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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.

  • Canada's new Prime Minister Mark Carney entered politics as trade relations with the U.S. hit a low point. The former central banker's economic chops may propel him to victory in the next election.
  • Not long ago, a Czech record company was making its money producing harmless pop songs for the eastern bloc. Now they're helping facilitate the world's newfound addiction for vinyl records.
  • The tone of voice and personality that brands use to market themselves to consumers has changed a lot in the past decade, with many brands communicating more frequently and in overly familiar ways.
  • There have now been a few major vinyl booms. And unbeknownst to many, a small village in the Czech Republic has been responsible for manufacturing a large number of these albums. On today's show, how this dominant player became a problem for its competitors in the U.S. Related episodes: Rumor has it Adele broke the vinyl supply chain 'Let's Get It On' ... in court (Update) (Apple / Spotify) 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.
  • A brief history of U.S. tariffs: How they came into fashion, fell out of fashion, are now back again and why economists aren't too happy about it.
  • Trump signed an executive order to make sure agencies follow the president's priorities. But it only applies to the Federal Reserve's role in safeguarding the financial system, not monetary policy.
  • Government cuts. Tariff uncertainty. Sticky interest rates. These are not helping the tumbling stock market. There's a sinking feeling among some Americans that a crash is imminent. But ... should we all be so worried?
  • Bad Bunny's new album DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS laments how Puerto Rico is changing. We look at whether tax breaks to newcomers contributed.
  • Between the Trump administration wanting to change how GDP is calculated and DOGE accessing sensitive government information, statistical agencies are under the microscope. Can we still trust official numbers like the monthly jobs report?
  • Surprisingly stable chicken meat prices, a lawsuit threat against the Gulf of Mexico's name change, and the Trump administration's false claims about Social Security beyond the grave are all under the microscope on this edition of Indicators of the Week. Related episodes: What the cluck is happening with egg prices? What does the next era of Social Security look like? The fight for a legendary shipwreck's treasure 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.