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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.

Got money on your mind? 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. A subscription also gets you access to The Indicator and Planet Money Summer School, both without interruptions.
The Indicator from Planet Money

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The Indicator from Planet Money

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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.

Got money on your mind? 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. A subscription also gets you access to The Indicator and Planet Money Summer School, both without interruptions.

Most Recent Episodes

Burgers in Russia, Juul vaporized, THE trademarked

American fast-food hamburger restaurant Carl's Jr, in the center of St. Petersburg. OLGA MALTSEVA/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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OLGA MALTSEVA/AFP via Getty Images

Burgers in Russia, Juul vaporized, THE trademarked

This Friday, we're looking at fast-food companies who are still hanging on in Russia. Juul getting banned. And as a cherry on top, THE Ohio State University deciding to patent you guessed it, "the."

Burgers in Russia, Juul vaporized, THE trademarked

Listen · 9:12
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Does Bitcoin have a grip on the economy?

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Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Does Bitcoin have a grip on the economy?

The crypto market has taken a beating lately, and even though Bitcoin and other crypto assets are risky, they're becoming more mainstream. How concerned do we need to be about the recent crypto collapse?

Does Bitcoin have a grip on the economy?

Listen · 9:35
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What took the Fed so long?

Jerome Powell, Chairman, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System testifies before the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee. Win McNamee/Getty Images hide caption

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Win McNamee/Getty Images

What took the Fed so long?

What took the Fed so long to address high inflation? Today on the show, we're exploring six reasons behind the Fed's hesitancy to hike interest rates, according to Bill Nelson, who spent two decades working for the Federal Reserve. For more background, check out our episode last week, Jerome Powell's ghosts.

What took the Fed so long?

Listen · 9:38
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The price of free stock trading

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Spencer Platt/Getty Images

The price of free stock trading

Everyone's a stock trader these days. With a press of a button, companies like Robinhood allow everyday people to buy and sell shares with no fee. But, this practice is just a tad bit controversial.

The price of free stock trading

Listen · 9:40
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The housing shakeup

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Brandon Bell/Getty Images

The housing shakeup

With rising interest rates, this economy has got us scratching our heads. To rent, or not to rent? To borrow money, or not to borrow? To qualify for a mortgage...or maybe not. Maybe our three indicators on the housing market will give clues.

The housing shakeup

Listen · 9:41
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Going backwards on child poverty

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Jon Cherry/Getty Images

Going backwards on child poverty

School's out, and so are pandemic-era relief measures for families with children. But when universal free lunches and expanded child tax credits roll to a halt, what are the consequences?

Going backwards on child poverty

Listen · 9:42
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Jerome Powell's ghosts

U.S. Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell is displayed on a monitor on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Drew Angerer/Getty Images hide caption

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Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Jerome Powell's ghosts

The Fed hiked interest rates by 0.75 percentage points. But why the sudden jump now? Why not earlier? To understand the psyche of the Fed and its chair, Jerome Powell, we're turning back the clock to the 2013 Taper Tantrum, and a 2019 road trip.

Jerome Powell's ghosts

Listen · 9:58
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Securing the (Telfar) bag

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Arturo Holmes/Getty Images

Securing the (Telfar) bag

3... 2... 1... GONE? Already? The Telfar Shopping Bag's been considered the "it" bag the last few years, if you can get your hands on one. It's also making big fashion statements by redefining luxury and accessibility in the fashion world.

Securing the (Telfar) bag

Listen · 9:59
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Mergers, acquisitions and Elon's "rude" proposal

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Chris Delmas/AFP via Getty Images

Mergers, acquisitions and Elon's "rude" proposal

For the corporate engagement of Elon Musk and Twitter, the road to the chapel has been unusually rocky. So how are these deals supposed to go, anyway?

Mergers, acquisitions and Elon's "rude" proposal

Listen · 9:50
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A macroeconomist walks into a bar fight

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Jeff Fusco/Getty Images

A macroeconomist walks into a bar fight

Welcome to the macroeconomic bar fight. Today, fists are being thrown over the causes of high inflation. But off to the corner stands John Cochrane, an economist with a core explanation for rising prices: government borrowing and spending.

A macroeconomist walks into a bar fight

Listen · 9:06
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