The Indicator from Planet Money

Why boardinghouses could make a comeback 02.06.2026 9min

There is a burgeoning effort across the U.S. to revive boardinghouses, aka single room occupancy units or SROs, as a solution to the housing crisis. But what happened to them in the first place? We track the disappearance of the first rung of the housing ladder.Fact-checking by Vito Emanuel. Your Next Listen — How to build abundantly Connect with The Indicator — Sign up for The Indicator’s brand new newsletter — Find our socials, YouTube and more! — For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+ See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

How AI is clogging the courtroom 01.06.2026 9min

AI has made it infinitely easier for anyone who can’t afford a lawyer, can’t get one, or doesn't want one to file a lawsuit and pro se cases are skyrocketing. But the wins haven’t followed and courts are starting to get overwhelmed with new AI filings. Today on the show, what happens when AI gets its day in court.Your Next Listen — Most People Can’t Afford Legal Help. 1 Reformer Wants To Change ThatConnect with The Indicator — Sign up for The Indicator’s brand new newsletter— Buy the Planet Money book— Find our socials, YouTube and more!— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+ Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Obsession, the most fun job in China, and a new green card policy 29.05.2026 9min

It’s Indicators of the Week (now on YouTube!). It’s our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news. On today’s episode: China’s baaaaad job market has led to an interest in becoming a shepherd, a young YouTuber strikes Hollywood gold, and the Trump administration's new green card policy is telling immigrants to 'go home.'Fact checking by Vito Emanuel. Your Next Listen — We're about to lose a lot of foreign STEM workersConnect with The Indicator — Sign up for The Indicator’s brand new newsletter — Find our socials, YouTube and more! — For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+ See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Saudi’s LIV golf exit is just the start 28.05.2026 9min

Is Saudi Arabia no longer a golf state? The Saudi sovereign wealth fund poured billions into culture and sports in the last decade, none more high profile than LIV Golf, a rival to the PGA. So why is it reversing course now?Fact checking by Vito Emanuel. Your Next Listen — Why Saudi Arabia is building a new city in the desert Connect with The Indicator — Sign up for The Indicator’s brand new newsletter — Find our socials, YouTube and more! — For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+ See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

What the movies teach us about recessions, memestocks and gold 27.05.2026 9min

The Indicator hosts Adrian Ma and Wailin Wong discuss their favorite econ and business movies.Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.Your Next Listen —Before La La Land, there was Fort Lee, New JerseyConnect with The Indicator — Sign up for The Indicator’s brand new newsletter— Find our socials, YouTube and more!— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+ See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Who’s behind that shell company? We may never know 26.05.2026 9min

Why is a law to reign in shell companies getting shelved by the Trump administration? The Corporate Transparency Act had bipartisan support, until it didn’t. We explain what the law was designed to do and why it’s on life support. Fact checking by Sierra Juarez. Your Next Listen — We set up a shell company Connect with The Indicator — Sign up for The Indicator’s brand new newsletter — Find our socials, YouTube and more! — For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Game of 'roids, trader Trump, and searching for Shakira's tax residence 22.05.2026 9min

Diving deep into President Trump’s many stock trades, a peptide business posing as a sporting event and a new breakthrough in Shakira’s ongoing tax drama. Fact checking by Sierra Juarez. Your Next Listen — Trump crypto, Trump ballroom and Trump drones Connect with The Indicator — Sign up for The Indicator’s brand new newsletter — Find our socials, YouTube and more! — For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+ See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

So ... how long until these oil prices get REALLY bad 21.05.2026 7min

The US-Israel War in Iran is almost three months in and oil prices have risen, but they’re not catastrophic … yet. Why isn't the price of oil even higher? We learn about how the world is adapting to the blocked Strait of Hormuz. Fact checking by Sierra Juarez. Your Next Listen — Think the oil shock is bad in the US? Look hereConnect with The Indicator — Sign up for The Indicator’s brand new newsletter — Find our socials, YouTube and more! — For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+ See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

It's come to this: Human certification in the age of AI slop 20.05.2026 9min

In an era of AI slop, we find out how some artists are seeking out human verification for their work. Plus, we prove our own episode is 100% human-made. Fact checking by Sierra Juarez. Your Next Listen — Can you copyright artwork made using AI? Connect with The Indicator — Sign up for The Indicator’s brand new newsletter — Find our socials, YouTube and more! — For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+ See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Why GLP-1s aren't lowering employers' costs 19.05.2026 10min

The vast majority of employer health plans do not cover GLP-1s for weight loss. But roughly 20% do, many believing it will help their bottom line. Perhaps when employees take Wegovy or Zepbound, they’ll need less medical care tied to health issues from obesity. Today on the show, can GLP-1s save employers money in the long run?Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.Your Next Listen — No healthcare premiums? In this economy?! Here's how.— Julie Wernau's original episode with TradeoffsConnect with The Indicator — Sign up for The Indicator’s brand new newsletter— Find our socials, YouTube and more!— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+ See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Taiwan arms sales, Board of Trade, and Chinamaxxing 18.05.2026 9min

Unpacking Donald Trump’s trip to China: arms sales to Taiwan, the Board of Trade proposal and China’s growing soft power. Fact checking by Sierra Juarez. Your Next Listen — What might save China's economy Connect with The Indicator — Sign up for The Indicator’s brand new newsletter — Find our socials, YouTube and more! — For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+ See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

GameStop rejected, a troubling loan trend, and no to pre-IPO AI shares 15.05.2026 9min

On today’s Indicators of the Week: the Gamestop and eBay romance that never was, more and more people are taking out loans for everyday things, and no, everyday people can’t invest in OpenAI and Anthropic before they’ve gone public. Fact checking by Julia Ritchey and Corey Bridges. Your Next Listen — OpenAI's deals are looking a little frothy Connect with The Indicator — Sign up for The Indicator’s brand new newsletter — Find our socials, YouTube and more! — For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+ See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

How Trump's central bank beef could hurt the economy 14.05.2026 9min

A new documentary from Frontline PBS, called “The President vs. the Fed”, helps us make sense of the unprecedented power struggle between the world’s most powerful politician and the world’s most powerful bank. You can watch the film, directed by Frontline Correspondent James Jacoby, on Frontline’s website, YouTube channel, or the PBS app. Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.Your Next Listen — Trump’s unprecedented attack on the Fed— One Fed battle after anotherConnect with The Indicator — Sign up for the Indicator’s brand new newsletter— Find our socials, newsletter, YouTube and more!— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to PlanetMoney+ See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Should NATO be pay-to-protect? 13.05.2026 9min

NATO was formed after World War 2 as a collective security alliance that would prevent future world wars. But President Trump sees NATO more like a transaction between countries where allies have to pay up or be left undefended. On today’s episode: How NATO is actually funded, why this longstanding alliance is under strain, and how the U.S. could pay the cost for these frayed relationships.Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.Your Next Listen— Europe's NATO members take an economic hitConnect with The Indicator — Sign up for the Indicator’s brand new newsletter — Find our socials, newsletter, YouTube and more!— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to PlanetMoney+ See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Prediction markets are threatening national security. Who's gonna fix it? 12.05.2026 8min

It’s the Wild West of online betting. Prediction markets have been plagued by insider trading allegations, ethical questions and even national security concerns. Today on the show, what are sites like Polymarket doing to self-police, and what other regulations might be necessary? We talk to one U.S. senator with some ideas. The Indicator has a weekly newsletter! Sign up now: npr.org/indicatornewsletter Related: Is anyone gonna do anything about these Iran War trades? Do prediction market bettors make anything better? Polymarket bots, lithium found: lots!, marathon shoe thoughts 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. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

The new AI model that could steal your life savings 11.05.2026 9min

Anthropic’s AI model, Claude Mythos, is very powerful. SO powerful it can find software vulnerabilities that might let it, I don’t know, steal your bank login information. Anthropic is holding back the model from a wider release for now. Today on the show, how worried should we really be about Mythos? And are its capabilities actually unique? The Indicator has a weekly newsletter! Sign up now: npr.org/indicatornewsletter Related episodes: Fighting AI with AI How AI might mess with financial models 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. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Which jobs are future-proofed? 08.05.2026 9min

With AI disrupting the workplace, is your job even going to be around in ten years? The Bureau of Labor Statistics has just the handbook for that. Today on the show, we flip through the Occupational Outlook Handbook and answer your questions about the future of work. The Indicator has a weekly newsletter! Sign up now: npr.org/indicatornewsletter Related episodes: How AI is shrinking the job market for teens Why wind techs are so in demand AI creates, transforms and destroys... jobs 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.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Trump crypto, Trump ballroom and Trump drones 07.05.2026 9min

What do a Florida-based drone company, a crypto billionaire, and a European steelmaker have in common? Ties to President Trump. Since returning to office, the president, as well as his family and friends, have inked a number of business deals that raise questions about conflicts of interest. On today’s show, we scrutinize three of these deals. The Indicator has a weekly newsletter! Sign up now: npr.org/indicatornewsletter Related: Trump’s crypto interests Mixing family business with US trade policy in Vietnam Gilded Age 2.0? The tensions behind the sale of U.S. Steel 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. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

When will the Iran war hit food prices? 06.05.2026 7min

The US-Israel war in Iran is already being felt by American consumers at the gas pump, but when — and how badly — could it be felt at the supermarket? Today on the show, a food economist takes a crack at forecasting just how much our grocery bills could increase in the coming months, and which items will take the biggest hit. The Indicator has a weekly newsletter! Be among the first to sign up now: npr.org/indicatornewsletter Related episodes: How are drivers riding out the gas crisis? Think the oil shock is bad in the US? Look here 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. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

How your bank account might predict dementia 05.05.2026 9min

Some of the earliest signs of dementia can show up in your financial portfolio. Missed bill payments and erratic investments could be indicators, and they can happen years before an official diagnosis. Today on the show, we dig into the connection between finances and dementia, and why the financial health of seniors is falling through the cracks.The Indicator has a weekly newsletter! Be among the first to sign up now: npr.org/indicatornewsletter Related episodes: The dementia taxWhat does the next era of Social Security look like?Saving, borrowing, spending: an economist's take on popular advice (Planet Money+)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. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy