Episode 656: Bubblelicious : Planet Money Things are booming in Silicon Valley. Maybe too booming. But economists say you can't call it a bubble until it goes POP. Today on the show: We find three bubbly barometers that could signal a bust.

Episode 656: Bubblelicious

Episode 656: Bubblelicious

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/447249562/447299265" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

The Salesforce Tower under construction will be the tallest in the Bay Area when completed. Michael Coté/Flickr hide caption

toggle caption
Michael Coté/Flickr

The Salesforce Tower under construction will be the tallest in the Bay Area when completed.

Michael Coté/Flickr

A herd of unicorns — startups valued at over $1 billion — are gathering in the Bay Area. Uber, Airbnb, Palantir... It's not often in human history that so much wealth has grown so quickly in one place.

There is a boom on. But economists say you can't call it a bubble till... well, until it goes POP. Today on the show: We visit three bubbly barometers that some say signal a coming bust.

Find us: Twitter/ Facebook/ Spotify/ Tumblr.

* Note: The developers of the Salesforce Tower in San Francisco claim that it will soon be the tallest building west of the Mississippi. Our listeners in Los Angeles point out that the spire of the future Wilshire Grand Center will make it taller.