archive
Planet Money
China's Giant Pool Of Dollars
March 15, 2012 China's foreign-exchange reserves are worth over $3 trillion. That's a problem for China, and for the U.S.
Planet Money
From Cellphones To Cigarettes: The Long Arm Of The Chinese Government
February 27, 2012 China's government plays a huge role in the country's economy. That needs to change, according to a new report co-written by the government's own think tank.
Planet Money
Is China An Economic Miracle, Or A Bubble Waiting To Pop?
February 16, 2012 China's economy sailed through the financial crisis unscathed — at least in the short run.
Planet Money
The Secret Document That Transformed China
January 20, 2012 In 1978, the farmers in a small Chinese village signed a secret contract. They thought it might get them executed. Instead, it wound up transforming China's economy.
Planet Money
People Want More Coins, That's A Good Sign For The Economy
January 9, 2012 The United States Mint says demand for quarter, dimes, nickels, and pennies was up this year. During the financial crisis, demand for coins hit record lows as people dug into their piggy banks and coin jars for extra cash.
Planet Money
White House Kills Dollar Coin Program
December 14, 2011 More than 1 billion coins are sitting unwanted in government vaults. Ending the program will save an estimated $50 million a year.
Planet Money
N.Y. Cheese Buyer Hangs On Euro's Fate
November 21, 2011 Most of the cheese at Murray's Cheese Shop comes from Europe. And the cheese buyer's bonus hinges on the future of the euro.
Planet Money
Leaving The Euro Is Hard To Do
November 10, 2011 "No ship ever sunk for having too many life boats, and at the moment, the euro has no life boats at all."
Planet Money
What If We Paid Off The National Debt?
October 20, 2011 It sounds ridiculous today. But not so long ago, the prospect of a debt-free U.S. was seen as a real possibility with the potential to upset the global financial system.
Planet Money
The Return Of Toxie
September 12, 2011 Last year, Planet Money bought a toxic asset — a bundle of bad mortgages that quickly went bad. We declared our toxic asset dead last fall. But a recent lawsuit could bring it back to life.
Planet Money
Toxie Lives! (Maybe!)
August 31, 2011 Planet Money's pet toxic asset died last year. But we learned today that she may rise from the grave.
Planet Money
Should You Bank On Bitcoin?
August 24, 2011 Bitcoin is a lot like cash — for the online universe. It doesn't actually exist in the physical world. You can't hold bitcoins in your hand because they just live on computers and the Internet. Bitcoin is a virtual currency independent of any government. It's backed by the people who use it.
Planet Money
A Big Bridge In The Wrong Place
August 19, 2011 Why was New York state's Tappan Zee Bridge built at one of the widest spots on the Hudson River when it would have been much cheaper and easier to build it a few miles south? Newspaper clippings from the 1940s and '50s revealed something suspicious.
Planet Money
Dollar Coin Loophole Closes For Frequent Fliers
July 22, 2011 The U.S Mint said today it will no longer accept credit-card payments for dollar coins purchased from its Web site. Too many people were using the program just to get frequent-flier miles.