Before you buy a high-definition television, you might want to check the dial. Turns out a lot of channels don't offer programming to match the technology. Kai speaks with Brian Cooley of CNET.
Financial service companies want to provide specific credit cards for patients to pay off their health care bills. That plan has sickened consumer advocates. Kai speaks with Harvard professor Regina Herzlinger.
Nasdaq officials say they'll pay $5.3 billion to buy the London Stock Exchange. Not a penny more. The LSE's been fighting off the hostile bid tooth and nail. But it's shareholders who'll decide. Amy Scott reports.
President Bush and Democrats are at odds over a $10 billion aid package for Afghanistan. Democrats want to put conditions on the money to pressure Pakistan into cracking down on the Taliban. John Dimsdale reports.
President Bush drew attention to the woman who founded the Baby Einstein Company and sold it to Disney in 2001. He meant to stress the importance of women entrepreneurs. But commentator Susan Linn has another take.
He's the executive. He gets to give the orders. Earlier this month President Bush issued an executive order that should make businesses pretty happy. Stephen Henn reports.
New-home sales were up in December, according to the Commerce Department. But 2006 was a year the home-building business would rather forget. Sales suffered the biggest drop since 1989. What's next?
Fine art's been selling like mad. It raked in record profits last year. But for most of us, arriving at a monetary value for art is a mysterious thing. Stacey Vanek Smith takes a look at how it's done.
Your credit score can determine all of your personal finance choices. So why are many Americans confused by what goes into that number? Kai interviews Jason Rich, the author of the book "Dirty Little Secrets: What the Credit Bureaus Won't Tell You."
Associate Producer Rico Gagliano is back with another installment of our series, Educating Rico. In this week's episode, he takes the law into his own hands. Copyright law, that is.
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, "Superbowl Indicator." You hear it, you see it, but do you really know it?
It's time once again for economics editor Chris Farrell to help you sort out what's smart, what's stupid and what's the Straight Story. This week, it is the season for W-2s. Chris wishes for a season of tax reform.
Wal-Mart employees are due about $34 million in back wages and interest for unpaid overtime hours. The error was revealed by an internal audit and self-reported, Hillary Wicai reports.
British record group EMI is merging its American operations. They'll be run under the Capitol label, which means Virgin is out — along with hundreds of workers. Stephen Beard has details.
Citigroup has ousted exec Todd Thomson over his relationship with CNBC's Maria Bartiromo, but yesterday the network stood behind its star anchor, saying the assignment in question was legitimate.
An Academy Award nomination is as much of a boost to the bottom line as it is the ego — maybe more. Daily Variety managing editor Michael Speier tells us how.
Tuna fishing is such a lucrative business that some nations are ignoring quotas. And scientists warn if overfishing continues at this rate, some popular species will become extinct. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.
Would you pay to store stem cells from your newborn's umbilical cord, just in case? British entrepreneur Richard Branson wants to start a company that offers just such a service. Stephen Beard reports.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was on hand to celebrate India's Republic Day. And to announce partnerships for developing fighter aircraft, exploring for oil and building nuclear reactors.
Wealthy and well-intentioned philanthropists are changing the face of global health care, but not necessarily to a greater good. Council on Foreign Relations senior fellow Laurie Garrett explains how the world is missing the big picture.
The head of Marriott International Inc. talks to Kai Ryssdal about why running the world's largest lodging company isn't so different from operating a nine-stool root beer stand.
Boston's Skycaps have filed a class-action lawsuit against American Airlines, claiming tips have tanked since the airline started charging $2 for each bag checked curbside. Curt Nickisch reports.
In response to a threatened strike by its cabin crews, British Airways cancelled all of its flights for next Tuesday and Wednesday. Our London bureau chief Stephen Beard talks with host Tess Vigeland about the stand-off.
Beijing reported the 2006 economy grew by 10.7%, with a total economic output of almost $2.7 trillion. But could China's growth be too much of a good thing? Alisa Roth reports.
Consumer advocate Jamie Court says President Bush's proposal to tax healthcare spending above what the government thinks is too much is a raw deal for consumers who have no control over their insurance bills.
Ford Motor Company announced it lost $12.7-billion in 2006, which was not only its worst-ever annual performance but the worst for a Detroit automaker. John Dimsdale reports.
The U.K. carrier has warned that it will cancel all its flights for two days next week if cabin crews carry out their threat to go on strike. Stephen Beard reports.
The Senate took a vote yesterday to send a clear signal: If Democrats want a minimum wage boost, they'll have to give a little sumpin'-sumpin' to small businesses. Hillary Wicai reports.
In an attempt to prevent doctors involved in clinical cancer trials from leaking results to investment firms, one medical group has put a new policy in place. Janet Babin has details.
Researchers say banks used to reject debit and ATM overdrafts and they have the technology to warn you, but they're intentionally zapping debit-card customers because people are writing — and bouncing — fewer and fewer checks.
As recent college grad Patrick Johnson looks ahead at decades of student loan payments in his future, he wonders, don't we get a higher education to get ahead?
Consumer advocates say the credit card industry hides behind pages and pages of fine print to trick and trap consumers. Now a Senate committee is taking a closer look, Hillary Wicai reports.
The automaker this morning reported a $12.7 billion loss for 2006 — its worst performance ever. And even if you figure in all those employee buyouts, Wall Street expected better.
The E.U. has drawn up plans to curb fees at European airports. If passed, the new law would prevent "excessive increases" in the charges that airlines have to pay. Stephen Beard reports.
Innovators are gathered this week for a unique technology conference. It focuses on customized gadgets for people with disabilities. Janet Babin has the story.
A freighter run aground off the coast of Britain has left nearby beaches strewn with its cargo — which residents have carted off. But it's what's left on the ship that's moving the markets. Stephen Beard reports.
Two guys from Ghana have an idea for creating an entrepreneurial bridge between their native African nation and the United States. Steve Tripoli has their story.
Every new public policy creates its winners and its losers. Commentator Robert Reich says, when it comes to making winners of consumers, the president's healthcare proposal falls short.
In his State of the Union address, President Bush proposed a new approach to healthcare funding that would mean changes to most tax bills. Marketplace health reporter Helen Palmer talks with Kai Ryssdal about the idea.
Legislation on Capitol Hill would allow companies that clean up their carbon emissions to earn credits and sell them to companies needing more time to cut fossil-fuel use. John Dimsdale reports.
Hezbollah-led protests, strikes and violence have shut down much of Lebanon. Anthony Shadid, the Washington Post's correspondent in Beirut, talks with Kai Ryssdal about the troubled nation.
The New York City Employees' Retirement System says it will be the lead plaintiff in a class-action suit filed against Apple in connection with the company's stock option backdating scandal. Alisa Roth reports.
American children of different races aren't growing up in a world of equal opportunity, according to data collected by researchers as part of a new project exploring diversity in U.S. metro areas. Helen Palmer reports.
With his sweeping call for a 20 percent reduction in gasoline use, President Bush set into motion a full-scale debate over alternative fuels — and what's really the best path to energy independence.
A shipwreck off the coast of Britain has hoisted the price of nickel. The ill-fated cargo ship was carrying a thousand tons of the metal, which is already in high demand. Stephen Beard reports.
Insurance giant State Farm has agreed to pay out about $80 million to Mississippi policyholders who had sued over unpaid claims following Hurricane Katrina. Hillary Wicai reports.
Some builders in New York have discovered a growing niche in the housing market: families who want the comforts of a suburban lifestyle without the commute. Lisa Napoli has the story.
Business and political leaders from around the globe have gathered high in the Swiss Alps for the annual World Economic Forum. Hot topics this year: globalization, trade imbalances — and global warming of course.
President Bush has proposed tax reform which would treat the health insurance you get through your employer as taxable income. So who would benefit from his plan?
Microsoft allegedly offered to pay a software engineer to edit entries in the open-source Web encyclopedia Wikipedia. But is that a problem in a medium that, by definition, anyone can contribute to? Steve Tripoli reports.
The Conference Board came out with a report today saying U.S. productivity growth is slipping. Kai Ryssdal talks with the Board's Ken Goldstein about what that might mean for inflation and interest rates.
Analysis shows that the nation's 100 largest companies have set aside more than enough money to take care of their pension obligations. That's a big change from just a few years ago. John Dimsdale reports.
President Bush wants us to use a lot more ethanol. The corn-based fuel substitute is a rising political star on Capitol Hill. But ethanol's future may not be in corn. Sam Eaton reports.
Old pipes and lousy management have left more than a billion people in the world without water. In New Delhi, 25% of households don't have any water piped in. Miranda Kennedy reports on what it takes to get a drink.
The number of flights in the United States is expected to triple in the next 20 years. That's lit a fire under a long-planned, multibillion-dollar overhaul of the air-traffic-control system. Kim Green reports.
The president's push for ethanol as an alternative fuel means one thing — subsidies. Economist Susan Lee says bureaucrats and politicians don't usually do well with those.
An AIDS group is suing Pfizer over the way it markets Viagra, saying the ads encourage recreational use of the drug. But Viagra sales could have staying power even without the ads, Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.
A donkey? Jesse Kalisher says it's about time Democrats updated their logo to something that'll really move the tchotchkes — and the political contributions. He's got an idea for Republicans too . . .
Computer chips keep getting smaller — and so do their prices. That's leaving archrivals Intel and Advanced Micro Devices in a race to cut costs and improve their products. Amy Scott reports.
With Democrats in control of Congress, President Bush is expected to make a renewed push for an immigration policy overhaul. And his guest worker program might have a better shot this time around. Dan Grech reports.
Birth control pills may not work as well as they used to. Today the FDA is meeting with a panel of experts to decide what to do about it. Hillary Wicai explains.
The Times of London says leaked documents show that American drug maker Eli Lilly knew about potentially-dangerous side effects of Zyprexa almost a decade ago. Stephen Beard has details.
President Bush is expected to call for better fuel economy in his State of the Union address tonight. Sounds simple enough, but not everyone agrees on the best way to achieve it. Sarah Gardner reports
This week in 1848, gold was discovered in California. That lucky strike sparked the largest gold rush ever and an economy was born. Stacey Vanek-Smith has the history.
With the world's attention slowly turning to alternative fuels such as biodiesel, Malaysia is hoping to cash in on its palm oil. But it may not be as eco-friendly as it sounds. Miranda Kennedy reports.
In his State of the Union Address, President Bush will propose making healthcare coverage more affordable by changing the way health benefits are taxed. Hillary Wicai reports.
American students shopping for a university are finding they can earn a first-class degree in the U.K. for tens of thousands of dollars less than at top American schools. Don Macgillivray reports.
If White House leaks are to be believed, President Bush's speech tomorrow night won't be your average State of the Union Address. Marketplace's John Dimsdale talks with Kai Ryssdal about what to expect.
For businesses, e-mails gone wrong can be a matter of corporate life and death. Alex Goldmark tells us about one possible solution — self-destructing communications.
The world's biggest drugmaker says it will lay off 10,000 jobs — about 10% of its workforce — due to threats to its sales from generic drugs. Stephen Beard reports.
Last October the Bay State started signing up its low-income uninsured for a universal health coverage plan. But Helen Palmer reports that some cracks in that plan are starting to show.
Duke University professor Joel Fleishman says that despite their good intentions most foundations have plenty of problems. He talks with Kai Ryssdal about his new book on the subject.
The U.S. banned online gaming last fall, but now there are reports that the FBI is asking investment banks for information as it looks for evidence that overseas gaming sites are taking money from U.S. customers.
January is a very, very good month for some businesses — especially the ones that make a lot of money off our good intentions. Alisa Roth has the story.
US Airways put forth a sweetened hostile bid last month, and now Delta will discuss it with its directors — but only because it has to. Alisa Roth looks at whether the move would make strategic sense.
The world's largest drug maker could face anemic revenues in '07 and the prescription to cure that unhealthy financial outlook is expected to include some 10,000 job cuts. Hillary Wicai reports.
We already know how to generate energy from the heat trapped below the earth's crust. Now a new study shows it could fill a tenth of our power needs, with zero CO2 emissions. Sam Eaton reports.
Beginning tomorrow, anyone flying anywhere outside the U.S. will need a valid passport. That's worrisome for businesses in Mexico and Canada that count on American tourists. Hillary Wicai reports.
There could be a bidding war in the making for commercial office space holder Equity Office Properties. Scott Jagow asks Newsweek's Allan Sloan why it's such a hot property right now.
Researchers have come up with a new traffic database that reveals some statistics which fly in the face of certain driver stereotypes — and auto insurance rates. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports.
