The Indicator from Planet Money
Think the oil shock is bad in the US? Look here
A fuel price reading shows on a pump at a fuel station in Plumtree town in Zimbabwe on March 18, 2026. Zinyange Auntony/Getty Images hide caption
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Zinyange Auntony/Getty Images
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is pretty slow right now. A once steady stream of global oil has been severed, and oil prices have shot into the stratosphere. Countries across the world are trying to stop the bleeding. One is counting down the days until it runs out of oil. Another is … just fine.
On today’s show, we take stock of how three countries, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, and China, are navigating the oil crisis.
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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.