Darian Woods
Darian Woods is a reporter and producer for The Indicator from Planet Money. He blends economics, journalism, and an ear for audio to tell stories that explain the global economy. He's reported on the time the world got together and solved a climate crisis, vaccine intellectual property explained through cake baking, and how Kit Kat bars reveal hidden economic forces.
Before NPR, Woods worked as an adviser to the Secretary of the New Zealand Treasury. He has an honors degree in economics from the University of Canterbury and a Master of Public Policy from UC Berkeley.
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The cost of health care for pets has been surging. It has almost doubled over the past five years. What is behind these rising costs?
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An economist explains the impact the H-1B visa program has had on the U.S. economy and native-born workers. And what the new hundred thousand dollar fee could mean for the future of the program.
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Gold is on fire right now with some gold ETFs outperforming the major stock indexes over the past 12 months. Gold is supposed to be boring, an inflation hedge. But right now, it's responding to something else. Today on the show, we talk to a finance professor about what’s behind the current gold rush and if gold’s hot streak is built to last. Understanding Gold by Claud B. Erb and Campbell R. Harvey Related episodes: A new-ish gold rush and other indicators Gold Rush 2.0 A secret weapon to fight inflation For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. -
Earlier this month, President Donald Trump announced a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa petitioners. Today on the show, we talk to an economist about how much H-1B visa holders have contributed to US growth, their effects on American-born workers, and why the United States’ competitors are taking advantage of this moment. Related episodes: How much international students matter to the economy The precarity of the H-1B work visa Could foreign workers unlock America's tight labor market? For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. -
Jimmy Kimmel’s brief departure from the airwaves triggered a wave of debate over free speech. Partly triggering his suspension was the government threatening to leverage its power over pending media deals. That’s in part due to a piece of decades-old legislation. Today on the show, we look at how the Telecommunications Act of 1996 set the stage for government meddling and corporate capitulation. Related episodes: Breaking up big business is hard to do Mergers, acquisitions and Elon’s “rude” proposal For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. -
It’s Indicators of the Week! It is that show where we parse the most fascinating financial numbers in the news and bring them to you. On today's show: Argentina needs a bailout, Microsoft’s new way to cool data centers, and retail hiring is not looking like it’s in the holiday spirit. Related episodes: A radical plan to fix Argentina's inflation What $10 billion in data centers actually gets you For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. -
The "silver tsunami" of aging Americans is often seen as a potential way to alleviate U.S. housing affordability woes. But an influx of empty-nester homes into the market may not have much impact.
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Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Junior says doctors are pushing vaccines onto their patients in order to make profits. Healthcare in the US is a business … but does that mean that doctors actually make money on vaccines? Today on the show, we talk with doctors who explain the financial reality behind vaccines and how RFK Jr’s words and actions could harm public health. Related episodes: More for Palantir, less for mRNA, and a disaster database redemption arc What is a 'freedom economy'? For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Tyler Jones. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. -
When you walk into a store, you're probably used to seeing price tags on things, saying what they cost. But when you shop online, there is no price tag. There's just the price you see on screen. What if companies use your online data — like your location and browsing history — to charge you more than somebody else … or maybe less? Today on the show: Surveillance pricing vs. personalized pricing. Related episodes: Is dynamic pricing coming to a supermarket near you? Wendy's pricing mind trick and other indicators of the week For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. -
Los Angeles is synonymous with car culture. But now that it's hosting the 2028 Olympics, could that be changing? On today's show, LA's public transit building bonanza, and why some worry the new infrastructure will benefit tourists more than locals. Related episodes: Why the Olympics cost so much Why building public transit in the US costs so much For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
