Urban neighborhoods have traditionally been under-served by the banking giants, leaving many working poor without a bank account. But one nonprofit is hoping to change that. Francesca Segre reports.
Investors who lost money at the hands of some rapid mutual fund trading are starting to see some payback. Tess Vigeland talks to Bob Frick, who wrote about it for Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine.
The value of the dollar continues to plunge abroad. But economics editor Chris Farrell says so long as inflation remains contained at home, we shouldn't worry about a weakening dollar overseas.
Economics editor Chris Farrell answers listener questions about dealing with a house appraisal, consolidating student loans and dealing with identity theft.
To demystify some common misconceptions about ranchers: having a lot of land doesn't make you rich, it isn't a totally male-dominated industry, and it's not so easy to inseminate a cow.
The Dow went from an all-time high last week to a tremendous dive on Thursday. What's going on? Tess Vigeland figures out the recently tumultuous market with Marketplace's Bob Moon and Chris Farrell.
To understand how to look at the Gross Domestic Product, think of different economic factors as ingredients in a stew. We get a cooking lesson from economist Diane Swonk.
With the Dow hitting 14,000, we wanted to know how individual investors were affected. Tess Vigeland was in San Jose recently and got some answers from one of our investment clubs.
After yesterday's big sell-off, the day began with news that the gross domestic product was up 3.4%. Good news, right? Well, the Dow gave up another 200 points. Steve Henn explains.
Until this week, private equity was all the buzz on Wall Street, with the Blackstone Group the hottest. But now it's one of the weakest IPOs of the year, and other private-equity firms are having second thoughts about going public. Jeff Tyler reports.
Art from a collection owned by the Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company is set to be auctioned in coming weeks. The collection has been open to the public. What will happen to it after the hammer falls? Adolfo Guzman-Lopez reports.
In the $100 billion bidding war for the Dutch banking group ABN AMRO, Britain's Barclays has found a deep-pocket partner: the Chinese government. Stephen Beard reports on what each party can gain from the other.
The craze for Crocs footwear has outlasted most analysts' projections. It announced yesterday its 2nd-quarter earnings tripled. Yet, it could be tricky for the Colorado-based shoemaker to keep up the pace. Sam Eaton reports.
A social networking site for children run by a little Canadian start-up company is said to have captured the attention of big media companies who might be willing to pay as much as half a billion dollars for it. Lisa Napoli reports.
Corporate America's latest no-no is stock-option backdating, which has been used to give executives incentive pay. Commentator Jesse Fried says there's a better way to reward the people at the top.
G8 money backing creation of vaccines for the globe's poorest children may be getting misspent. Instead of selling immunizations at cost, Big Pharma companies are raking in big profits. Jeff Tyler reports.
The Second Life universe is a sort of alternate reality where members can buy virtual property, have virtual sex and until recently gamble for more-than-virtual dollars. But that's all over. Janet Babin reports.
Internet dating is a huge business, but where does the Star Wars-loving, D&D-playing pocket-protector set look for love? Enter SweetOnGeeks.com, a site where folks with somewhat oddball passions find their perfect match.
The recent global buying frenzy has been fueled by relatively low interest rates on the Japanese yen. Consultant Roger Bootle says the downward turn in stocks could get worse if that flow of cash gets scarce.
Mike Speir of Variety magazine says the film version of The Simpsons just might be revolutionary. If it's as successful as hoped, it will be the first blockbuster to move from TV to the silver screen.
Under a new deal, airlines flying from the E.U. must submit passenger lists before takeoff. The U.S. can the use personal data to search for terrorism suspects, and keep the data for 15 years. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.
The president says he will veto "wasteful" spending plans proposed by Democrats. But the majority party has a lot to gain and President Bush a lot to lose in a government shutdown. Steve Henn reports.
The stock information service rates companies by risk, and could help smaller investors separate the good companies from the bad. How to tell a bad stock? It's labeled with a skull and bones… Amy Scott reports.
Ford reported its first quarterly profit in two years today, surprising most analysts. Kai Ryssdal talked to The New York Times' Micheline Maynard about what allowed for the automaker's good news.
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson told the House today that the farm bill it's debating would damage relations with U.S. trading partners. John Dimsdale reports.
With the House considering a multibillion-dollar farm bill this week, we sought out the view from the tractor. Kai Ryssdal talks with Georgia farmer Stephen Houston.
With inflation out of control and their country on the brink of economic collapse, women are taking to the streets of Zimbabwe to protest President Mugabe's policies. Gretchen Wilson reports.
In the summer months, many school districts struggle to fill open teaching positions. Jeff Tyler explores what drives many once-enthusiastic teachers out of the classroom — and what the schools are doing about it.
To get to the big screen, the Simpsons' needed the help of tireless writers, actors and animators. But while the creative end was produced in the U.S., much of the rest had a hand from South Korean outsourcing.
From last week's record high to today's 311-point drop, the market is a volatile place lately. And Bob Moon found out that the roller coaster ride is likely to continue.
Sub-microscopic materials are now in hundreds of consumer products, and the tiny particles can defy standard physics and may pose a risk. The FDA is passing the buck to the EPA to regulate them. Janet Babin reports.
The movie ratings folks plan to crack down on films depicting tobacco smoking, and that's just bad for Disney's bottom line. The health of the audience is another factor. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.
Funding for a little-known program helping workers who lose their jobs to overseas competition is being held hostage by GOP backers of presidential fast-track trade authority. Chris Farrell explains the controversy.
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson believes the tax burden on businesses is driving some companies away. Critics say closing tax code loopholes benefitting well-connected industries is a better move. Jeremy Hobson reports.
Google has proposed a billion-dollar bid to keep airwaves open to smaller telecoms and innovators. But established telecom carriers say it's nothing but a government handout of valuable spectrum. Jeremy Hobson reports.
About 20 percent of the nation's GDP goes into health and welfare programs, thanks to high oil prices. Even if prices drop, President Hugo Chavez might be able to keep the social spigot open. Dan Grech reports.
Royal Dutch Shell is reporting record earnings — more than $8.5 billion in the second-quarter. Carl Mortished of The Times of London says Shell is benefitting from British Petroleum's difficulties.
The FBI has asked Congress for money to pay telecommunications companies to store customer data in case agents decide they need it. Watchdog groups worry about the temptation for an abuse of power. Steve Henn reports.
The bankers in the Chrysler sale say they aren't going to be able to sell off loans Chrysler's arranged in the deal, due to a credit-market squeeze. Kai Ryssdal talks to an executive in the credit market about what's going on.
Senator Barack Obama and others are changing the rules of what it means to be a black leader. Commentator Marcellus Andrews says we should dump the idea that the only good government for black people is a black-only government.
This weekend, a Southern California shoe company will give one pair of shoes to a needy child for every pair purchased. Brett Brune reports on the company's charitable nature despite its for-profit status.
If your close friends become obese, it's likely you'll become obese, too. That's according to a study out today by the New England Journal of Medicine, which is framing obesity as a social disease. Curt Nickisch reports.
With illegal migration to Europe a big problem in Morocco, the country is considering ways to keep its citizens in. John Laurenson has the story from phosphate-mining town Khouribga, a popular point of departure.
The SEC considered new rules that would give shareholders more influence over a company's board of directors. Some groups argue that giving shareholders more power would be an unnecessary burden on executives. Jeff Tyler reports.
One working-class neighborhood in Cleveland saw 400 foreclosures last year. But critics say the home lending crisis is only now making headlines because it's shaking up Wall Street. Steve Henn reports.
Like millions of lower-wage workers in America, Moira Manion has to keep working to make ends meet. The stress is affecting her health, but without medical insurance or vacation time, there's no option but to keep working.
Campfires? Not so much. And forget that class in riflery… Summer camps are increasingly feeling pressure to lower risks for their young guests, and many familiar activities are banned. Monica Brady-Myerov reports.
Former Harvard classmates go to court today over who owns the software behind the wildly successful Facebook Web site. It could be a big test for a young Web mogul behind the "new Google." Stephen Beard reports.
More and more investors are taking money out of their brokerage accounts and investing in hedge funds to protect against the possibility of a correction in the Dow, now hovering at 14,000. Amy Scott reports.
Congress will consider whether the FDA should have more regulatory power over cigarette makers. But at least one former FDA official says the agency is simply too swamped to take on more responsibilities. Jeff Tyler reports.
Officials are hoping the release of six Bulgarian medical workers from a Libyan jail will promote a cooperative trade environment between Libya and the E.U. Kai Ryssdal talks with Stephen Beard in London.
Web portals profiting from the news business don't necessarily hold to old media's ethical standards. Commentator Neil Henry says the success and survival of news still rests in the hands of journalists.
A report released today suggests that some cleaning products might be hazardous to your health. But there's no way to know what's in your detergent because the ingredients aren't listed. Helen Palmer reports.
Want to cut down on the hours you clock in, but still be productive? Cash Peters explores the benefits of taking outsourcing to the extreme with Tim Ferris, author of "The 4-Hour Workweek."
More than a billion people worldwide don't have access to clean water. But one South African village has found a way for communities to access fresh drinking water and have fun at the same time. Gretchen Wilson reports.
Northwest Airlines has canceled an usually high number of flights for the second time in two months. The carrier blames bad weather, mechanical problems . . . and a shortage of pilots. Martin Moylan reports.
Businesses are increasingly leveraging summer interns to boost business. Some even do the job for free to gain experience. But employers have to be careful with federal employment guidelines. Brett Brune reports.
Cancer-causing byproducts forced the drug maker to stop production, leaving many in the developing world without inexpensive options for treating HIV. Activists want Big Pharma to step in. Helen Palmer reports.
With many farmers rushing to grow corn to fill a growing market for ethanol for cars, wheat supplies are the lowest in a generation. And U.S. farmers are sitting in the catbird seat. Jeremy Hobson reports.
Firms specializing in buyouts indirectly employ more than five million Americans. And unions are increasingly looking to shore up gains by making concessions to the new economic powers. Steve Henn reports.
The diabetes drug could be linked to a greater chance of heart attack or stroke. And analysts worry GlaxoSmithKline might not have a blockbuster drug in the pipeline to boost sales. Stephen Beard reports.
Globalization has played a large part in the strong growth of United Parcel Service. Kai Ryssdal talks with CEO Michael Eskew about how the business has changed, and how in many ways it will always stay the same.
Corn was likely first cultivated in Mexico and it still has a central part of the culture. But genetically modified strains simply produce more corn per acre, and there's a hungry nation to feed. Dan Grech reports.
The genetically modified tuber tastes terrible, but a special starch inside could mean big bucks to BASF. Europeans, however, are notoriously wary of modified crops. Lisa Napoli talks with Stephen Beard.
The heads of Sirius and XM radio are hoping a new, less expensive consumer package will help convince the feds to approve their proposed merger. Opponents fear a monopoly. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.
Despite today's conciliatory air at the start of negotiations between the United Auto Workers and big automakers, UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said he isn't interested in concessions. Alisa Roth reports on the big issues on the table.
Online travel agent Expedia announced today that it will buy back significantly fewer shares than the million it wanted last month. The culprit is a tightening credit market. Amy Scott reports.
Wall Street hasn't been kind to the newspaper business since new media came online. But commentator Cody Willard says old media's content makes it a good investment.
Globalization has played a large part in the strong growth of United Parcel Service. Kai Ryssdal talked to CEO Michael Eskew about how the business has changed — and stayed the same.
With English proficiency becoming an increasingly crucial skill for U.S. immigrants, classes to learn the language for free fill up fast. Jessie Graham reports on the demands facing English-language programs in New York.
Staying competitive in the face of Blockbuster's aggressive online campaign, Netflix announced more price cuts for some of its services. Jeff Tyler explores the lastest in the DVD rental price war.
Thieves have found a way to turn a huge profit on recyclables: sending stolen milk crates to plastic manufacturers. Kai Ryssdal talks to Edmund Woods, who handles security for a major Southern California dairy.
One of the European telecom giant's biggest shareholders wants to drop its big stake in Verizon Wireless. But that won't go over well with other shareholders who like the U.S. firm. We get the lowdown from Andrew Parker.
Ben Bernanke has headed the Federal Reserve Board for 18 months now, and some still hang on his every word. But does he really have much power? Fortune editor-at-large Allen Sloan says yes and no…
More than 11 million cargo ships unload in U.S. ports every year. A new proposal would have each container inspected and scanned. But just how practical is that, and who would scan the data? Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.
A new poll finds that consumers on both sides of the Atlantic feel their lifestyles are threatened by cheap labor in China and India. Well-heeled executives should pay more taxes, too. Stephen Beard reports.
The IRS is cracking down on hospitals that get tax breaks for providing charity care after a study finds many facilities spend just 1 percent of their revenue helping those who simply can't pay. Helen Palmer reports.
The seemingly everpresent coffee-and-lifestyle retailer is looking to perk up its stale stock numbers with a caffeinated push in Tijuana, the busiest border crossing in the world. Dan Grech reports.
There are laws on the books in 127 countries mandating vacation time for workers. But not in the U.S., where a lot of folks find they just can't afford to escape the grind in a competitive market. Wren Elhai reports.
Mutual fund boards and money managers have basically one mission: get the best return for investors. Socially responsible investors often need to plow through the fine print. Curt Nickisch reports.
