Stacey Vanek Smith

Productivity is probably the most important economic indicator for the health of an economy, and it's falling. There is a battle over the narrative around worker productivity and the stakes are high.

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.

Last year, the Indicator analyzed whether the Simpson family's lifestyle was attainable for the middle class. A writer for The Simpsons listened and decided to answer the question with an episode.

Ukraine has been receiving a stream of weapons from the United States and NATO for the past several weeks. Like the goods that come to your door, these weapons have to go through a supply chain.

Meetings, love them or hate them, when it comes to the workplace, they're really important. NPR's Life Kit has tips for how to be heard at work. (Story originally aired on ATC on Nov. 13, 2021.)

Cryptocurrency is an asset for those seeking privacy in their transactions, including criminals. Eyebrows were raised when a couple was arrested for allegedly laundering billions in stolen bitcoin.

The phenomenon of backwardation illustrates one of the reasons why oil is in short supply right now.

Music icons like Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan have sold their songwriting catalogs for eye-popping amounts of money. It's a growing trend in an industry that's shifted since the start of streaming.

As Russia places troops on the Ukrainian border, there's a financial nuclear weapon that Europe and the U.S. can use: ban Russia from the system most banks use to transfer money internationally.

There's been a storm of debate about an old anti-inflation policy: price controls. So we dust off the history books to see what happened in World War II.

In hospitals, it's standard for nurses to work a 12-hour shift. But research shows that may not be such a good idea for patients — or nurses.

Johnson & Johnson is entangled in lawsuits regarding its talcum-based products being linked to ovarian cancer. To save itself from future suits, the company is betting big on a tricky legal maneuver.

If you're getting interrupted, your ideas are being stolen or you're being talked over in meetings, this tip could help: Make sure you're "amplifying" one another's ideas.

Although workers across the country have seen an increase in wages, the prices of things like gas and food have also risen, leaving workers wondering if their raises are real.

The Major League Baseball lockout continues, with players and owners still at odds. A 100-year-old court case gave the MLB an 'antitrust exemption' and set the stage for the labor unrest we see today.

Due to recent scandals and Queen Elizabeth's poor health, the royal family's brand and future feel far less certain than it has in years. Can "The Firm" survive without its CEO?

Although workers across the country have seen an increase in wages, the cost of things like gas and food have also risen. This has left workers wondering if these raises are real or just an illusion.

The vinyl record supply chain has always been a little fragile. But can it withstand the economic force that is Adele? She reportedly pressed over 500,000 vinyl records for her new album, 30.

NPR's Life Kit has tips for how to be heard at work.

iBuyers buy homes online and turn around and sell them. But they concentrate in certain places, where houses can be priced pretty well using a computer algorithm.