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Planet Money The economy, explained, with stories and surprises. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, "Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy." Now imagine that's actually a fun evening. That's what we're going for at Planet Money. People seem to like it.

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The Economy Explained
Grocery prices, credit card debt, and your 401K (Two Indicators)
Scott Olson/Getty Images

Planet Money

Grocery prices, credit card debt, and your 401K (Two Indicators)

What's going on with consumers? This is one of the trickiest puzzles of this weird economic moment we're in. We've covered a version of this before under the term "vibecession," but it's safe to say, the struggle is in fact real. It is not just in our heads. Sure, sure, some data is looking great. But not all of it.

Grocery prices, credit card debt, and your 401K (Two Indicators)

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Profiting off greater risk: the reinsurance game

Insurers say they need higher premiums from FL homeowners to offset mounting losses from hurricane claims, severe weather events and resulting increases in the cost of reinsurance. South Florida Sun-Sentinel hide caption

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South Florida Sun-Sentinel

The Indicator

Profiting off greater risk: the reinsurance game

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?

Profiting off greater risk: the reinsurance game

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What is a 'freedom economy'?

Attendees visit booths at the RePlatform conference in Las Vegas in March. The conference crowd was a hybrid of anti-vaccine activists, supporters of former President Donald Trump and Christian conservatives. Krystal Ramirez for NPR hide caption

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Krystal Ramirez for NPR

The Indicator

What is a 'freedom economy'?

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?

What is a 'freedom economy?'

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Why is insurance so expensive right now? And more listener questions
AFP Contributor/AFP via Getty Images

The Indicator

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

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.

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

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TikTok is filled with tax advice. Is any of it worth listening to?

COVINGTON, KY - APRIL 8: Kathleen Malone works on tax returns at the Cincinnati Internal Revenue Service Center April 8, 2005 in Covington, Kentucky. The tax filing deadline is a week away. Mike Simons/Getty hide caption

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Mike Simons/Getty

Planet Money

TikTok is filled with tax advice. Is any of it worth listening to?

by , Molly Messick ,

TikTok, and other apps like it, are filled with financial advice. Some of it is reliable, some... less so.

TikTok is filled with tax advice. Is any of it worth listening to?

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What Subway's foot-long cookie says about inflation
Gerardo Mora/Getty Images for Subway

The Indicator from Planet Money

What Subway's foot-long cookie says about inflation

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.

What Subway's foot-long cookie says about inflation

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The IRS wants to do your taxes for free. Will it last?
Scott Olson/Getty Images

The Indicator

The IRS wants to do your taxes for free. Will it last?

With tax season upon us, many people are paying someone or a software to get their tax returns done. A small group of people, however, are filing online directly with ... the IRS. For free. Today on the show: how the IRS's tax filing experiment came to be, how it's been working so far, and who doesn't like it.

The IRS wants to do your taxes for free. Will it last?

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Why the EU is investigating China's wind turbines

EU Commission's Margrethe Vestager speaking to the media in Brussels in March 2024. On Tuesday April 9th she announced an investigation into Chinese wind turbine subsidies. Thierry Monasse/Getty Images Europe hide caption

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Thierry Monasse/Getty Images Europe

The Indicator

Why the EU is investigating China's wind turbines

Europe wants clean energy, but it's struggling to compete with the low cost of China's green technology. The E.U. just announced it's investigating the subsidies received by Chinese wind turbine suppliers, which play a part in those low costs.

Why the EU is investigating China's wind turbines

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What do the royals do all day, anyway?

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WPA Pool/Getty Images

The Indicator

What do the royals do all day, anyway?

You've heard of the British royal family, but what about the "working royals?" Today on the show, an expert on the royals explains what the job is like — how they measure productivity, how they get paid, and how this tiny, specialized workforce of 11 people might cope with the health crises of King Charles III and Kate Middleton.

What do the royal do all day, anyway?

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Why companies spin off

A drone show in advance of General Electric splitting into three companies: GE Aerospace, GE Vernova, and GE Healthcare Gary Hershorn/Corbis News/Getty Images hide caption

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Gary Hershorn/Corbis News/Getty Images

The Indicator

Why companies spin off

General Electric has been staggering along for years as a conglomerate. But recently, it's turned to a popular strategy to unlock new value: spinning off. Just last week, GE spun off its clean energy business into a new company: GE Vernova. On today's show, we explore what a spin off is and why companies do them.

Why companies spin off

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Do I need a four-year degree?
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The Indicator

Do I need a four-year degree?

The U.S. labor market continues its hot streak, adding 303,000 jobs last month — more than expected. Many of these jobs will require a four-year degree despite a push among some employers to eliminate these requirements. On today's show, we look at the state of the job market for people without a four-year college degree.

Do I need a four-year degree?

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Japan had a vibrant economy. Then it fell into a slump for 30 years.
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Planet Money

Japan had a vibrant economy. Then it fell into a slump for 30 years.

by , Molly Messick ,

Last month, Japan's central bank raised interest rates for the first time in 17 years. That is a really big deal, because it means that one of the spookiest stories in modern economics might finally have an ending.

Japan had a vibrant economy. Then it fell into a slump for 30 years.

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How the 'shadow fleet' helps Russia skirt sanctions
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The Indicator from Planet Money

How the 'shadow fleet' helps Russia skirt sanctions

"Shadow fleet" refers to the collective of ships used by countries that have sanctions against them, like Russia, to transport commodities around the world. These ships pose threats to global and environmental security because they skirt international maritime law. So what can be done about them?

How the 'shadow fleet' helps Russia skirt sanctions

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The real estate industry on trial
Matt Rourke/AP

Planet Money

The real estate industry on trial

In 2019, Mike Ketchmark got a call. Mike is a lawyer in Kansas City, Missouri, and his friend, Brandon Boulware, another lawyer, was calling about a case he wanted Mike to get involved with. Mike was an unusual choice - he's a personal injury lawyer, and this was going to be an antitrust case.

The real estate industry on trial

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The Indicator Quiz: Labor Edition

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David McNew/Getty Images

The Indicator

The Indicator Quiz: Labor Edition

The sun is shining, birds are singing, and...our allergies are going NUTS. That can only mean one thing: It's time for The Indicator Quiz! The show where we bring a lucky listener on to test their econ knowledge. Today's quiz focuses on questions related to labor. Play along with us and see how you do! Are you interested in being a contestant on our next Indicator Quiz? Email us your name and phone number at indicator@npr.org and put "Indicator Quiz" in the subject line.

The Indicator Quiz: Labor Edition

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Can breaking the law be good for business?
LOU BENOIST/AFP via Getty Images

The Indicator

Can breaking the law be good for business?

Does breaking the law ... make financial sense? Paying future fines and settlements at the risk of harm to people and the environment? Some legal scholars argue that's just the cost of doing business.Today, we ask whether a company's duty is to the law ... or to its shareholders.

Can breaking the law be good for business?

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How much of your tax dollars are going to Israel and Ukraine

Israeli soldiers are seen near the Gaza Strip border in southern Israel, Monday, March 4, 2024. Ohad Zwigenberg/AP hide caption

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Ohad Zwigenberg/AP

Planet Money

How much of your tax dollars are going to Israel and Ukraine

There's been a lot of disagreement in Congress and in the country about whether the U.S. should continue to financially support the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

How much of your tax dollars are going to Israel and Ukraine

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Three ways consumers are feeling the pinch

Shoppers walk past a delivery truck outside a Family Dollar in Hyattsville, Maryland. Family Dollar has announced it's closing 600 stores this year. Bloomberg / Contributor hide caption

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Bloomberg / Contributor

The Indicator

Three ways consumers are feeling the pinch

Many broad economic indicators are positive, but consumer sentiment is negative. Even with cooling inflation and low unemployment, consumers are still feeling the economic strain. In today's episode, we look at three ways the US consumer is feeling the pinch.

Three ways consumers are feeling the pinch

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