Life is hard enough without having to decipher everything. Each week, Marketplace Money brings you a word or a phrase that has bubbled to the top of the news. For instance: Sacrifice ratio. You hear it, you see it, but do you really know it?
Working parents are turning the tables on their employers. They want more time off to spend with their children. And they're ready to make their personal fight political. Hillary Wicai reports.
Should you keep cash in the house? Do you need original documents or will copies suffice? Financial expert Neil Elmouchi explains what to keep in mind when preparing for the unexpected.
You might have noticed it's been a whole lot easier getting a table at a chain restaurant this summer. Rachel Dornhelm reports the slump reveals more unappetizing news about the general economy.
Alaska has been enjoying a mini gold rush this summer. Increased interest in the precious metal has people wading into streams with pan in hand. From Juneau, Weld Royal reports.
Two new studies suggest employees are spending way too much time tethered to the office by those mobile e-mail phones. Could it be addiction? Janet Babin reports.
More and more of the TV shows Americans like were originally made in the UK. From London, Stephen Beard reports on how British and American TV have been trading places.
Russia is refusing to go along with a United Nations resolution that threatens sanctions if Iran doesn't stop its nuclear enrichment program. And that forces the US into a delicate dance. Hillary Wicai reports.
Word that Ford is considering going private proved enticing for investors on Wall Street yesterday. Its stock rose more than two percent, but not everyone believes a move to privatize could really happen. Bob Moon reports.
Merck is looking to replace its once-popular painkiller Vioxx with a new drug called Arcoxia. But after all the Vioxx lawsuits, are consumers game to try it? Helen Palmer reports.
First it was Dell. Now Apple has issued a recall for 1.8 million lithium-ion batteries used in its laptop computers. Janet Babin asks are cell phones next?
Bank of America is selling its retail operations in Hong Kong and Macao to the Construction Bank of China for $1.2 billion dollars. Jocelyn Ford reports.
Host Scott Jagow and business of sports commentator Diana Nyad discuss where corporate sponsorship of sport venues and events might go next. Is anything in the sporting world not for sale?
Workers at some big hotels in Chicago, San Francisco and Honolulu have voted to authorize a walkout if they can't reach a new contract agreement. Ashley Milne-Tyte looks at the potential impact.
Under a new sentencing proposal, persistent shoplifters in Britain would no longer be jailed. Retailers have reacted angrily to the plan, Stephen Beard reports.
Yesterday a group of astronomers in Prague voted to demote Pluto from planet to a new category called dwarf planet. Stacey Vanek-Smith looks at how much it'll cost businesses on our planet.
More than 650,000 working Americans are going to get cancer this year and most of them will return to work. That means employers are going to have to figure out a way to deal with the disease as well. Hillary Wicai reports.
The US Department of Justice and beleaguered Northwest Airlines are seeking to block a possible flight attendants strike that could happen as early as tomorrow. Annie Baxter reports.
The FDA today approved over-the-counter sales of Plan B, ending a long political debate. But what financial impact will it have? Host Kai Ryssdal talks with Susan Dudley of the National Research Center for Women and Families.
Israeli air strikes spilled thousands of gallons of gas and oil into the Mediterranean Sea, polluting Lebanon's formerly-pristine coastline. Can the country reclaim its tourism image? Ben Gilbert reports.
Retail giant Wal-Mart is going to start working with the gay community. Some conservative groups are mad, but analysts say the move fits Wal-Mart's business plan for diversity — and growth in more upscale urban markets. Steve Tripoli reports.
It's almost the end of summer. It may have been fun and sun for most people, but the season hasn't been a good one for the luxury leisure industry. Mike Rhee tells us why.
California insurers are phasing out the practice of using ZIP codes as a major factor for calculating auto insurance premiums. Consumer advocate and commentator Jamie Court says it's about time.
A biotech company claims it can create embryonic stem cells without destroying embryos. But that still might not be enough to entice investors. Helen Palmer reports.
Each year, Raleigh, North Carolina, hosts a meeting of spies where the public can meet real, live James Bonds — and sometimes endure a sales pitch at the same time. Jeff Tyler has the story.
With its Vista operating system missing the holiday sales release window, software giant Microsoft lays out a strategy to up PC sales in December. Jason Paur explains.
Nearly a third of Israel's agriculture producers have taken a hit from the war. Now, those farmers are trying to start up again. Hilary Krieger reports.
Janet Babin looks at what's behind IBM's move to acquire three companies that provide technology management software or services since the beginning of the month.
A strike at the world's largest copper mine has gone into its 18th day, but higher copper prices don't seem to have given workers much leverage in demanding higher wages. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.
China's most famous kung fu monk is the center of a hot debate on the Internet. Chinese Web surfers are debating whether it's OK for monks from the famed Shaolin Temple that's inspired many martial arts movies to live in luxury.
A British businessman indicted for fraud in the US could be brought here in chains even though he's offered to travel voluntarily to face the charges, reigniting the controversy in Britain about the extradition treaty with America. Stephen Beard reports.
The Taliban has regained a foothold in many parts of Afghanistan, and security has worsened. But amid the violence, a few determined investors have given life to Kabul's first luxury hotel — and a symbol of hope. Miranda Kennedy reports.
Oil giant BP launched a Web site today that lets drivers donate money to offset their carbon dioxide emissions. The cash will go toward renewable energy projects. But is it sanctimony or selflessness? Sam Eaton reports.
Numbers out today show that existing home sales tanked in July to their lowest level in two years. It's one of many signs pointing to a general slowdown of the economy. Bob Moon reports.
Small cities are demanding higher energy efficiency standards and not just in "green" pockets of the country like California or the Pacific Northwest. Sarah Gardner visits one such town, deep in the heart of Red America.
After 14 years Paramount Pictures has said it'll end ties with megastar Tom Cruise. His camp announced they'll finance future projects using hedge fund money. Jeff Tyler has the story.
President Bush last week touted economic growth and a shrinking deficit. But consumer confidence is at an all-time low. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson calls this disconnect "the $64,000 question." Commentator Robert Reich has an answer.
The US is working to freeze North Korean bank accounts allegedly used in handling money the country gets from drug trafficking and other illegal activities. Host Kai Ryssdal talks with Stephen Mihm of the University of Georgia.
Yesterday Toll Brothers reported disappointing quarterly earnings. Stacey Vanek-Smith looks at what's next for luxury homebuilder and the US housing market.
According to a new study out today, some insurance companies are changing their policies to reflect the threats posed by global climate change. Janet Babin reports.
Japan banned US imports of long-grain rice over the weekend. Ashley Milne-Tyte takes a look at the stakes if Europe announces restrictions of its own today as expected.
Northwest flight attendants are hoping to win passengers to their side of the labor dispute. The workers are threatening to launch a job action dubbed CHAOS as early as Friday. Annie Baxter reports.
It seems that "California Dreamin'" isn't quite as ideal as it used to be for many Americans. There's evidence that suggests people and businesses are headed out of state. Jeff Tyler has the story.
General Motors in India is getting into a new side of the auto business: used car sales. Right now GM cars only account for 2% of the Indian market, but the company has big plans there. Miranda Kennedy reports.
A Consumer Reports survey out this morning shows that fuel economy is now the top consideration for folks in the market for a new vehicle. Hillary Wicai reports.
Over half a million East Europeans have flocked to Britain to work in the past two years, say new official statistics, and that's revived debate about the economic benefits — and disadvantages — of large-scale immigration. Stephen Beard reports.
A coalition of investors representing about $3 trillion is pressuring insurance companies to get serious about climate change. The industry's survival could depend on it. Sam Eaton reports.
The West Texas twin cities of Midland-Odessa have seen their fortunes rise and fall on the price of a barrel of oil — and times haven't been this good for a long, long time. Michael May has the story.
The welfare reform law designed to help welfare recipients re-enter the workforce turns 10 today. Host Scott Jagow talks with American Enterprise Institute's Douglas Besharov about the program's success and failure.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez may be anti-American, but the US is still his top oil customer. Today, he arrives in China where he hopes to divert some of that trade — despite a pesky geographic detail. Jocelyn Ford reports.
The Egyptian government has rolled out a fleet of new eco-friendly yellow cabs, replacing the older, smoggier variety. It's a sign that the country's getting serious about air pollution — but there is one catch, Nancy Farghalli reports.
Online video sharing site YouTube is introducing video ads for its homepage and sponsor-created pages. It's the company's latest move to boost revenue, but will it work? Janet Babin reports.
TiVo makes it possible for us to watch what we want, when we want. But commentator and writer Beth Teitell says it's becoming all too easy to want to apply this mentality to real life.
China hosts Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez today as he kicks off a six-day visit. Venezuela currently sells over half of its oil to the US, but Chavez is looking to divert some of that trade to China. Jocelyn Ford reports.
In response to criticism from privacy advocates, federal regulators will require automakers to inform car buyers if their vehicles contain a data recording device. Annie Baxter looks at why we might want to know.
Car manufacturing is big business in Mexico and workers at one plant there want a bigger cut. This week 9,700 workers at a Volkswagen plant went on strike — again. Dan Grech reports.
British defense group BAE has emerged as one of the biggest corporate donors to US political candidates. The company has given more than $650,000 ahead of November's Congressional election. Stephen Beard reports.
British oil company BP denied allegations today that it manipulated data from inspections of Alaska pipelines which were partially shut down earlier this month because of corrosion problems. Sam Eaton reports.
About 4,500 women have filed lawsuits against Wyeth for failing to warn them of cancer risks from its menopause drug Prempro that were found in a 2001 study. The first of those cases goes to trial tomorrow. Helen Palmer reports.
Norway is the third largest exporter of oil after Saudi Arabia and Russia. The country, so far, has been socking most of its oil revenue into savings. But some argue it's time to live for today. Stephen Beard reports.
Undercover Economist Tim Harford has a story about the law of unintended consequences. It all began with a pile of rubble across the street from his house.
Today workers at Tyson meat processing plants in Washington and Idaho are mulling whether to relocate to the Midwest after their jobs are phased out over the next month. Carol Cizauskas reports.
Sales figures for back-to-school shopping so far have been weaker than expected — and that could spell bad news for the holiday shopping season ahead. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.
In China, bribery is a fact of business life. A whopping 94 percent of Chinese believe that, according to a survey by a Chinese university. Jocelyn Ford reports from Beijing.
As Afghanistan rebuilds from war, funding deadlines and deliverables targets are having the unintended consequence of shoddy workmanship. Miranda Kennedy reports.
Canadian timber companies have until today to decide whether to sign on to an agreement to end the decades-old softwood timber dispute with the US. Jason Paur reports.
Asian leaders want to fast-track plans to create a single Asian economic market in the next 10 years — and the US wants to be sure it's not left out. Miranda Kennedy reports.
The Department of Interior is expected to announce this week plans to open 8 million acres west of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling. Sam Eaton reports.
Indian firms snapped up more than $2 billion worth of companies in the US and Europe last year. Now another is eyeing the jackpot: It's bidding to run Britain's national lottery. Stephen Beard reports.
The prices for gold and oil tend to follow the same market trends. They've been losing ground for a couple weeks now — and it's probably more than coincidence. Bob Moon explains.
