Podcast · 542 episodes
The Indicator from Planet Money, page 5
by NPR · English
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. Sign up for our newsletter. Support public media by joining NPR+ at plus.npr.org. You’ll get perks for over 25 NPR podcasts, including bonus episodes for Planet Money and sponsor-free listening for The Indicator.
All episodes, page 5
It's come to this: Human certification in the age of AI slopHow novelist Ned Hayes created “Human Intelligence,” a standardized certification (the “H” logo) to prove artworks are human-made and distinguish them from AI “slop,” using draft/document…20 May 2026 · 10 min · 8 chapters
Why GLP-1s aren't lowering employers' costsWhether employer coverage of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs (Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound) lowers employers’ health-care costs.19 May 2026 · 10 min · 5 chapters
Taiwan arms sales, Board of Trade, and ChinamaxxingThe episode explains three takeaways from President Trump’s meeting with Xi Jinping: (1) why Xi prioritized about $11B in U.S.18 May 2026 · 9 min · 3 chapters
GameStop rejected, a troubling loan trend, and no to pre-IPO AI sharesThree “Indicators of the Week” stories: GameStop’s rejected bid for eBay, a rise in personal-loan use for everyday bills, and warnings against buying pre-IPO tokens tied to OpenAI/Anthropic.15 May 2026 · 9 min · 3 chapters
How Trump's central bank beef could hurt the economyInflation is rising (3.8% year over year), while President Trump’s administration is reshaping Federal Reserve leadership, raising fears the Fed’s independence—and thus economic stability—could be…14 May 2026 · 9 min · 4 chapters
Should NATO be pay-to-protect?Whether NATO should be “pay-to-protect,” amid strained U.S.-European relations after the Pentagon pulled some troops from Germany.13 May 2026 · 9 min · 3 chapters
Prediction markets are threatening national security. Who's gonna fix it?Prediction markets’ insider-trading and national-security risks, and how to regulate them without killing their economic value. Guests: Darian Woods and Ricky Mulvey (Planet Money hosts).12 May 2026 · 9 min · 4 chapters
The new AI model that could steal your life savingsThe episode asks whether money is still safe in bank accounts as AI gets more powerful. It centers on Anthropic’s unreleased model Claude Mythos and the U.S.11 May 2026 · 9 min · 6 chapters
Trump crypto, Trump ballroom and Trump dronesThe Indicator episode scrutinizes alleged conflicts of interest involving President Trump, focusing on three deals: crypto, construction, and defense.7 May 2026 · 9 min · 4 chapters
When will the Iran war hit food prices?Forecasting how an Iran war could raise U.S. grocery prices, focusing on timing, magnitude, and which foods would be hit first.6 May 2026 · 8 min · 5 chapters
How your bank account might predict dementiaNew research suggests financial well-being declines about six years before a dementia diagnosis, driven by impaired financial decision-making rather than lost income or intentional spending down.5 May 2026 · 10 min · 5 chapters
How taxing the wealthy could workThe episode explains how federal tax policy could raise taxes on very wealthy people while cutting federal income taxes for low- and middle-income workers.4 May 2026 · 8 min · 3 chapters
Polymarket bots, lithium found: lots!, marathon shoe thoughtsThree-part “Indicators of the Week” covering (1) who profits from Polymarket prediction-betting, (2) a major US lithium find in Appalachia, and (3) economics/psychology of high-tech marathon shoes.1 May 2026 · 9 min · 3 chapters
The UAE wants a dollar lifelineThe episode says the UAE, a wealthy Gulf ally hosting Dubai, has requested a U.S. currency swap line to access dollars during energy-shock fallout from the Middle East war. U.S.30 Apr 2026 · 9 min · 4 chapters
The new economic arms raceHow modern “economic warfare” uses financial and supply-chain choke points instead of naval blockades, creating a new economic arms race.29 Apr 2026 · 9 min · 4 chapters
Jan. 6ers already got pardoned. Will they get their money back too?Whether pardoned Jan. 6 defendants can get their paid fines back, and how U.S. law treats pardons, Treasury money, and “voided” convictions.28 Apr 2026 · 9 min · 6 chapters
Premium and affordable products are having a momentThe episode is about the “barbell effect” in consumer spending: demand is strong for premium and budget goods, while middle-tier products are flat.27 Apr 2026 · 8 min · 5 chapters
The Devil Wears Prada Index, SNAP, and flight cancellationsEconomic indicators of the week—airline flight cancellations from higher jet fuel prices, SNAP participation declines after federal cuts, and how luxury fashion prices changed since The Devil Wears…24 Apr 2026 · 9 min · 3 chapters
How to get your tariff cash backThe episode explains how U.S. Customs will refund illegal Trump-era tariffs after a Supreme Court ruling.23 Apr 2026 · 9 min · 3 chapters
The Iran war puts the petrodollar regime to the testThe “petrodollar” system—how oil priced in U.S. dollars and “petrodollar recycling” into U.S.22 Apr 2026 · 9 min · 3 chapters
Corporate landlords aren't the real villainWhether “corporate landlords” (institutional investors) are the real villain behind high housing costs, and what the 21st Century Road to Housing Act would change.21 Apr 2026 · 9 min · 3 chapters
Is anyone gonna do anything about these Iran War trades?The episode investigates “suspicious trades” tied to the Iran conflict and asks whether regulators are watching closely enough.20 Apr 2026 · 9 min · 6 chapters
Fed chair, health care, and AI shoe repairThree economy indicators: (1) ACA enrollment drop as 14% of enrollees haven’t paid their first monthly premium; (2) financial disclosures for Trump Fed chair nominee Kevin Warsh, estimated at $100…17 Apr 2026 · 9 min · 6 chapters
Fixing the oil crisis might not fix the Persian GulfHow the Iran war and the effective shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz are damaging Persian Gulf economies beyond oil, threatening non-energy sectors even if hydrocarbon exports resume later.16 Apr 2026 · 9 min · 4 chapters