What Do Shorted Stocks Tell Us About The Economy?
Looking at the list of the ten most shorted stocks out there can tell a lot about the economy and human nature. David Kestenbaum from our Planet Money podcast takes us through the list.» E-Mail This
View ArticleWhat Does NPR's Planet Money Team Have In Common With George Soros?
Our Planet Money team shorted the entire U.S. stock market. The team learned they had some good company in their short, billionaire George Soros also shorted the S&P — but his strategy was...
View ArticleComputer Models Play 'What If' Game With Our Economy
Economists often use computer models to try to understand the economy. Planet Money checks back in on a model it used a few years ago to predict what would happen with unemployment.» E-Mail This
View ArticleOn April Fools' Day, Planet Money Tries Out Economics Jokes
Economics jokes can be hard enough to understand, let alone laugh at. NPR's Planet Money team recently tried some of its own jokes out on a live audience at a small comedy club in Brooklyn, N.Y.»...
View ArticleCEO Describes What It's Like When Investors Bet Against You
The online furniture company Wayfair is now one of the most shorted stocks. Our Planet Money team talks to its CEO about what it's like to be running a company when investors are betting on your fall.»...
View Article'We Built A Robot That Types': The Man Behind Computerized Stock Trading
NPR's Planet Money profiles a Hungarian immigrant who pioneered computerized trading. Thomas Peterffy struggled for years and experimented with many techniques, including a typing robot.» E-Mail This
View ArticleCasinos Switch Out Slot Machines For Games Of Skill
Some casinos are trying a new strategy to attract players. They're switching out games based on luck for games of skill. NPR's Planet Money goes to Atlantic City to try one of these experiments.»...
View ArticleCasinos Trading Slot Machines For Games Requiring Skill
Some casinos are trying to attract players by switching out games based on luck for games relying on skill. This story originally aired on All Things Considered on April 29, 2015.» E-Mail This
View ArticleCasinos Bet On Change After Younger Players Ignore 'Boring' Slot Machines
When young people go to casinos, they aren't playing slot machines. Our Planet Money team talks to a man who thinks he can make slot machines that younger people will want to play.» E-Mail This
View ArticleObama's New Budget Plan Proposes Closing Social Security Loophole
The Obama administration's new budget plan proposes closing a Social Security loophole. The loophole allows some couples to get up to $50,000 extra.» E-Mail This
View ArticleExperts Debate: Will Computers Edge People Out Of Entire Careers?
Machines have been taking jobs forever. Computers and software are doing things people were paid to do. They are booking airplane flights. Filing our taxes. And they are getting better all the time.»...
View Article3 Economists Answer This Question: What Keeps You Up At Night?
It's been 7 years since the financial crisis nearly took down the global economy. Our Planet Money team wondered what the next big mess might be, so they asked three economists for their thoughts.»...
View ArticleGreece's Debt Crisis Exposes Its Hidden Financial Plumbing
Greece is on the verge of an economic nightmare scenario of the modern world. The financial plumbing in Greece is starting to shut down, and the Planet Money podcast finds out the widespread and weird...
View ArticleCasinos Offer New Ways To Win With Games Based On Skill
Some casinos are switching out slot machines for games of skill. This story originally aired on April 29, 2015, on All Things Considered.» E-Mail This
View ArticleDoctors Plan Database On Cancer Drugs, Showing Effectiveness And Cost
A group of cancer doctors is trying to create a database on cancer drugs. It would give a score for each drug, reflecting how well the drug works. It would also list how much the drug costs.» E-Mail This
View ArticleKeynes Predicted We Would Be Working 15-Hour Weeks. Why Was He So Wrong?
The economist John Maynard Keynes predicted that his grandkids would work just 15 hours a week. He imagined by now, we would basically work Monday and Tuesday, and then have a five-day weekend. His...
View ArticleWeighty Issue: Cow Guessing Game Helps To Explain The Stock Market
Planet Money put a picture of a cow on the Internet and asked how much it weighed. The idea was to understand the phenomenon that drives everything from the stock market to orange juice prices.» E-Mail...
View ArticleWhy Can't We Bet On U.S. Elections? Blame 16th Century Rome
You can spend millions on lobbyists or ads to influence the presidential election, but it is mostly illegal to bet on who will win the White House. But centuries ago, people bet on the papal election.»...
View Article'Planet Money' Explains Why We Sign For Things
Some people write a squiggle. Others just write an initial. Our Planet Money team takes a look at the history of the signature. (This piece initially aired on Sept. 14, 2014 on All Things Considered).»...
View ArticleWhy China's Official Economic Numbers Shouldn't Be Trusted
Economic news coming out of China often rattles or rallies global markets. But how reliable is that news? It turns out basic measures like Gross National Product may be far from accurate.» E-Mail This
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