Planet Money

Planet Money
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  • BUSINESS
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Planet Money

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Wanna see a trick? Give us any topic and we can tie it back to the economy. At Planet Money, we explore the forces that shape our lives and bring you along for the ride. Don't just understand the economy – understand the world.Wanna go deeper? Subscribe to Planet Money+ and get sponsor-free episodes of Planet Money, The Indicator, and Planet Money Summer School. Plus access to bonus content. It's a new way to support the show you love. Learn more at plus.npr.org/planetmoney

  1. The U.S. is the world's bribery cop. Is that about to change?

    2D AGO

    The U.S. is the world's bribery cop. Is that about to change?

    The U.S. has been policing bribery all over the world for nearly half a century using a law called the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. But now, President Trump has said that this anti-corruption law is crippling American businesses. Since taking office, his administration has reduced the number of investigators, killed some cases, and changed the rules. In this episode, we look at the FCPA case against Glencore, a large commodity trading company, found guilty in 2022 for paying cash bribes in exchange for lucrative contracts all over the world. And we go back to the inception of the law, a time when using bribes to pay off foreign officials was considered "grease in the wheels" - a reasonable (if unethical) way to get business done. This episode was hosted by Amanda Aronczyk and Erika Beras. It was produced by Willa Rubin. It was fact-checked by Emily Crawford with help from Willa Rubin. It was edited by Marianne McCune. It was engineered by James Willetts. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer. Find more Planet Money: Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter. Listen free at these links: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the NPR app or anywhere you get podcasts. Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

    28 min
  2. Jay & Shai's debt ceiling adventure (Update)

    4D AGO

    Jay & Shai's debt ceiling adventure (Update)

    Note: A version of this episode first ran in 2023. Every year, the U.S. government spends more money than it takes in. In order to fund all that spending, the country takes on debt. Congress has the power to limit how much debt the U.S. takes on. Once we reach that limit, Congress has a few options so that the government keeps paying its bills: Raise the debt limit, suspend it, or eliminate it entirely. Which is daunting, because if lawmakers don't figure something out in time, the ramifications for the global economy could be huge. Shai Akabas, of the Bipartisan Policy Center, has become something of the go-to expert in calculating the exact date America would hit the wall and not be able to pay all its debts. This day is so terrifying it has a special name, the X-Date. Today's episode is about how Akabas and Jay Powell — long before he became chair of the Federal Reserve — worked to create a system to determine the X-Date with the hope of helping us all never reach it. We also have an update on this year's looming X-Date, which could arrive as soon as this summer. Find more Planet Money: Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter. Listen free at these links: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the NPR app or anywhere you get podcasts. Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

    30 min
  3. A history of capitalism, told through its critics (Planet Money+)

    6D AGO · BONUS • PLANET MONEY+ ONLY

    A history of capitalism, told through its critics (Planet Money+)

    In today's bonus episode, Mary Childs talks with John Cassidy, a staff writer at The New Yorker, about his new book, "Capitalism and Its Critics: A History: From the Industrial Revolution to AI." In it, Cassidy profiles about two dozen individuals and groups that drew attention to what they considered the failings of the capitalist system, from exploitation to inequality. Show your support for Planet Money and the reporting we do by signing up for Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. You'll be able to unlock this episode and other great bonus content! Regular episodes remain free to listen! Email the show at planetmoney@npr.org.

    15 min
  4. Why I joined DOGE

    JUN 14

    Why I joined DOGE

    What was it like to work inside Elon Musk's DOGE? The cost-cutting initiative promised transparency, but most of its actions have been shrouded in secrecy. For months, there were reports of software engineers and Trump loyalists entering agencies and accessing sensitive data. DOGE also helped the Trump administration lay off thousands of government workers. NPR reporters have been trying for months to get anyone from DOGE to talk on the record. Now, Sahil Lavingia, a former DOGE staffer assigned to the Department of Veteran Affairs, is speaking. Today, what drew Sahil to DOGE and what he learned about the inner workings, in a way we've never heard before. For more on DOGE and the federal workforce: - The last time we shrank the federal workforce - Can... we still trust the monthly jobs report? - Can the Federal Reserve stay independent?This episode was hosted by Kenny Malone and Bobby Allyn. It was produced by Sam Yellowhorse Kesler and Emma Peaslee. It was edited by Jess Jiang and fact-checked by Sierra Juarez. It was engineered by Neal Rauch. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer. Find more Planet Money: Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter. Listen free at these links: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the NPR app or anywhere you get podcasts. Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

    27 min
  5. Are Trump's tariffs legal?

    JUN 11

    Are Trump's tariffs legal?

    When President Trump announced his sweeping new tariffs this year, many trade law experts were startled. Typically, presidents don't have the authority to impose broad tariffs with a snap of their fingers. But Trump's advisors have an unusual new legal theory. They say that as long as there's a national emergency of some kind, Trump may be able to create whatever tariffs he wants. This is a creative interpretation of a 1977 law called the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA. To justify his latest tariffs, the president declared national emergencies involving illegal immigration, the fentanyl crisis, and the trade deficit. But no president has ever tried to use the law in this way. Now, the fate of Trump's tariffs — and the creative legal theory behind them — lies with the courts. About a dozen lawsuits have challenged his tariffs, claiming that they are unlawful and possibly even unconstitutional. And some judges have started to agree. On today's show: What are the President's powers when it comes to tariffs? Where do they come from? What are their limits? And, what will be the fate of Trump's tariffs? For more on Trump's tariffs: - The 145% tariff already did its damage - Do trade deficits matter? - What "Made in China" actually meansFind more Planet Money: Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter. Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

    25 min
  6. When Chinese manufacturing met Small Town, USA

    JUN 6

    When Chinese manufacturing met Small Town, USA

    Over the past decade, politicians from both parties have courted American voters with an enticing economic prospect – the dream of bringing manufacturing and manufacturing jobs back to America. They've pushed for that dream with tariffs and tax breaks and subsidies. But what happens when one multinational company actually responds to those incentives, and tries to set up shop in Small Town, USA? Today on the show – how a battery factory ignited a political firestorm over what kind of factories we actually want in our backyard. And what happens when the global economy meets town hall democracy. This episode of Planet Money was produced by Emma Peaslee and Sylvie Douglis. It was edited by Marianne McCune and Jess Jiang. It was fact-checked by Sierra Juarez. It was engineered by Robert Rodriguez. Alex Goldmark is our executive producer. Read Viola Zhou's reporting on the Gotion battery factory. Find more Planet Money: Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter. Listen free at these links: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the NPR app or anywhere you get podcasts. Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney. Music: NPR Source Audio - "Collectible Kicks," "Arturo's Revenge," and "Liquid Courage" Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

    31 min
  7. Trump's crypto interests (Two Indicators)

    JUN 4

    Trump's crypto interests (Two Indicators)

    Today on the show – our crypto president. Just before President Donald Trump began his second administration in January, he and his business partners launched the $TRUMP coin. It's a memecoin that quickly raked in hundreds of millions of dollars. And there's a lot of earning potential still left on the table. Is that even legal? We bring you two stories from our daily show, The Indicator about President Trump and his ties to crypto. First, the Trump coin. We explain what it is, how the real Donald Trump profits from it, and yes, whether this whole crypto scheme is within the law. Then we take a look at Stablecoins: how they work, how they make money, and for whom. The original episodes from The Indicator were produced by Cooper Katz McKim and Corey Bridges. They were engineered by Harry Paul and Robert Rodriguez. They were fact-checked by Sierra Juarez. Kate Concannon edits the show. This episode of Planet Money was produced by James Sneed and edited by Emma Peaslee. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer. Find more Planet Money: Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter. Listen free at these links: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the NPR app or anywhere you get podcasts. Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

    18 min
  8. What makes manufacturing jobs special? (Planet Money+)

    JUN 2 · BONUS • PLANET MONEY+ ONLY

    What makes manufacturing jobs special? (Planet Money+)

    President Trump upended the global economy in the name of bringing manufacturing back to the U.S. President Biden signed into law massive investments to reinvigorate America's industrial base. Is there something special about manufacturing jobs to warrant all the government attention? Is the focus more about nostalgia and politics than what might best serve workers? In today's bonus episode, Greg Rosalsky tries to answer those questions with Harvard Kennedy School economist Gordon Hanson. They discuss recent research that looked at what happened to the pay of Americans as they jumped between industries and what it tells us about "the manufacturing premium." We also hear about Hanson's work on what makes a "good job" and whether manufacturing still measures up. Related links: "Industry Wage Differentials: A Firm-Based Approach," David Card, Jesse Rothstein, and Moises Yi (2024) https://bit.ly/3Zbfjuc "Are Manufacturing Jobs Still Good Jobs?" Kimberly Bayard, Tomaz Cajner, Vivi Gregorich, and Maria D. Tito (revised 2024) https://bit.ly/3HmnNZg The Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) data https://bit.ly/4jwn8C2 Daron Acemoglu, Institute Professor of Economics at MIT https://bit.ly/3HAfcSO "Where Have All the Good Jobs Gone?" Gordon Hanson and Enrico Moretti (working paper, 2025) https://bit.ly/4juk1dS "What makes manufacturing jobs special?" Planet Money newsletter https://n.pr/43GDQZz Show your support by signing up for Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org!

    22 min
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About

Wanna see a trick? Give us any topic and we can tie it back to the economy. At Planet Money, we explore the forces that shape our lives and bring you along for the ride. Don't just understand the economy – understand the world.Wanna go deeper? Subscribe to Planet Money+ and get sponsor-free episodes of Planet Money, The Indicator, and Planet Money Summer School. Plus access to bonus content. It's a new way to support the show you love. Learn more at plus.npr.org/planetmoney

Information

  • Channel
    Planet Money
  • Creator
    NPR
  • Years Active
    2008 - 2025
  • Episodes
    613
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2015-2021 NPR - For Personal Use Only
  • Show Website
    Planet Money
  • Provider
    NPR

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