Stacey Vanek Smith
NPR
New York, NY, United States
Contact Stacey
Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
| Recent: |
|
| Past: |
|
Past articles by Stacey:
The mystery of rising prices. Are greedy corporations to blame for inflation?
Inflation has been pushing prices up all year, but economists and politicians don't agree on where it's coming from. → Read More
Inflation won't win Thanksgiving: Here's NPR's plan to help you save on a meal
Turkey, stuffing, pie — it's all way more expensive this year. But you don't have to let inflation spoil your meal, if you're willing to get creative. → Read More
Ticket scalpers and the Taylor Swift fiasco (Encore)
For most people, buying scalped tickets may be the only way to see Taylor Swift's Eras tour. Thanks, Ticketmaster. But economically speaking, the resale market is more complicated than it seems.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. → Read More
The big reveal: New laws require companies to disclose pay ranges on job postings.
On Nov. 1, New York joined a handful of places across the country that require companies to disclose salary ranges when they post jobs. But transparency isn't easy. → Read More
The bond that broke the internet
US Treasury bonds are known as a super safe, super boring place to put your money. But the Series I Savings Bond got so popular last week, the surge in demand crashed the Treasury's website → Read More
Productivity and workforce whiplash
Labor productivity, historically the engine of American economic supremacy, is faltering. And even in a tight labor market, some workers are feeling less valued by their employers than ever before. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. → Read More
Recession or Inflation? Governments around the world must pick their poison
Liz Truss' resignation as Prime Minister is being blamed on a faulty economic plan. But her fate should serve as a warning to other countries that may have to grapple with an inconceivable choice. → Read More
What the wild journey of a $100,000 watch can teach us about global markets
The luxury watch market was a sleepy, shrinking industry until it got caught up in a tidal wave of market forces. → Read More
You can run, but you can't hide: Inflation is busting budgets, and killing joy too
Inflation is hitting Americans hard at home with prices soaring for electricity, groceries, rent, even breakfast. A carton of eggs is 30.5% more expensive than it was last year. → Read More
When your seatmate on the plane talks about the Fed, you know things aren't right
The woman next to me, who described herself as knowing "zero" about the economy, asked whether I thought the Federal Reserve would continue raising interest rates. I felt an acute sense of dread. → Read More
Americans are becoming less productive, and that's a risk to the economy
Job market swings over the past few years have dampened the motivation of many workers and led to a decline in the fuel of the U.S. economy — productivity. → Read More
Why worker productivity has fallen in the U.S.
Productivity is probably the most important economic indicator for the health of an economy, and in the U.S. it's falling. (Story aired on All Things Considered on Oct. 5, 2022.) → Read More
Workers are changing jobs and getting raises, and still struggling financially
It should be good news for Americans: a new poll shows almost everyone is getting a raise and they're not having to stick it out in jobs they hate. But for many the financial struggle continues. → Read More
A firm without its Queen (Encore)
From the aftermath of World War II to the coronavirus pandemic, Queen Elizabeth has lived through it all. But after her death, what happens to the future of the royal family... and its fortune? Today on the show, we're revisiting our classic episode to ask: Can "The Firm" really survive without its CEO? For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via… → Read More
Summer School 8: Productivity & Getting Lit
Productivity is our economic measure for how far our work goes, as individuals and as a society over all. It plays an important role in determining our quality of life, the prices of our goods and services, and, to some extent, the amount of free time we have. Today, we explore how thousands of years of productivity advancements transformed something now so standard that we take it for granted:… → Read More
Planet Money Summer School 8: Productivity & Getting Lit
Productivity is our economic measure for how far our work goes, as individuals and as a society over all. It plays an important role in determining our quality of life, the prices of our goods and services, and, to some extent, the amount of free time we have. Today, we explore how thousands of years of productivity advancements transformed something now so standard that we take it for granted:… → Read More
Summer School 7: The Fed & Volcker's Socks
The Federal Reserve plays a very important role in the economy. When things start to look uncertain, the central bank is tasked with stepping in to restore people's confidence in the economy. But how do they do it? On today's episode we dive deep on monetary policy and the role of the fed. |At this Summer School, phones ARE allowed during class... Check out this week's PM TikTok! | Listen to… → Read More
Planet Money Summer School 7: The Fed & Volcker's Socks
The Federal Reserve plays a very important role in the economy. When things start to look uncertain, the central bank is tasked with stepping in to restore people's confidence in the economy. But how do they do it? On today's episode we dive deep on monetary policy and the role of the fed. |At this Summer School, phones ARE allowed during class... Check out this week's PM TikTok! | Listen to… → Read More
Summer School 6: Trade & The Better Life
International trade is the web of cross-border relationships that binds economies together. Because of trade we have access to cheaper, higher-quality goods, and we get to benefit from other countries' cultures. Economics tells us trade makes society, overall on average, better off, but that doesn't mean everyone wins. Today, the good and bad of trade through the eyes of workers in developing… → Read More
Planet Money Summer School 6: Trade & The Better Life
International trade is the web of cross-border relationships that binds economies together. Because of trade we have access to cheaper, higher-quality goods, and we get to benefit from other countries' cultures. Economics tells us trade makes society, overall on average, better off, but that doesn't mean everyone wins. Today, the good and bad of trade through the eyes of workers in developing… → Read More