EV sales slow, US Treasury yields grow, 'Niu Lai' has impressive box office mojo

August 21, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

The US Treasury yield on 30-year bonds has climbed to 5.3%, its highest point in nearly two decades, while North American electric vehicle sales have dropped 27% year over year since last July—a stark contrast to the rest of the world where EV sales grew more than 10%. Meanwhile, in China, an animated film made by a mother-son duo on a budget reportedly as low as $200 has grossed $4.2 million at the box office after going viral for being so bad that audiences started to love it.

Treasury yields hit a two-decade high

The yield on the 30-year US Treasury bond now sits at 5.3%, meaning that's the average return investors demand to lend the government money over three decades. This is the highest level in nearly 20 years, and it matters because small changes in interest rates translate into tens or even hundreds of billions of dollars more in federal spending. Consumer debt, corporate loans, and government borrowing all get more expensive when Treasury yields rise.

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What you'll learn

1 The Indicator from Planet Money: EV sales slow, US Treasury yields grow, 'Niu Lai' has impressive box office mojo
2 (00:24) **Show Open** - Hosts Adrian Ma, Ricky Mulvey, and Cooper Katz McKim introduce three economic indicators for the episode.
3 (01:53) **EV Sales in North America Drop 27%** - Cooper Katz McKim reports that electric vehicle sales have fallen sharply year-over-year in North America, contrasting with global growth.
4 (04:06) **30-Year Treasury Yield Hits 5.3%** - Ricky Mulvey explains why the yield on long-term U.S. government debt is at its highest in nearly two decades.
5 (06:59) **Chinese Indie Film 'Niu Lai' Goes Viral** - Adrian Ma shares the story of a janky, ultra-low-budget animated film that has become a surprise box office hit in China.
6 (10:25) **Credits** - Episode produced by Angel Carreras, engineered by Aan Lee Huang, back-checked by Julia Richie, edited by Caden Cannon.
7 Standout Quotes

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Yurian Timmer

Show Notes

This week’s indicators: EV sales sputter in North America but flutter internationally; U.S. Treasury Yields … RISE!; a low-budget movie so terrible, it became a box office hit in China.

Fact checking by Julia Ritchey

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