The Indicator from Planet Money

As Wall Street investors divine what a second Trump administration might mean for markets, there's talk of a new gang in town: the bond vigilantes. On today's show, where they came from, what they want, and how to tell when they're about to spring into action.

Related episodes:
Trying to solve the mystery of big bond yields
What the 'bonkers' bond market means for you

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There's been a lot of research showing how third spaces — a place that isn't the home nor the workplace — have brought communities together, even catalyzed revolutions. New research shows that coffee shops in particular could be key to sparking new businesses, too.

Today on the show, caffeine-fueled entrepreneurship. We go back a few decades for the story of how Magic Johnson partnered to build Starbucks cafes in Black and Latino neighborhoods, and how new research has shed light on how Magic's plan changed entrepreneurship in those communities.

Related Episodes:
Oil gluts, Russian bucks, and Starbucks
Magic Johnson on basketball, business, and being the face of HIV

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Events like the recent dock worker's strike and hurricanes sparked panic buying among American shoppers. Today, a logistics expert helps us craft a shopper's guide for how to navigate a supply chain crisis.

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There is a LOT of economic news happening at the moment (it all happens, so very much of it, all the time), so we wanted to give you an idea of what we here at The Indicator are keeping tabs on.

Today on the show, we look ahead to: countries coughing up money for climate change at COP29, how confident are home builders feeling right now, and ... is US manufacturing REALLY in decline?

Related Episodes:
A countdown to climate action
Why aren't more people taking on the trades?
Do polluters pay, or do they get paid?

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Today, we're sharing an episode of a podcast that we've enjoyed, and think you will, too! It's called The Economics of Everyday Things. It's made by the Freakonomics Radio Network and on each of its episodes, host Zachary Crockett uncovers the hidden stories behind ordinary things! Stock photos, girl scout cookies, and cashmere sweaters, you name it.

In this episode, you're about to hear Zachary crack the lid open on ... the humble pizza box.

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On Indicators of the Week, we cover our favorite numbers in the news. On this week's edition we cover Netflix's foray into live sports, the possible psychology behind the post-election cryptocurrency rally, and a struggling DNA company's fight for survival.

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Nuclear energy hasn't been a growing industry in decades. But now, it seems to be making a comeback. This week, the Biden administration announced a goal to triple nuclear energy capacity in the US by 2050. And over the past few months, Amazon, Microsoft, and Google have all made deals to use nuclear energy to power their artificial intelligence appetites. Today on the show, could nuclear energy work differently this time?

Related episodes:
The debate at the heart of new electricity transmission (Apple / Spotify)
Wind boom, wind bust (Two windicators) (Apple / Spotify)
How China became solar royalty (Apple / Spotify)

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Major flooding events are increasingly common across the U.S., but homeowners looking for flood insurance will find few choices. The main providers of flood insurance is the U.S. government through the National Flood Insurance Program, or NFIP. But even though the NFIP is one of the only flood insurance games in town, it's drowning in debt. On today's episode, the NFIP's struggle to stay afloat.

Related listening:
Hazard maps: The curse of knowledge (Apple / Spotify)
When insurers can't get insurance
Flood money

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In a first-best world, we'd all save enough money and there'd be no scammers. In a second-best world, we'd all know how to protect ourselves.

That's what Sheila Bair thought, too. As former chair of the FDIC, she noticed many kids and adults weren't quite getting the education they needed. So, she decided to do something about it.

Today on the show: What Sheila Bair has learned about American capitalism as one of its top regulators and how she's trying — one book at a time — to help new generations from falling into its traps.

We learned about Sheila Bair's kids books from listener Erin Vetter. If you've come across anything that makes finance fun, email us! We're at [email protected].

Related Episodes:
Mailbag: Children Edition
Beach reads with a side of economics

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The federal government has been tracking the weather for more than 150 years. Yet over the last few decades, the rise of the Internet and big tech have made weather forecasting a more crowded space. Today on the show: the value of an accurate forecast and the debate over who should control the data.

Related stories:
Hazard maps: The curse of knowledge (Apple / Spotify)
Should we invest more in weather forecasting?
After a year of deadly weather, cities look to private forecasters to save lives

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