The Indicator from Planet Money A little show about big ideas. From the people who make Planet Money, The Indicator helps you make sense of what's happening today. It's a quick hit of insight into work, business, the economy, and everything else. Listen weekday afternoons.

Try Planet Money+! a new way to support the show you love, get a sponsor-free feed of the podcast, *and* get access to bonus content. You'll also get access to The Indicator and Planet Money Summer School, both without interruptions. sign up at plus.npr.org/planetmoney

The Indicator from Planet Money

From NPR

A little show about big ideas. From the people who make Planet Money, The Indicator helps you make sense of what's happening today. It's a quick hit of insight into work, business, the economy, and everything else. Listen weekday afternoons.

Try Planet Money+! a new way to support the show you love, get a sponsor-free feed of the podcast, *and* get access to bonus content. You'll also get access to The Indicator and Planet Money Summer School, both without interruptions. sign up at plus.npr.org/planetmoney

Most Recent Episodes

Freakonomics

The Economics of Everyday Things: Pizza (Box) Time!

Today, we're sharing an episode of a podcast that we've enjoyed, and think you will, too! It's called The Economics of Everyday Things. It's made by the Freakonomics Radio Network and on each of its episodes, host Zachary Crockett uncovers the hidden stories behind ordinary things! Stock photos, girl scout cookies, and cashmere sweaters, you name it.

The Economics of Everyday Things: Pizza (Box) Time!

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Workers on scaffolding lay blocks on one of the larger buildings at a development site where various residential units and commercial sites are under construction. Keith Srakocic/AP hide caption

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Keith Srakocic/AP

Why the US economy is still the envy of the world

The Economist's Simon Rabinovitch argues the U.S. economy has a set of structural advantages that have allowed it to perform remarkably well in the last couple of years compared to other developed countries. But could President-elect Donald Trump's second term in office put that edge at risk? Adrian Ma spoke with Rabinovitch for a recent episode of The Indicator. This episode is an extended cut of their conversation, previously released for Planet Money+ supporters.

Why the US economy is still the envy of the world

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Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images Chris Jackson/Getty Images hide caption

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Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Canada's key resource against Trump's potential trade war

Canadians have a key leverage point if President Trump makes good on his threat to impose 25% tariffs: oil. We talk to a business journalist with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation on why oil would be the "biggest arrow in the quiver" should Canada and the U.S. descend into a trade war — but only as a last resort.

Canada's key resource against Trump's potential trade war

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President Trump is looking to reshape the federal workforce which includes welders, postal workers and park rangers Mario Tama/Getty Images hide caption

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Mario Tama/Getty Images

Federal hiring is about to get the Trump treatment

President Trump is making big moves to shrink and reshape the federal workforce. He's offered buyouts, instituted a hiring freeze, and called for prioritizing job seekers who are "passionate about the ideals of our American Republic." While his actions have drawn criticism, some see an opportunity for the new administration to improve the federal hiring process.

Federal hiring is about to get the Trump treatment

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(Photo Illustration by Scott Olson/Getty Images) Scott Olson/Getty Images hide caption

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Scott Olson/Getty Images

The cautionary tale of a recovering day trading addict

The story of a man who started buying and selling stocks as a hobby ... and got seriously addicted. We also speak with a neuroeconomist about the human brain on day trading.

The cautionary tale of a recovering day trading addict

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Wildfire victims are turning to GoFundMe, a way to crowdsource relief funds. Peter Morgan/AP hide caption

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Peter Morgan/AP

How GoFundMe can affect your FEMA eligibility

With the LA wildfires still burning, we were left with a lot of questions. Today, we answer two of them: whether GoFundMe campaigns could interfere with receiving federal assistance and how much of those "proceeds" from special product sales actually go to wildfire victims.

How GoFundMe can affect your FEMA eligibility

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Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Why China's DeepSeek AI is such a big deal

Indicators of the Week unpacks numbers from the news. This week, we delve into what President Trump's first AI announcement reveals about the economics of the industry, a Chinese company's answer to OpenAI, and the reason why Prince Harry may have settled with Rupert Murdoch's media empire.

AI models and Prince Harry

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Win McNamee/Getty Images

Why Trump's potential tariffs are making business owners anxious

A freshly re-inaugurated President Trump is reportedly considering making his first moves on tariffs: a 10% tariff on Chinese imports and a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico, both of which he says could start as early as next week.

Why Trump's potential tariffs are making business owners anxious

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Getty Images

Go ask ALICE about grocery prices

Grocery prices have gone up 27 percent since before the pandemic. And high prices are especially painful for lower income households, who have less wiggle room to adjust their spending. But their experience isn't always reflected in broad measures of inflation.

Go ask ALICE about grocery prices

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Houses on Ilulissat, one of the main tourist destinations in Greenland Sean Gallup/Getty Images hide caption

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Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Add to cart: Greenland

President Donald Trump's proposal that the United States take "ownership" of Greenland has raised a lot of eyebrows. Can the U.S. just buy itself this big territory? Is that a thing? Turns out if you look at U.S. history, it's absolutely a thing.

Add to cart: Greenland

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