The Indicator from Planet Money

Can you tell me how to get... how to get to Indicators of the Week? This week's econ roundup looks at Target's sagging sales, Klarna's pay-later problem, and Sesame Street's new streaming address. Related: When do boycotts work? (Apple / Spotify) Buy now, pay dearly? For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Just before Trump began his second administration in January, he and his business partners launched the $TRUMP coin. It's a meme coin that quickly raked in hundreds of millions of dollars. And there's a lot of earning potential still left on the table. Is any of this legal? Today on the show, we examine how the $TRUMP coin works and talk to an expert about how the president's meme coin gambit interacts with the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the Constitution. Related episodes: How the memecoin game is played Did Trump enable insider trading? For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

President Donald Trump wants more products made in America, and he's not afraid of a few trade wars to make it happen. Back in the 80s, a different trade dispute brought new manufacturing to the U.S. Today on the show, how former President Ronald Reagan used the threat of trade protectionism to bring car-making stateside, and why the same strategy might not work today.Related episodes:The tensions behind the sale of U.S. Steel (Apple / Spotify)Tariffs: What are they good for? (Apple / Spotify)For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

We are back to answer your questions, listeners. Today on the show, we tackle three big questions: Are airport lounges worth it for credit card companies? How effective have carbon taxes been for Canada? Why is gasoline getting more expensive over the last few months as the price of crude oil has sunk? If you want to submit your OWN question to be considered in a future episode, send us a message at indicator@npr.org. Related episodes:Can cap and trade work in the US? (Apple / Spotify) A Quick History Of Slow Credit Cards Breaking down the price of gasoline (Apple / Spotify) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

All of us negotiate — whether it's accepting a job offer, buying a house or working out who does the dishes. Economist Daryl Fairweather has a new book out: Hate the Game: Economic Cheat Codes for Life, Love, and Work. It's all about the negotiation lessons she's learned through the research, her own career and Destiny's Child. Related episodes: What women want (to invest in)A conversation with Nobel laureate Claudia Goldin (Update) Summer School 7: Negotiating and the empathetic nibble For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

It's ... Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news. On today's episode: Japanese asset buyers make it rain, an iPhone ... powered by the brain?! And, how are we going to pay for these Trump tax cuts? We explain! Related episodes:What's going to happen to the Trump tax cuts? (Apple / Spotify) Slender Starbucks, Medicaid at risk, and the gold card visa (Apple / Spotify)For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In early April, the bond market gave people a scare. Investors began selling off their historically secure U.S. Treasuries in large quantities. It reportedly encouraged President Trump to pause his flurry of liberation day tariffs. These jitters offered a glimpse into what could go wrong for U.S. Treasuries if economic uncertainty gets worse. On today's show, we take a peek at some nightmare scenarios for the bond market.Related episodes:Who's advising Trump on trade (Apple / Spotify)IRS information sharing, bonds bust, and a chorebot future (Apple / Spotify)Bond vigilantes. Who they are, what they want, and how you'll know they're coming (Apple / Spotify)Is the reign of the dollar over? (Apple / Spotify)For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The U.S. is known around the world for its problem with gun violence. The vast majority of murders in the U.S. are committed using guns. But what leads one person to shoot another? The "conventional wisdom" says gun violence is usually the act of calculated criminals or people acting out of desperate economic circumstances. But economist Jens Ludwig believes the conventional wisdom is wrong. Today on the show, he explains why he believes many of us fundamentally misunderstand the problem of gun violence and how behavioral economics reveals some potential solutions. Jens's new book detailing his research into gun violence is called "Unforgiving Places: The Unexpected Origins of American Gun Violence".Related episodes:Can credit card codes help address gun violence? The money going into and out of gun stocksGuns and The Trump SlumpFor sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Where does NPR get its funding? Today on the show, we open our books and share a brief history of public radio. And we learn what's at stake with President Trump's executive order to cut off federal funding to NPR. Under NPR's protocol for reporting on itself, no corporate official or news executive reviewed this story before it was posted publicly. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Robots have been a thing for a long time, but they've never quite met expectations. While AI has changed the game for chatbots, it's not quite so clear for robots. NPR science desk correspondent Geoff Brumfiel spoke to our colleagues over on our science podcast Short Wave on how humanoid robots are actually developing with the help of artificial intelligence. It was a fascinating discussion and so we are sharing that conversation with you today on the Indicator. Related episodes: Is AI underrated? (Apple / Spotify) Is AI overrated? (Apple / Spotify) Dial M for Mechanization (Apple / Spotify) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

It's ... Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news. On today's episode: China bulks up for a financial chill, how much Americans should save for a rainy day, and the price of used cars goes up.Related episodes:America's small GDP bump, China's big stimulus dispersal, and a Monkey King (Apple / Spotify)How nonprofits get cash from your clunker (Apple / Spotify)IRS information sharing, bonds bust, and a chorebot future (Apple / Spotify)For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

President Trump has flirted with firing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell since returning to office, but can he legally do that? Not without good cause. Today on the show, the danger of Trump's amped up attacks on Powell and the Fed's independence. Follow Chris Hughes on Substack. Related listening: A primer on the Federal Reserve's Independence (Apple / Spotify) Arthur Burns: shorthand for Fed failure? For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Many businesses are scared of what President Trump's tariffs will mean for their industry. However, the shrimping industry is one that doesn't seem to be worried. In fact, shrimpers say they welcome them. On today's episode, why shrimpers are embracing the tariffs and whether economists agree that this tariff is good for Americans.Related episodes:Tariffied! We check in on businesses (Apple / Spotify)Go ask ALICE about grocery prices (Apple / Spotify)What the cluck is happening with egg prices? (Apple / Spotify)For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Two American farmers tell us how they're feeling about a trade war that targets the soybean industry's biggest customer: China. Related episodes: How many times can you say uncertainty in one economic report? (Apple / Spotify) Why Trump's potential tariffs are making business owners anxious (Apple / Spotify)For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Beigie Awards are back to recognize the regional Federal Reserve Bank with the best Beige Book entry. On today's episode, we shine a spotlight on a Midwest food bank. Related episodes: Why Midwest crop farmers are having a logistics problem (Apple / Spotify)How many times can you say uncertainty in one economic report? (Apple / Spotify) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

President Trump's federal cuts and scrutiny of academic institutions are forcing some U.S. scientists to head for the border. On today's show, an entomologist keeping America's farms safe from pests reconsiders America. And a CEO of a Canadian hospital explains how they are benefiting from the exodus. Related episodes: How much international students matter to the economy (Apple / Spotify) What happens when billions of dollars in research funding goes away (Apple / Spotify) A 'Fork in the Road' for federal employees (Apple / Spotify) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Many international students are rethinking their education in the United States as the federal government revokes visas, often over minor infractions. A shift away could carry a heavy economic toll, as international students contributed $44 billion to the U.S. economy last school year. So what happens when a generation of bright-eyed scholars decide to forgo school in the U.S. and take their dollars elsewhere?Related episodes:Do immigrants really take jobs and lower wages? (Apple / Spotify)The long view of economics and immigration (Two Indicators) (Apple / Spotify)For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Stablecoins are the latest digital asset to grab headlines. Congress is considering legislation around the cryptocurrency, and a Trump family-affiliated company is preparing to launch its own Stablecoin. But does this digital currency live up to its own name? Related episodes:What's this about a crypto reserve? (Apple / Spotify) Is 'government crypto' a good idea? (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. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

As the U.S. goes head-to-head with the rest of the world on tariffs, those countries are trying to figure out their best diplomatic strategy. One dilemma countries have is how close they get with another global superpower: China. On today's show, we hear from Pakistan's Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb about how the country is balancing trade relations with both countries.Related episodes: China's trade war perspective (Apple / Spotify) Dealmaker Don v. Tariff Man Trump (Apple / Spotify) Who's advising Trump on trade? (Apple / Spotify) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

For weeks, Target has been the subject of a boycott after its decision to pull back on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. And early data shows it's taken a toll on the company. But in other instances, boycotts haven't made much of a splash. Today on the show, when does a boycott actually make a difference?Related episodes:SPAM strikes back (Apple / Spotify) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Fact-checking by Tyler Jones. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy