Mary Childs
Stories
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Central banks globally have faced political pressure. Here's what happened there
President Trump is continuing his push for more control of the Federal Reserve. The Planet Money team looked into what has happened globally when central banks face political pressure.
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How Lisa Cook made her name in economics
We look back at the seminal economic research that helped Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook make her name in economics.
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The importance of trust in economic data
What happens when people stop trusting their government's economic data? Planet Money's Mary Childs reports on what happened in Greece.
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What happens when people stop trusting their government's economic data?
What happens when people stop trusting their government's economic data? Planet Money reports on what happened in Greece.
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Once considered a safe investment, U.S. Treasuries now feel shakier
For decades, U.S. Treasuries have been among the safest investments. But in recent months, trust in U.S. Treasuries has felt shakier.
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Is the dollar's reign ending?
For decades, dollars have been the world's common financial language -- the "reserve currency." When financial markets tank, people have rushed toward the dollar for safety. It might be changing.
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Bond market activity this week signals that something big might be changing
Usually when the stock market goes down, the bond market thrives. But the bond market has been struggling.
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Government watchdogs are making new tools to track spending and cuts
Thanks to the U.S. government's tradition of data transparency, there is a way to see exactly what money is going to government programs and agencies. O research group used it to create a widget.
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The population problem in Singapore is also an economic problem
Singapore's government said that its fertility rate has fallen to a record low. It's one of many industrialized countries trying to encourage its people to have more babies.
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Could an equation do a better job at setting a target interest rate than the Fed?
The Federal Reserve meets regularly and sets a target interest rate to keep inflation low and jobs high. But what if an equation could do all the work — and even do a better job?