Week of January 23rd, 2006

Host Scott Jagow and identity theft expert Eric Drew talk about the source of the identity theft problem — and why you shouldn't be paying to protect yourself from it.

The government is expected to release GDP figure for the fourth quarter of 2005 today, and analysts predict the number will show that the economy slowed during the last three months of the year. Bob Moon has more.

This week a so-called "toxic ship" was permitted to sail toward India. The decommissioned French aircraft carrier is set to be dismantled when it gets to Indian shipyards, despite environmental concerns. Greenpeace says the ship contains hundreds of tons of hazardous materials. From New Delhi, Miranda Kennedy reports.

Today's release of the low-budget thriller "Bubble" has Hollywood holding its breath. As Rachel Dornhelm reports, the film could very well change how movies are distributed.

Marketplace Money for January 27, 2006

A new report out indicates that people now rent more cars from neighborhood locations than they do from airports. Brian Watt explains the shift.

The FCC plans to sell airwave frequencies that could be used to provide airline passengers access to the Internet. Jason Paur looks at the market for WiFi in the sky.

Renewable energy sources are twice as expensive as conventional sources, but according to EPA, several major companies are increasing their reliance on green power. Alex Cohen tells us why.

Personal finance expert Chris Farrell and host Scott Jagow discuss the colorful origins of the federal excise tax, and why it might soon be repealed.

Adidas has been given the green light to acquire US athletic shoemaker Reebok in a deal estimated at $3.8 billion. Adidas hopes the acquisition will put it on track to give Nike a run for its money. Alisa Roth reports.

Savvy Traveler commentator Rudy Maxa cries foul over government plans for two-tiered security screening at airports.

One of China's first private companies, Beijing Vantone Real Estate, has signed a deal to lease the top five floors of the first new building at Ground Zero since 9/11. Finding tenants for 7 World Trade Center had been difficult, but as Amy Scott reports, the company hopes the location will be a magnet for Chinese businesspeople.

Tens of thousands of participants are expected to turn out for this week's World Social Forum, billed as an alternative to the World Economic Forum in Davos. But as Brian Ellsworth reports, host country Venezuela may not be the poster child for an alternative to free-market capitalism.

The Japanese automaker has announced plans to enter its vehicles in NASCAR's elite Nextel and Busch series, currently dominated by the Chevy, Ford and Dodge brands. As Bob Moon reports, it's more about marketing than racing.

The culture of collusion and price-fixing is alive and well in Europe. But regulators have served notice the end of cartel activity is nigh. Stephen Beard reports.

A group of researchers from Yale and Columbia has devised a scorecard to rate countries on how well they manage their environmental and natural resources. As John Dimsdale reports, the US lags behind most of the developed world.

Johnson&Johnson is likely to escalate the bidding war over Guidant Technologies today. As Helen Palmer reports, the red-hot medical device market makes Guidant attractive, despite its liabilities.