After a tumultuous 2020, we welcomed the new year by picking three indicators to watch for economic recovery. As 2021 wraps up, we revisit those indicators to see how they've fared. Our old friend Cardiff Garcia returns for this walk down indicator memory lane.

2021: A year in indicators

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.

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After the financial crisis of 2008, regulators around the world agreed banks should have more of a cushion to weather hard times. Now, U.S. regulators are once again looking to update minimum capital requirements through a set of proposals called Basel III Endgame. Today, on the show, a blow-by-blow account of this battle between bankers and regulators. 

Related episodes: 
Time to make banks more stressed? (Apple / Spotify) 
SVB, now First Republic: How it all started (Apple / Spotify) 

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Inside the epic fight over new banking regulations

When an insurance company can't cover all of its claims, it actually has its own insurance. This is called "reinsurance." How does that work and why do reinsurers look at their risk pool differently than say home or auto insurers? 

Related episodes: 
Why is insurance so expensive right now? And more listener questions (Apple / Spotify) 
When insurers can't get insurance (Apple / Spotify)

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Profiting off greater risk: the reinsurance game

Anti-vaccine activists, far-right groups and some religious conservatives convened in Las Vegas this spring to discuss the creation of a parallel economy. These are groups who believe their speech is threatened by big banks and big tech. On today's show, what is a "freedom economy," and how would it work? 

Related episodes: 
A Supreme Court case that could reshape social media (Apple / Spotify) 

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What is a 'freedom economy'?

We are back to answer your listener questions. On today's show, we explain reverse mortgages and their risks, why insurance has gotten so expensive, and whether there's a catch to charitable donations at the store. 

If you have a question you'd like us to answer, email us at indicator@npr.org. 

Related episodes:
When insurers can't get insurance (Apple / Spotify) 

Are we counting jobs right? We answer your listener questions (Apple / Spotify) 

When mortgage rates are too low to give up (Apple / Spotify) 

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. 

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Why is insurance so expensive right now? And more listener questions

In this edition of Indicators of the Week: the new incentive for speed in cash prizes for Olympic track and field, growing iPhone assembly in India and the curious inflation puzzle of the foot-long cookies at Subway. 

Related episodes: 
Can India become the next high-tech hub? (Apple / Spotify)  

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. 

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2021: A year in indicators

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