Croix.This was the beginning of the Rum Wars.On today's show, the story of how a scheme designed to help Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands turned them into bitter rivals. And how it ended up putting hundreds of millions of dollars a year - U.S. taxpayer dollars - into the pockets of big liquor companies instead.This episode was hosted by Jeff Guo and Sarah Gonzalez. It was produced by James Sneed with help from Sam Yellowhorse Kesler. It was edited by Molly Messick, engineered by Cena Loffredo, and fact checked by Sierra Juarez. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer.Help support Planet Money and get bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.

It's Indicators of the Week, our up close and personal examination of economic headlines. Today we have three indicators from President Joe Biden's economic agenda. His budget proposals include fixes for childcare, home buying and hiking corporate taxes.Related episodes:Shopping for parental benefits around the world (Apple / Spotify) When mortgages are too low to give up (Apple / Spotify) Paying for the Inflation Reduction Act 'Dune: Part Two' is a grand spice opera For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

HOOAH! It's our first Beigie Award for 2024! The Beigie Award is back to recognize the regional Federal Reserve Bank with the best Beige Book entry. This edition's winner took us to the City of Brotherly Love, detailing how high home interest rates and low existing home sales in the area are financially affecting our buff brethren in arms: movers.

The wind power business is a bit contradictory right now. It's showing signs of boom and bust seemingly all at once. The story of wind energy markets in two acts today. First, the Gulf of Mexico saw its first-ever auction of leases for offshore wind this summer. It was another sign of the Biden administration's desire to get more renewable energy online as fast as possible. Expectations were high, but results did not deliver. Two of the three patches of sea didn't get any bids at all. Hidden in the flop for this auction are some keys to what it takes to spark a whole new market, quickly. Then, the booming side of wind power: the job that's projected to be the fastest-growing in the U.S. is wind turbine service technician. Is it a "good" job? Reporter Darian Woods suits up to see a green-collar job above the clouds for himself.Today's episode is adapted from episodes for Planet Money's daily show, The Indicator. Subscribe here. The original Indicator episodes were produced by Cooper Katz McKim and Julia Ritchey with engineering by Valentina Rodriguez Sanchez and James Willetts. They were fact-checked by Sierra Juarez and edited by Dave Blanchard and Kate Concannon. Help support Planet Money and get bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.

Cyberattacks are plaguing the healthcare industry. It's an expensive and dangerous trend that's on the rise. Today, we consider why hacking is surging right now, why healthcare companies are being targeted and what hackers want from them.Related episodes: Cracking the code on cyber insurance One hack to fool them all (Apple Podcasts / Spotify) How to launder $600 million on the internet (Apple Podcasts / Spotify) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

The introduction of brand new spot bitcoin ETFs has put bitcoin on a bit of a hot streak. Just this week, the price of bitcoin reached a record high of about $72,000 which is about 70% higher than it was a couple of months ago. So why exactly have these ETFs changed the perception around bitcoin so quickly? Today on the show, we talk with a Bitcoin believer and a skeptic to understand what exactly all the fuss is about for these bitcoin ETFs. Related episodes:WTF is a bitcoin ETF? (Apple / Spotify) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

There's been a disconnect between how the US economy is doing and how people actually feel about it. Maybe people are still burnt from when inflation was high, maybe it's the expensive cost of borrowing for a car or a mortgage, or maybe it's ... wait, are WE the problem?! Today we look in the mirror and find out if financial media contributes to negative economic sentiment.

The job that's projected to be the fastest-growing in the U.S. is wind turbine service technician. So we wanted to learn what they actually do. Today on the show, reporter Darian Woods travels to a windy corner of Maine for a day in the life of one of these green-collar jobs. Related episodes: Why offshore wind is facing headwinds (Apple / Spotify) A Man, a plan, wind power, Uruguay (Apple / Spotify) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

When you sit down to watch the Oscars, what you are really watching is the final battle in a months-long war of financial engineering and campaign strategy. Because in Hollywood, every year is an election year. A small army of Oscars campaign strategists help studios and streamers deploy tens of millions of dollars to sway Academy voters. And the signs of these campaigns are everywhere - from the endless celebrity appearances on late night TV to the billboards along your daily commute. On today's show, we hit the Oscars campaign trail to learn how these campaigns got so big in the first place. And we look into why Hollywood is still spending so much chasing gold statues, when the old playbook for how to make money on them is being rewritten. This episode was hosted by Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi. It was produced by Emma Peaslee and edited by Jess Jiang. It was engineered by Cena Loffredo and fact checked by Sierra Juarez. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer. Help support Planet Money and get bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.

Ukraine desperately needs money. And there's a tempting solution sitting in a Belgian financial institution: nearly $200 billion in frozen Russian assets. In today's episode, we learn about this unique depository where most of the Russian assets are stored and two proposals to get some of this money to Ukraine.Related episodes:The cost of a dollar in Ukraine (Apple / Spotify) Russia's sanctions, graded (Apple) Why Israel uses diaspora bonds (Apple / Spotify) Economic warfare vs. Fortress Russia For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

Dynamic pricing is an increasingly common phenomenon: You can see it when Uber prices surge during rainy weather, or when you're booking a flight at the last minute or buying tickets to your favorite superstar's concert. On an earnings call last week, Wendy's ignited a minor controversy by suggesting it would introduce dynamic pricing in its restaurants, but the company quickly clarified that it wasn't planning on using it for "surge pricing."One place you hardly ever see dynamic pricing? American supermarkets. Why is that? Why shouldn't the prices for meat or bread or produce go down as they get older? Why does all the milk in the store cost the same, even when the "sell by" dates are weeks apart? Wouldn't a little more flexibility around prices be better for customers and help reduce waste?Professors Robert Evan Sanders and Ioannis (Yannis) Stamatopoulus had similar questions. So they set out to discover what was keeping supermarkets from employing a more dynamic approach, and what might convince them it was time for a change ... in pricing.This episode was hosted by Amanda Aronczyk and Nick Fountain. It was produced by Willa Rubin and edited by Keith Romer. It was engineered by Valentina Rodriguez Sanchez and fact-checked by Sierra Juarez.

The rising cost of living and longer life expectancy is making it harder for Americans to retire comfortably. Millions of Americans are behind on saving for retirement and face the possibility of working in their old age. Economist Teresa Ghilarducci says she has a plan that could fix retirement in America. In her book, "Work, Retire, Repeat: The Uncertainty of Retirement in the New Economy," she proposes a few policies that she believes can help Americans currently struggling to retire. Today on the show, we talk to her about her ideas and why the current status quo is more serious than we think.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

The Securities and Exchange Commission is expected to issue new rules this week on how companies disclose their greenhouse gas emissions. This is part of a broader movement for more environmentally and socially conscious financial options, known as ESG investing. Today on the show, what the proposed climate disclosure rule says, why it's so controversial, and if it passes, what that'll mean for investors and the stock market. Related episodes:The OG of ESGs (Apple / Spotify) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

One estimate says 2.4 million people die in the U.S. each year, and burying them is expensive: a typical burial can cost about $10,000. That's a lot of money, caskets, and plots filling up cemeteries. But ... what if there was a cost-effective option to bury people, one that was good for the Earth and your pocket book? Today, we look at the prices and features of sustainable burials.

It's Indicators of the Week, our weekly look under the hood of the global economy! Today on the show: Tyler Perry halts his film studio expansion plans because of AI, Wendy's communications about a new pricing board goes haywire and a key inflation measure falls. Related episodes:Listener Questions: the 30-year fixed mortgage, upgrade auctions, PCE inflation (Apple / Spotify) AI creates, transforms and destroys... jobs (Apple / Spotify) The secret entrance that sidesteps Hollywood picket lines (Apple / Spotify) The Birth And Death Of The Price Tag For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

It is so expensive to have a kid in the United States. The U.S. is one of just a handful of countries worldwide with no federal paid parental leave; it offers functionally no public childcare (and private childcare is wildly expensive); and women can expect their pay to take a hit after becoming a parent. (Incidentally, men's wages tend to rise after becoming fathers.) But outside the U.S., many countries desperately want kids to be born inside their borders. One reason? Many countries are facing a looming problem in their population demographics: they have a ton of aging workers, fewer working-age people paying taxes, and not enough new babies being born to become future workers and taxpayers. And some countries are throwing money at the problem, offering parents generous benefits, even including straight-up cash for kids. So if the U.S. makes it very hard to have kids, but other countries are willing to pay you for having them....maybe you can see the opportunity here. Very economic, and very pregnant, host Mary Childs did. Which is why she went benefits shopping around the world. Between Sweden, Singapore, South Korea, Estonia, and Canada, who will offer her the best deal for her pregnancy?Help support Planet Money and get bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.

Israel has long raised money from individual supporters living overseas through a tool called diaspora bonds. This financing tool is part patriotic gift and part investment. Today, we look at how diaspora bonds work and how Israel is making use of them for its war effort.Related episodes: The Great Remittance Mystery Oil prices and the Israel-Hamas war (Apple / Spotify) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

Fundraising is a staple of the school experience in the U.S. There's an assembly showing off all the prizes kids can win by selling enough wrapping paper or chocolate to their neighbors. But it's pretty weird, right?Why do schools turn kids into little salespeople? And why do we let companies come in and dangle prizes in front of students?We spend a year with one elementary school, following their fundraising efforts, to see how much they raise, and what the money goes to. The school - Villacorta Elementary in La Puente, California - has one big goal: To raise enough money to send every single student on one field trip. The whole school hasn't been able to go on one in three years. We find out what the companies who run school fundraisers do to try to win a school's business. And we find that this bizarre tradition is ... surprisingly tactical. That's on today's episode. Today's show was hosted by Sarah Gonzalez and produced by Sam Yellowhorse Kesler. It was edited by Jess Jiang, fact checked by Sierra Juarez, and engineered by Valentina Rodriguez Sanchez. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer. Help support Planet Money and get bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.

From "Hot Labor Summer" to "Striketober," 2023 was another big year for workers joining picket lines. Today on the show, we'll dig into two recent reports that shed light on the state of labor unrest in the U.S.. We'll look at what industries are driving this trend, how workers are feeling about their jobs and what that says about the American labor movement.

Super Bowl ads this year relied heavily on nostalgia and surprise -- a few tricks that turn out to embed information into our brains. Today, neuroscientist Charan Ranganath joins the show to dissect the world of marketing to its biological fundamentals and reveal advertisers' bag of tricks. Charan Ranganath's new book is Why We Remember: Unlocking Memory's Power to Hold On to What Matters. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

Any day now, social media platform Reddit is expected to launch an initial public offering (IPO), earmarking shares for its most dedicated users. On today's show, our friends at WBUR podcast Endless Thread help us unpack why Reddit is making this move, and what it might mean for Reddit's stock. Related episodes: r/boxes, r/Reddit, r/AIregs (Apple / Spotify) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

Indicators of the week is back! This time, we explore why oil and gas companies are pulling in record profits, whether bad commercial property debt is likely to spark a financial crisis and how much a lost tooth goes for in this economy. Related EpisodesWhat could break next? (Apple / Spotify) What's really happening with the Evergrande liquidation (Apple / Spotify) How an empty office becomes a home For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

Reka Juhasz is a professor of economics at the University of British Columbia, and she studies what's known as industrial policy. That's the general term for whenever the government tries to promote specific sectors of the economy. The idea is that they might be able to supercharge growth by giving money to certain kinds of businesses, or by putting up trade barriers to protect certain industries. Economists have long been against it. Industrial policy has been called a "taboo" subject, and "one of the most toxic phrases" in economics. The mainstream view has been that industrial policy is inefficient, even harmful. For a long time, politicians largely accepted that view. But in the past several years, countries have started to embrace industrial policy-most notably in the United States. Under President Biden, the U.S. is set to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on industrial policy, to fund things like microchip manufacturing and clean energy projects. It's one of the most ambitious tests of industrial policy in U.S. history. And the billion dollar question is ... will it work? On today's show, Reka takes us on a fun, nerdy journey to explain the theory behind industrial policy, why it's so controversial, and where President Biden's big experiment might be headed.Help support Planet Money and get bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.

Next week, the US Supreme Court will hear a case that pits the Attorneys General of Texas and Florida against a trade group representing some of the biggest social media companies in the world. Today, how we got here, and now the case could upend our online experience.

Capital One Financial Corporation plans to acquire Discover Financial Services in a $35 billion deal that would combine two of the largest U.S. credit card companies. Today on the show, five big questions about the deal, and the opaque system behind every swipe, tap or insertion of your credit card. Related:Planet Money's TikTok on the secret behind credit card rewards For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

The Department of Defense's proposed budget for 2024 is $842 billion. That is about 3.5% of the U.S.'s GDP. The military buys everything from pens and paper clips to fighter jets and submarines. But the market for military equipment is very different from the commercial market.On today's episode, we're bringing you two stories from The Indicator's series on defense spending that explore that market. As the U.S. continues to send weapons to Ukraine and Israel, we first look at why defense costs are getting so high. Then, we dive into whether bare-bones manufacturing styles are leaving the U.S. military in a bind.The original Indicator episodes were produced by Cooper Katz McKim with engineering from Maggie Luthar and James Willetts. It was fact-checked by Sierra Juarez and Angel Carreras. They were edited by Kate Concannon and Paddy Hirsch. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer. Help support Planet Money and get bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.

In business, the million-dollar question is how to get people to buy stuff. But in wildlife conservation, the challenge is: how do we get people to not buy stuff? How do we bring down demand for fur, ivory and rhino horns? Today on the show, the story of a business trying to make lab-grown rhino horns and the backlash that followed. Check out more of Juliana Kim's reporting for NPR here. Related: Supply, demand, extinction (Apple / Spotify) Rhino Bonds Shooting Bambi to Save Mother Nature For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

It's Indicators of the Week - our weekly look under the hood of our global economy. Today we look at why cocoa prices are soaring, whether India's electoral bonds are bad for democracy and how a typo sent Lyft shares (briefly) soaring. Related: Cocoa prices hit a 47-year high before Valentine's Day Can India become the next high-tech hub? (Apple / Spotify) Lyft going public: The dual-class share dilemma Big donors and pay-to-play politicsFor sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

The Genco Picardy is not an American ship. It doesn't pay U.S. taxes, none of its crew are U.S. nationals, and when it sailed through the Red Sea last month, it wasn't carrying cargo to or from an American port. But when the Houthis, a tribal militant group from Yemen, attacked the ship, the crew called the U.S. Navy. That same day, the Navy fired missiles at Houthi sites.On today's show: How did protecting the safe passage of other countries' ships in the Red Sea become a job for the U.S. military? It goes back to an idea called Freedom of the Seas, an idea that started out as an abstract pipe dream when it was coined in the early 1600s - but has become a pillar of the global economy. This episode was hosted by Alex Mayyasi and Nick Fountain. It was produced by Sam Yellowhorse Kesler, edited by Molly Messick, fact-checked by Sierra Juarez, and engineered by Valentina Rodriguez Sanchez, with help from Maggie Luthar. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer. Help support Planet Money and get bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.

In 2023, The Federal Reserve and other banking regulators announced they were making changes to how they grade banks on servicing local communities. This all stems from a 1977 law called the Community Reinvestment Act, which was designed to encourage banks to better meet the needs of moderate and low-income borrowers. However, major banking trade groups weren't too excited about the new rules and filed a lawsuit against the banking regulators last week. Today on the show, we explain the history of racist housing policies in the United States and how that history informs the banks' fight with the government today.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

L, is for the way you Listen to Planet MoneyO, is for the Only podcast I hearV, is Very, very, fiduciaryE, is for... ECONOMICS! Every February, we dedicate a show to the things in our lives that have been giving us butterflies. Whether it's an obscure online marketplace or a piece of stunt journalism that made us green with envy. And then we go out into the world to proclaim our love...in the form of a Valentine. And we have a great roster this Valentine's Day:- A grocery store in Los Angeles with the very best produce - A woodworking supply company with an innovative approach to... innovation!- A basketball player that makes a strong case for taking risky shots- A book that catalogues the raw materials that shape our world- A play that connects the 2008 financial crisis to the sale of the island of Manhattan in the 1600s- And, a podcast that turns corporate intrigue into watercooler chit-chatSo cozy up with a special someone and hand them the second earbud as we take you through our 2024 Valentines!Help support Planet Money and get bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.

Egypt's economy is facing its worst crisis in decades. The situation could further destabilize the Middle East if it goes unresolved. Now, the International Monetary Fund is working with Egyptian leadership to figure out another deal for a multi-billion dollar loan ... but will it be enough? Today, we look at how Egypt has fallen into economic crisis and whether its economy is too big to fail.Related episodes:What could convince Egypt to take in Gaza's refugees? (Apple / Spotify)Red Sea tensions spell trouble for global supply chains (Apple / Spotify)For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

Roses are red. Violets are blue. We have another Indicator Quiz for you! Today's episode tests one loyal listener on their econ knowledge about our recent defense series, and they give us their best Valentine's Day cocktail recommendation. Play along with us and see how you do! Are you interested in being a contestant on our next Indicator Quiz? Email us your name, city and phone number to indicator@npr.org and put "Indicator Quiz" in the subject line. Related episodes:Can Just-In-Time handle a new era of war? (Apple / Spotify) Are we overpaying for military equipment? (Apple / Spotify) How to transform a war economy from peacetime (Apple / Spotify) How to transform a war economy from peacetime (Apple / Spotify) How the world economy could react to escalation in the Middle East (Apple / Spotify) How niche brands got into your grocery store (Apple / Spotify) WTF is a bitcoin ETF (Apple / Spotify) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

Investors in dating app companies are suffering from heartbreak. As these companies shift gears and try to make a profit, many of their users are heartbroken too.

Investors in dating app companies are suffering from heartbreak. As these companies shift gears and try to make a profit, many of their users are heartbroken too.

China is in the economic doldrums in part due to its slumping real estate market. And one of the largest property developers in mainland China is a huge part of the story. Evergrande is drowning in about $300 billion of debt. And after months of attempting to restructure, one of its entities is now being forced to liquidate. We look at what that means and how the Chinese economy will be affected. Related episodes:China's weakening economy in two Indicators (Apple / Spotify) Tumbling Chinese stocks and rapid Chipotle hiring (Apple / Spotify) The mess at the heart of China's economy (Apple / Spotify) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

It is Friday, and Indicators of the Week is back - SUPER Edition. Today, what one New York bank's shakiness means for the wider economy, why Mexican imports in the US are super surging, and the T. Swift effect on the Super Bowl. Related Episodes:Economics, boosternomics and Swiftnomics (Apple/Spotify)Does the U.S. have too many banks? (Apple/Spotify) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

Keith King was upset when his marriage ended. His wife had cheated, and his family broke apart. And that's when he learned about a very old type of lawsuit, called a heart balm tort. A lawsuit that would let him sue the man his now ex-wife had gotten involved with during their marriage.On this episode, where heart balm torts came from, what relationships looked like back then, and why these lawsuits still exist today (in some states, anyway.) And also, what happened when Keith King used a heart balm tort to try to deal with the most significant economic entanglement of his life: his marriage.This episode was hosted by Erika Beras and Sarah Gonzalez. It was produced by Emma Peaslee and edited by Molly Messick. It was fact-checked by Sierra Juarez and engineered by Gilly Moon. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer. Help support Planet Money and get bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.

For decades, Saudi Arabia's economy has been defined by its abundant oil reserves. Its ability to influence global oil supply propelled Saudi Arabia to one of the richest countries in the world. The Saudi royal family became important players on the world stage. However, waning dominance in the oil market is forcing the Saudi government to think differently about its reliance on the commodity.Today on the show, we explain Saudi Arabia's fantastical vision for its future and how the government is using its present influence in the oil market to fund it.Related episodes:Why oil in Guyana could be a curseFor sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

WeWork, DraftKings, Lucid Motors. These are a few companies that have taken an untraditional route to go public through something called SPACs or special purpose acquisition companies. The obscure investment vehicle took off during the pandemic, but has since fallen back to earth. Today, we consider the rise and fall of SPACs and how recent rule changes will affect these deals.Related episodes: The SPAC is backFor sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

There are tons of markets that don't exist because people just don't want to allow a market - for whatever reason, people feel icky about putting a price on something. For example: Surrogacy is a legal industry in parts of the United States, but not in much of the rest of the world. Assisted end-of-life is a legal medical transaction in some states, but is illegal in others.When we have those knee-jerk reactions and our gut repels us from considering something apparently icky, economics asks us to look a little more closely. Today on the show, we have three recommendations of things that may feel kinda wrong but economics suggests may actually be the better way. First: Could the matching process of organ donation be more efficient if people could buy and sell organs? Then: Should women seek revenge more often in the workplace? And finally, what if insider trading is actually useful? This episode was hosted by Mary Childs and Greg Rosalsky. It was produced by Willa Rubin and edited by Jess Jiang. It was engineered by Cena Loffredo. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer.Help support Planet Money and get bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.

The singer and songwriter behind Planet Money's "Inflation" song has passed away.