Episodes

  • How Trump's central bank beef could hurt the economy

    How Trump's central bank beef could hurt the economy
    May 14 2026
    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 another

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    9 mins
  • Should NATO be pay-to-protect?

    Should NATO be pay-to-protect?
    May 13 2026
    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 hit

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    9 mins
  • Prediction markets are threatening national security. Who's gonna fix it?

    Prediction markets are threatening national security. Who's gonna fix it?
    May 12 2026
    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.

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    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.

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    9 mins
  • The new AI model that could steal your life savings

    The new AI model that could steal your life savings
    May 11 2026
    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?

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    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.


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    9 mins
  • Which jobs are future-proofed?

    Which jobs are future-proofed?
    May 8 2026
    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.

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    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.

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    10 mins
  • Trump crypto, Trump ballroom and Trump drones

    Trump crypto, Trump ballroom and Trump drones
    May 7 2026
    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.

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    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.

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    9 mins
  • When will the Iran war hit food prices?

    When will the Iran war hit food prices?
    May 6 2026
    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.

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    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.

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    8 mins
  • How your bank account might predict dementia

    How your bank account might predict dementia
    May 5 2026
    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 tax
    What 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.

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    10 mins