Episodes (Page 5)
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New Yorker writer David Kirkpatrick documents that Trump and his family made nearly $4 billion 'off the presidency' in just about one year of his second term
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Economists investigate whether the $35 trillion AI investment surge constitutes a bubble by identifying telltale warning signs
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George and Joan Johnson built Johnson Products Company into a multi-billion-dollar Black hair care industry starting with Afro Sheen product
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Venezuela experienced an epic economic collapse despite having abundant natural resources including oil, fertile land, beaches, and an educated population
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Economists debate which economic story defined 2025: tariffs, consumer sentiment, or stock market highs
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Mainstream economists wrongly predicted that free trade with China would be a clear win for the US economy overall
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Annual 'Rest of the Story' segment provides updates on previous Planet Money stories including a safer saw patent, the Planet Money game progress, and Gaza currency collapse
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Netflix's binge-drop strategy transformed it from a DVD rental startup to a media giant
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Data centers for AI infrastructure now consume massive amounts of electricity, raising residential electric bills significantly across the US
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Three Planet Money hosts
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Chicago Mayor Daley leased the city's 36,000 parking meters to private companies for $1.16 billion in 2008
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US military R&D shaped everyday civilian clothing through surplus economics, with military designs trickling to hippies, yuppies, and commercial brands
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Jamaica's government creates 'catastrophe bonds' by asking global investors to wager on hurricane probability as a financial risk-sharing tool
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AI is reshaping the job market through fewer entry-level positions, robot recruiters, and constantly changing skill requirements, creating challenges for workers
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Taylor Swift's latest album exemplifies divisive yet record-breaking business and creative strategies
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GiveWell, a nonprofit focused on maximizing lives saved per dollar, faces pressure to fund urgent health projects in Cameroon following USAID's cuts
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Consumer sentiment has plummeted while consumer spending remains surprisingly strong, breaking the typical correlation between the two
Consumer Spending Puzzle
The Consumer Sentiment
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Tariffs have been repeatedly announced, adjusted, and re-announced, creating ongoing uncertainty for billions in commerce
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The U.S. offered Argentina a $20 billion loan through the Exchange Stabilization Fund, an obscure Treasury Department pool of money requiring no Congressional approval
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Buy now, pay later services (Affirm, Klarna, Afterpay) offer interest-free installments with no credit checks, attracting impulsive shoppers into debt