Platypus Economics with Justin Wolfers

Elon Musk’s $474 million in midterm spending looks enormous—until you compare it with what he had riding on the result. On Diving In, Justin Wolfers estimates that Musk’s Tesla and SpaceX holdings lost roughly $70 billion relative to their expected market performance. He flags the uncertainty, especially around SpaceX, and distinguishes the election-night surprise from the much larger financial stakes across different congressional outcomes.Subscribe:on YouTube 👉 https://youtube.com/platypuseconomicson Substack 👉 https://newsletter.platypuseconomics.comthe Podcast 👉 https://platypuseconomics.com/podcastFollow on Social Media @PlatypusEconomics and @JustinWolfers

What does the October jobs report mean for your paycheck and your next career move?Your next raise may depend on your alternatives, not just your loyalty. Justin shows how outside offers create bargaining power, why employers can reward good work without waiting for a resignation threat, and how scarce AI skills can give you leverage. If your employer isn’t valuing you, his advice is to look elsewhere.No outside offer needed to get more economics—subscribe:on YouTube 👉 https://youtube.com/platypuseconomicson Substack 👉 https://newsletter.platypuseconomics.comthe Podcast 👉 https://platypuseconomics.com/podcastFollow on Social Media @PlatypusEconomics and @JustinWolfers

The October jobs report delivered 165,000 new payroll jobs against forecasts of just 60,000. On Diving In, Justin Wolfers explains why that surprise—and upward revisions lifting the three-month average to 137,000—points to an improving labor market.Subscribe:on YouTube 👉 https://youtube.com/platypuseconomicson Substack 👉 https://newsletter.platypuseconomics.comthe Podcast 👉 https://platypuseconomics.com/podcastFollow on Social Media @PlatypusEconomics and @JustinWolfers

What did the midterm elections reveal about the economy—and your household budget?Justin Wolfers examines the Democratic sweep through a puzzle: how can the economy grow while people feel so anxious? He contrasts GDP growth of 3.4% at an annual rate with record-low University of Michigan consumer sentiment. His argument is that distrust of economic leadership helps explain the gap—and the vote against the party in power. He also explains what prediction markets saw coming, and why picking the winner doesn't necessarily make a poll accurate.Subscribe:on YouTube 👉 https://youtube.com/platypuseconomicson Substack 👉 https://newsletter.platypuseconomics.comthe Podcast 👉 https://platypuseconomics.com/podcastFollow on Social Media @PlatypusEconomics and @JustinWolfers

Why did the Fed hold interest rates, and what is it waiting for?Justin Wolfers makes a crucial distinction about the Fed’s decision to hold interest rates: there can be a strong case for delaying a hike, but waiting to see September’s hike in next month’s inflation numbers is a weak one. Monetary policy works with delays, and a quarter-point move is hard to isolate amid everything else happening in the economy.For a little less forward silence in your feed, subscribe:on YouTube 👉 https://youtube.com/platypuseconomicson Substack 👉 https://newsletter.platypuseconomics.comthe Podcast 👉 https://platypuseconomics.com/podcastFollow on Social Media @PlatypusEconomics and @JustinWolfers