logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2025
30s

Planet Money: We Bought a Toxic Asset

NPR
About this episode
Remember toxic assets? Those complicated mortgage bonds that almost brought down the financial system? We bought one to figure out how the 2008 housing crisis played out. We called her Toxie. These episodes take you through Toxie's complicated and surprising life. Subscribe to Planet Money+ now to get access and get sponsor-free listening to Planet Money.

To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2025
How the government got hedge funded
The U.S. government spends a ton of money, on everything from Medicare to roads to defense. In fact, it spends way more than it takes in. So…it borrows money, in the bond market. By selling U.S. Treasurys, basically IOUs with periodic interest payments. And for decades, people ha ... Show More
28m 10s
Oct 2021
We set up an offshore company in a tax haven (Classic)
The Pandora Papers released this week reveal how many world leaders allegedly hold wealth through the use of shell companies. We listen back to when we set up our very own Planet Money shell companies. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Pri ... Show More
31 m
Mar 2023
A Great Recession bank takeover
Earlier this month, we saw the largest bank collapse since the 2008 financial crisis. For many of us, seeing Silicon Valley Bank's meltdown brought us right back to that time 15 years ago, at the beginning of what would become the Great Recession. In early 2009, one or two banks ... Show More
18m 37s
Oct 2024
The Subscription Trap
Over the past two decades, there's been a sort of tectonic economic shift happening under our feet. More and more companies have switched from selling goods one by one to selling services, available as a subscription. These days everything from razor blades to meal kits to car wa ... Show More
30m 55s
Dec 2024
The habitat banker
Our planet is in serious trouble. There are a million species of plants and animals in danger of extinction, and the biggest cause is companies destroying their habitats to farm food, mine minerals, and otherwise get the raw materials to turn into the products we all consume.So, ... Show More
33m 2s
Jan 2021
Planet Monet (Classic)
Investors are pouring money into art, but a lot of it is disappearing into storage. We find out why. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy 
16m 24s
Dec 2022
Two Indicators: The fight over ESG investing
"ESG" investing – Environmental, Social, Governance – has attracted a lot of attention from investors, and from Republican politicians who call it "woke investing." On today's show, what the fight over ESG reveals about the potential and limitations of sustainable investing.Subsc ... Show More
21m 29s
Aug 2023
The financial advice we'd give to Barbie
Barbie is a big spender and high earner, fast approaching the age of retirement. But after a long and varied career that has seen her build a portfolio of multiple dreamhouses and a low-commitment, long-distance relationship with casual boyfriend Ken, what financial advice should ... Show More
23m 38s
Aug 2023
Fitch's U.S Debt Downgrade Was Justified | Danielle DiMartino Booth
Danielle DiMartino Booth CEO & Chief Strategist, QI Research joins Forward Guidance for a special episode from Camp Kotok. We discuss the past 3 years in both the economy and markets, Fitch's recent AAA downgrade on U.S debt & the lingering stress in commercial real estate. To h ... Show More
27m 28s