Marketplace Music

Playlist: Jordan and McDonalds

Katharine Crnko Feb 8, 2011

Posted by Katharine Crnko

For Marketplace Morning Report, Tuesday February 8, 2011

As protests continue in Egypt, ratings agency Moody’s is concerned the turmoil could spread to neighboring countries. Moody’s downgraded Jordan’s credit outlook to negative today. Alisa Roth reports on the country’s upheaval from Amman, Jordan.

Dot this: New domains have a high price but create bigger resale market for websites.

The ongoing debt crisis in Europe has many Germans asking why they ever got rid of the Deutschmark.

High prices of iron ore and other raw materials have hurt the steel industry. But the world’s largest steel maker is predicting a strong 2011. As Christopher Werth explains, growth in the steel industry could mean growth in the global economy.

Online coupon site Groupon has been criticized for its commercial that made light of the political controversy between China and Tibet, and drew criticism from Super Bowl viewers — in the U.S., and now in China. Rob Schmitz reports on how this ad could hurt Groupon’s chances of expanding to the world’s biggest market.

Steve Chiotakis talks to former Marketplace reporter Lisa Napoli about her new book, “Radio Shangri-La,” covering her travels to Bhutan.

Lisa Napoli was in the grip of a mid-life crisis when a chance encounter led her to the adventure of a lifetime. Leaving behind her job in public radio and her life in Los Angeles, she moved to the tiny Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan to volunteer at the country’s first youth radio station.

The FCC is expected to vote today on a subsidy change involving phone and internet service in rural areas. Americans already pay a small fee on their phone bill for service to remote areas. Now, the FCC hopes to use that money to pay for high speed internet access in rural areas instead. David Gura reports.

Small Illinois bank Wintrust Financial has already paid back its TARP money.

McDonald’s Corp. this morning reported U.S. same-store sales grew 3.1 percent in January, compared to the year-ago period. The company attributes the increase to new products such as oatmeal and coffee. Juli Niemann, analyst at Smith Moore and Company, explains McDonald’s success through creative marketing techniques.

After a series of Toyota recalls, NASA — that’s right, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration — is expected to publish its analysis of the so-called “runaway Toyotas” today. David Gura has more.

In the March issue of Bloomberg Markets magazine, David Deitz explains how New Markets Tax Credits — part of a program created to help revitalize poor and struggling inner city neighborhoods — is being used to build corporate developments. Deitz speaks with Steve Chiotakis about the implications of the misuse of the funds.

Here are the songs we played:

  • Veridis Quo — Daft Punk Buy
  • Cup o’ Lovage — Peter StenshoelBuy
  • Hanuman — Rodrigo y GabrielaBuy
  • No Cars Go — Arcade FireBuy
  • Third Uncle — Brian Eno Buy

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