Money Talks from The Economist

Germany was once the economic powerhouse of Europe. But since 2019 its economy has barely grown. The country is now under new leadership—but is Friedrich Merz the man to pull Germany out of its perma-slump? Hosts: Ethan Wu and Mike Bird. Guests: The Economist’s Christian Odendahl; Monika Schnitzer, chair of the German Council of Economic Experts; and Philippa Sigl-Glöckner, founder of Dezernat Zukunft, a macro-finance think tank. Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts [http://economist.com/podcasts]. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ [https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus]. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page [https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts] or watch our video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY] explaining how to link your account.

Good bosses are rare. They don’t have to be. The skills of management can be learned. The Economist’s management columnist, Andrew Palmer, is here to help. The second season of Boss Class features leaders at some of the world’s best performing companies, from Levi’s to Novo Nordisk to Google.  New episodes are out weekly starting May 12th.  To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ [https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus]. https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus [https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus] If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs [https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts] page or watch our video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY] explaining how to link your account.

After months of bluster, he’s finally done it. At a ceremony in the White House Rose Garden, Donald Trump overturned decades of American trade policy with a simple signature. The new wave of trade restrictions [https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2025/04/03/trump-takes-americas-trade-policies-back-to-the-19th-century?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=moneytalks&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners], if implemented in full, will raise tariffs [https://www.economist.com/leaders/2025/04/03/president-trumps-mindless-tariffs-will-cause-economic-havoc?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=moneytalks&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners] to the highest level in more than a century. So how bad could it get? Hosts: Mike Bird and Ethan Wu. Guests: The Economist’s Simon Rabinovitch; and Douglas Irwin, a professor of economics at Dartmouth College. Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts [http://economist.com/podcasts]. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ [https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus]. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page [https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts] or watch our video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY]explaining how to link your account.

A sophisticated, predatory, multi-billion dollar industry is emerging from the shadows. It already rivals the size of the illicit drug trade. And it’s about to get bigger and much more powerful.  The Economist’s Sue-Lin Wong follows a trail that starts with the collapse of a bank in rural Kansas to uncover a global, underground scam economy built around human trafficking, corruption and money laundering. Can it be stopped? Available now. To listen to the full series subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ [https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus].

Narendra Modi is one of the most popular politicians on the planet. India’s prime minister is eyeing a third term atop the world’s biggest democracy.  A tea-seller’s son, Mr Modi began life an outsider and the man behind the political phenomenon remains hard to fathom. India has become an economic powerhouse during his ten years in charge. But he’s also the frontman for a chauvinistic Hindu nationalist dogma.  Can Mr Modi continue to balance both parts of his agenda and finish the job of turning India into a superpower? The Economist’s Avantika Chilkoti finds out what makes him tick.  Launching June 2024. To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ [https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus]. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs [https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts] page or watch our video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY] explaining how to link your account.