The Indicator from Planet Money

It’s Indicators of the Week (now on YouTube!). It’s our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news. 

On today’s episode: who wins and loses their Polymarket bets, an American lithium motherlode, and the economics of lightweight running shoes. 

Related episodes: 
The race to produce lithium 
Advanced Fairness At The Marathon 
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 Julia Ritchey and Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.  

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With the Iran War underway, the United Arab Emirates is looking for some economic certainty. The rich Arab nation is home to a lot of foreign-held deposits, and they’re worried investors will pull those funds. So, they’re looking for an economic backstop. Enter: currency swap lines. Today, we explain why the UAE is looking to its close ally, the U.S., for a currency swap line and how it would work.

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Related episodes: 
Where the US got $20B to bail out Argentina
Scott Bessent’s $20 billion dollar gamble on Argentina

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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Iran’s weaponization of the Strait of Hormuz is the perfect example of how modern warfare is increasingly waged, not only with drones and bombs, but also through the weaponization of economic choke points. 

Today on the show, we talk to author Edward Fishman, who says the U.S. innovated a new kind of economic warfare a couple of decades ago, and that has sparked a new economic arms race. 

Edward Fishman’s book is “Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare”.

The Indicator has a weekly newsletter! Be among the first to sign up now: npr.org/indicatornewsletter 

Related episodes: 
Think the oil shock is bad in the US? Look here
Fixing the oil crisis might not fix the Persian Gulf
How are drivers riding out the gas crisis?

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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In 2025, President Trump pardoned more than 1,500 of the Jan.6 rioters who ransacked the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election. In addition to being convicted of crimes, many of the Jan. 6ers paid fines, the bulk of which went toward repairing the damage to the Capitol. After being pardoned, some of them want their money back. Today on the show, are they entitled to get those fines refunded? 

The Indicator has a weekly newsletter! Be among the first and sign-up now: npr.org/indicatornewsletter 

Related episodes: 
Chaos At The Capitol
The Supreme Court struck down a bunch of Trump’s tariffs. Now what? 


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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It’s the Beigie awards! Our less than ten times a year salute to the art and science of telling stories about the economy.

Today on the show, Kevin Dancy, vice president and regional executive at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, lays out a worrying consumer trend that’s affecting how retailers do business.

Come see Planet Money live on stage! 12 cities. Details and tix here: planetmoneybook.com/#tour

The Indicator has a weekly newsletter! Be among the first and sign-up now: npr.org/indicatornewsletter

Related episodes: 
A little doomsday feeling is weighing on the economy
How to beach on a budget

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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It’s Indicators of the Week, our weekly look at some of the most fascinating numbers from the news! And unlike florals for spring, these numbers ARE groundbreaking.

On today’s episode: A dramatic SNAP decrease, fuel costs ground flights, and the Devil Wears Wages Increasing Slightly Faster Than A Small Sample Of Luxury Items!

The Indicator has a weekly newsletter! Be among the first and sign-up now: npr.org/indicatornewsletter 

Related episodes: 
After the shutdown, SNAP will still be in trouble
How far can philanthropy go to fill government gaps? 
Your next flight doesn't have to be so expensive. Here's why 
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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Businesses might finally see some tariff money refunded to them. That’s because this week, the federal government officially rolled out a process that allows businesses to apply for a refund.

Today on the show, we speak with three business owners about the unexpected simplicity and frustration of the Trump tariff refund process. 

Come see Planet Money live on stage! 12 cities. Details and tix here: planetmoneybook.com/#tour

The Indicator has a weekly newsletter! Be among the first and sign-up now: npr.org/indicatornewsletter 

Related episodes: 
Can I get my tariff money back now?
Trump's backup options for tariffs
Three ways companies are getting around tariffs

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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The global oil market has supported the U.S. dollar for more than 50 years. But the system has shown signs of cracking. Amidst the Iran war, Iran has reportedly been collecting some tolls in yuan. Today on the show, how the petrodollar regime came to be and what losing it would mean for the U.S.

Come see Planet Money live on stage! 12 cities. Details and tix here: planetmoneybook.com/#tour

The Indicator has a weekly newsletter! Be among the first and sign-up now: npr.org/indicatornewsletter 

Related episodes: 
Can Europe sell America?
Think the oil shock is bad in the US? Look here
Fixing the oil crisis might not fix the Persian gulf

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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So you want to buy a house. You MIGHT notice that the owner isn’t a neighbor in your town, but a large corporation. A recent housing bill that passed the Senate wants to change that. This bill would restrict large institutional investors from owning too many single family homes. The hope is to improve affordability. But what’s the real connection between housing affordability and corporate landlords? We look at the evidence. 

Come see Planet Money live on stage! 12 cities. Details and tix here: planetmoneybook.com/#tour

The Indicator has a weekly newsletter! Be among the first and sign-up now: npr.org/indicatornewsletter 

Related episodes: 
Is the YIMBY movement doomed? 
How to fix a housing shortage 

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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Traders have made millions betting on the Iran War. They are also suspiciously timed. No public information, then boom: a Truth Social post from President Trump. Cue fat windfalls for the traders. It’s starting to look a lot like insider trading. 

On today’s show, suspicious bets on the Iran War. And are federal regulators or prosecutors looking into these trades … is anyone?

Come see Planet Money live on stage! 12 cities. Details and tix here: planetmoneybook.com/#tour

Related episodes: 
Did Trump enable insider trading?
Do traders who place big bets make big money?
How much is the Iran war costing us?

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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