Business

Economy

One of the hot button issues in the presidential debate will be the economy

2:45pm June 26, 2024

On this day before the presidential candidates debate, we have some debate prep for voters. Tuesday's briefing was on immigration -- and now the issue is the economy.

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Pedestrian deaths have fallen for the first time since the pandemic

10:12am June 26, 2024

by Lola Murti

After hitting a 40-year high in 2022, pedestrian deaths decreased last year to just over 7,300, according to a new report by the Governors Highway Safety Association.

Economy

Inflation has driven expenses up for charity groups — while driving donations down

10:25pm June 25, 2024

by Scott Horsley

Charitable giving picked up last year after falling in 2022. But inflation is chipping away at the value of gifts, putting a squeeze on donors and non-profits alike.

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Economy

Tracking the underground bike theft economy

6:35pm June 25, 2024

A few years ago, bike enthusiast Bryan Hance got a tip. A whole bunch of expensive bikes that were stolen in the Bay Area had suddenly turned up ... for sale on a Facebook page in Mexico. The revelation started Bryan down a years-long investigation where he would uncover an intricate, large-scale criminal operation out of Jalisco, Mexico.

In today's episode, we talk to freelance reporter Christopher Solomon who wrote about Hance's journey in WIRED Magazine.

Related episodes:
Is retail theft getting worse? (Apple / Spotify)
The economics of stealing bikes

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Writers Guild Members Man Picket Lines As Labor Talks Continue

Arts

This time last year, Hollywood writers were on strike. Now, many can’t find work

11:45am June 25, 2024

by Mandalit del Barco

The entertainment industry was shifting dramatically even before the strikes that paused production last year. Now, many Hollywood writers are feeling the pinch.

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Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang delivers a keystone speech ahead of Computex 2024 in Taipei on June 2, 2024. (SAM YEH/AFP via Getty Images)

Economy

The tower of NVIDIA

7:22pm June 24, 2024

For a moment last week, semiconductor chip designer NVIDIA eclipsed Microsoft to become the world's most valuable company. How did it get there?

Today on the show, David Rosenthal, one half of the tech podcast Acquired, explains how NVIDIA's founder Jensen Huang laid the groundwork for the company's meteoric rise, and why there may be obstacles ahead.

Related episodes:
The life and death spirals of social media networks (Apple / Spotify)
The semiconductor founding father

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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How a quest for greater profits upended the global supply chain during the pandemic

3:10pm June 24, 2024

by Dave Davies

Everything from disinfectant wipes to computer chips were in short supply during the pandemic. New York Times journalist Peter Goodman explains the disruptions in How the World Ran Out of Everything.

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There've been a lot of stories about air safety. Should we be afraid to fly?

1:55pm June 24, 2024

by A Martínez

NPR's A Martinez talks with veteran aviation journalist Benét Wilson about mitigating air travelers' worries amid multiple incident investigations and reports of extreme turbulence.

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Arts

We designed a 'Morning Edition' fragrance – and learned why perfume sales are up

5:01am June 22, 2024

by Nina Kravinsky

We visited Olfactory NYC to design a scent and to learn why perfume sales are up since 2018.

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Companies are using 'price pack architecture' to get consumers to buy more

9:20pm June 21, 2024

by Jeff Guo

There's a term companies are using more often recently: “price pack architecture.” It's meant to be a way to get customers to buy more, sometimes for more money per unit.

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