A bite-sized show about big ideas. From the people who make Planet Money, The Indicator helps you make sense of what's happening in today's economy. It's a quick hit of insight into money, work, and business. Monday through Friday, in 10 minutes or less. Sign up for our newsletter. Support public media by joining NPR+ at plus.npr.org. You’ll get perks for over 25 NPR podcasts, including bonus episodes for Planet Money and sponsor-free listening for The Indicator.
Latest episodes
Showing 20 · updated from the feed
Why Meta is giving you Muse for free
Meta’s new AI agent Muse is one of the fastest-growing apps ever. It’s a big bet from a company spending billions to win the AI race. But what is the real cost of using t
Oct 27 10 min
How bots are overtaking humans on the internet
#11 trending · Business
There are now more bots than humans online. What does that mean for how we experience the internet? Can bots and humans peacefully coexist online?
Fact checking by Sie
Oct 26 9 min
CoreWeave woes, Pokémon foes, and maple syrup lows
This week’s notable indicators: A distressing credit warning for CoreWeave, a Pokémon heist, and depleted maple syrup reserves in Canada.
Fact checking by Cooper Katz
Oct 23 9 min
Can a "moneyball" system work for campaign funding?
Elections are more expensive than ever, but are campaign donations going to the races where they’ll make the most impact? Today, we talk to the startup co-founder of Oath
Oct 22 8 min
The case for sharing your salary
Should money and class figure more prominently in how we identify ourselves? Pulitzer Prize-winning data journalist Mona Chalabi thinks yes. Today on the show, a conversa
Oct 21 9 min
The gamble of trying to inflate away debt
The United States national debt is running at more than $40 trillion dollars. It’s a potential crisis in the making, but President Donald Trump suggested it can all be so
Oct 20 8 min
Why Oracle's debt load could be your problem
Oracle, the multinational tech giant has taken on a lot of loans to build up its AI capacity. But Oracle’s investors are not happy with this piling debt load. We explain
Oct 19 8 min
Will AI take my job? Ask an economist!
Is AI coming for our jobs? Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei believes AI could wipe out many white-collar jobs in the next few years. While Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang argues AI wil
Oct 18 2 min
Supercore inflation, Bumble valuation and Pooh's repatriation
This week’s indicators: Why is inflation so super (derogatory)? How did Bumble go from dating app doldrums to a stock market sweetheart?; And oh, bother! Could Winnie the
Oct 16 9 min
How did political campaigns get so expensive?
The 2026 midterm elections are fast approaching, and it’s gearing up to be the most expensive election in American history. So how did we get here, where every election f
Oct 15 8 min
A rebate runaround, a car rental rip-off and … roaches?!
A labyrinthine rebate process. Shrinking cereal boxes. Mystery rental car charges. Cockroaches?! We share listener tales of Consumer Rage and unpack the economic forces d
Oct 14 9 min
How did we get a Nobel Prize in economics?
This year's Nobel Prize for Economics went to American economists Robert E. Hall and Michael Woodford! Their research focused on macroeconomic models and economic shocks.
Oct 13 9 min
The echo of the bison (Encore)
Nearly 30 million bison once roamed North America, from modern Canada to Mexico. In the late 1800s, white settlers and the U.S. military annihilated the population of bis
Oct 12 9 min
SNAP strains, youth baseball's class divide, and Meta's bug bounty
This week our top indicators include changes to the funding model for SNAP, private equity’s influence on youth baseball and Meta’s attempt to find flaws in its brand new
Oct 9 9 min
The chilling effect of ICE in hospitals
Federal immigration enforcement arrests reached record highs this past summer, and under the second Trump administration, immigration agents can now more easily access so
Oct 8 9 min
One economist's answer to data center anxiety
Rising electricity prices are one of the primary reasons why data centers are a public enemy this election cycle. But is it realistic to expect energy prices to stay high
Oct 7 9 min
Inside Norway's sovereign wealth fund dilemma to divest from Israel
Norway has the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, but it’s facing a self-imposed dilemma. Should the fund's investments include companies that directly or indirectly
Oct 6 8 min
The proper etiquette of the Venmo nudge
How do you ask your friends to pay you back in a timely way? We’ve got an etiquette coach to help with that.
Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.
Your Next Listen
— Is thi
Oct 5 9 min
Can we make Social Security better for blue-collar workers?
Most workers can’t start collecting full Social Security benefits until age 67. But a new proposal from Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens would allow workers in “physi
Oct 2 9 min
New college degrees designed to job-proof graduates
What do influencing, AI and health sciences have in common? They’re all degree programs colleges have launched in the last few years to attract students looking for a new
Oct 1 8 min
Chart trend
Position in the Business chart (US), last 90 days.
#1#34#66JulAugSepOct
#9
all-time peak
1
day in the top 10 since Nov 2024
Chart positions
Where The Indicator from Planet Money ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Oct 27, 2026).
A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.
I don't know who could ever rate this podcast lower than 5 stars. The Indicator (and Planet Money) never miss. Their hosts are so likable and do an amazing job and presenting economic topics in a relatable and interesting way.
I also enjoy the laughter and playfulness the hosts have when discussing otherwise dense economic subjects.
Anyone who complains about ads should sub to + or research and learn that it costs money to produce high-quality podcasts.
The_Clooney · Oct 2024
This used to be lively and informative podcast that didn’t sacrifice depth and accuracy for humor. That’s not the case anymore. Now the focus seems to be more on frivolity than depth. Take the recent episode about NCAA athletes. The hosts spent more time discussing Crocs styles than explaining how NIL developed. They didn’t mention the name of the case, the O’Bannon case, that forced the NCAA to change their rules. Instead they just said there was a court case and the NCAA changed their rules. If I wanted this level of fluff I’d listen to Fox.
Dusty Baker Street Irregulars · Aug 2024
Something about the hosts (especially Wailin) just makes me relaxed and happy. I love the laughter and the lighthearted approach to serious topics. Please keep it up!
Sarah at Indie Practices · Aug 2024
I have enjoyed listening to the podcast for several years including while I lived in Taiwan. I enjoy the bite-sized daily economic news peppered with the wit and humor of the crew. I have gained a better appreciation of economics through this podcast and its parent, Planet Money. This podcast helps keep one informed of current affairs. It’s well worth the listen for those who may not have a degree in economics.
prion_lover · Jun 2024
Sadly today marked the day I decided to unfollow this podcast that I’ve followed and listened to since it began. They have forgotten the premise of this show - take an interesting indicator of the day and discuss the topic, often shading light on something surprising and fun that other news of the day headlines are not covering (interesting and surprising are key words here). But instead, now they skim through headline news topics that I can get in any other show and without much interesting nor surprising insight. The non-stop giggling over unfunny things makes this not listenable even as background noise. I’m sure the show will get a new generation of listeners and fans, but sadly, not for others who loved the original show.
Long time OG · Sep 2024
I was excited to listen because I thought it would be an efficient way to get some basic familiarity with these Econ topics, but the ads (which make up most of the runtime) and the very intrusive giggling make it hard to even catch what they’re addressing. What I have been able to parse has not been substantive.
Stern_Nun · Aug 2024
We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.
More podcasts like The Indicator from Planet Money
About The Indicator from Planet Money on Reason.fm
Here you find the Apple Podcasts chart positions of The Indicator from Planet Money, its latest episodes to listen to directly, and reviews from listeners. Rankings are updated daily for the United States.
