The folks behind HD DVD say they're rolling out a feature on new discs where you'll be able to go online from your video player and buy products related to the movie. But some wonder where that could lead.
Major credit agency Trans Union announced recently that it would allow consumers to freeze their credit report. Is that cool? Tess Vigeland asks personal finance expert Liz Pulliam Weston.
National Association of Realtors reported that sales of existing homes fell 6.5 percent from July to August. That may be good news if you're looking to buy a home. Tess Vigeland talks to Elizabeth Razzi, author of "The Fearless Home Buyer."
General Motors employees are voting on a deal that got them back to work after a two-day strike, part of which involves big pay and benefit cuts. Tess talks about it with Katherine Newman, co-author of "The Missing Class."
One of the many benefits of online shopping is the safe haven it provides away from pushy, overly polite salespeople. But Mike Rhee reports that thanks to some technology, we may slowly be kissing that convenience goodbye.
How fast can economics editor Chris Farrell go? Find out in this third installment of the Mailbag speed round. Chris also covers advising college freshmen on personal finance and dealing with Roth IRA income limits.
It may seem like job cuts are everywhere, but there's one employer whose staff is healthy and growing. Steve Henn delves into the pros and cons of working for the government.
Socially responsible investing is hot, hot, hot. And Chris Farrell says one of the best ways to invest responsibly is by putting your money into frontier markets.
Today was the first of Intel's Zero E-Mail Fridays, when workers are supposed to take time to actually talk to each other — face-to-face. Other companies have similar policies. The Marketplace Players think it might take some workers a while to adapt.
What's it mean for the economy that 110,000 jobs were created last month and unemployment ticked up to 4.7%? Steve Tripoli asked economists for some clarity in the Labor Department figures. But, well, they're economists.
General Electric is turning out the lights at seven of its incandescent light-bulb factories in the U.S., Brazil and Mexico. It's part of GE's campaign to get rid of slow-growing, low-margin businesses. Sarah Gardner reports.
There are some signs the credit squeeze might be starting to turn around. Deutsche Bank says the market for a type of security known as CLOs appears to be on the rebound. What's a CLO and why should you care? Amy Scott explains.
Costa Ricans vote Sunday on whether to continue to participate in the Central American Free Trade Agreement with the United States. Opposition protesters have been in the streets for weeks. Dan Grech explains the issues with Kai Ryssdal.
Beer's not only a party drink, it's a commodity, too. Kate Golden discovered as much when a guest left a case of Bud Light behind at a party she threw.
Commentator Doug Cordell and his 90-year-old mother are planning for her funeral. It's her idea. Yet, they don't get very far. Somehow their talks meander to other things. And for Cordell, that's OK.
Try as they might, school kids can't avoid school photos. We meet the man who helps parents embarrass their teenagers' dates when they inevitably visit the house.
The Labor Department reported that the unemployment rate ticked up last month to 4.7 percent, the highest rate in more than a year. But Amy Scott reports why economists still think this report is pretty good.
With profits waning across the board for album sales, musicians — particularly the older ones — know that the money is on the road. Doug Krizner talks to Variety managing editor Stuart Levine about the decades-old artists still touring.
The Electronic Privacy Information Center is releasing its progress report on the level of privacy in countries around the world. Jeremy Hobson looks into lingering concerns about who's watching over shoulders in the U.S.
The words "product party" usually conjure up images of old ladies selling Tupperware. But Alex Goldmark discovered there were some out there that managed to be fun — and profitable.
China's contributions to some of Africa's least-democratic regimes has met criticism from the international peace community. Terry Fitzpatrick reports why the country's spending has hurt its reputation.
A woman was fined $220,000 yesterday in the first trial against illegal online music sharing. Lisa Napoli looks into whether the verdict will have an effect on future piracy.
The Asian economic miracle has created a generation of picky eaters. In Hong Kong, wasted food is a big problem. Scott Tong reports a few restaurants are taking aim at leftovers.
The National Hockey League season has begun in earnest. But amid the baseball playoffs and the new NFL season heating up, you may have missed it. All of which goes to Diana Nyad's point about the position hockey's put itself in. She talked with Kai Ryssdal.
The White House has plans to dramatically increase the amount of logging allowed on federal lands in the Pacific Northwest. Environmentalists are crying foul, but logging towns are seeing green. Jeremy Hobson reports.
Fifty years ago today the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, taking the lead in the space race and spurring the creation of the American space program. Commentator and engineer Bill Hammack says the drive that competition put into young people is in need of a new frontier.
Microsoft is rolling out a new service it's calling HealthVault. A place online where you can store all your medical records for free. Various organizations say they're on board. But what's in it for Microsoft? Lisa Napoli reports.
Magazine publishers are having the same problems as newspapers as readers and advertisers desert them for the Internet. Now some big names like Vogue and Time might not even make it to newstands next week. Jill Barshay reports.
Climate change has forced Congress to take a fresh look at an international agreement it's ignored for a decade — a treaty called the Law of the Sea. Sam Eaton reports.
At the summit of the two Koreas, almost everything the two sides agreed on was about money. South Korea has plenty of it. North Korea doesn't. Alisa Roth reports on their efforts to expand commerce across their historically contentious border.
Wall Street's layoff count is up to 130,000, which is four times higher than last year. And Amy Scott reports that the ax is likely to fall even further beyond banking jobs.
A group of banks and nonprofits launches a new program today that will make credit available to riskier borrowers without as much risk to the lenders. Sam Eaton explains how it works.
Online auction site eBay admitted that buying Internet telephony company Skype was not a good investment. Doug Krizner talks to technology reporter Dawn Chmielewski about why they're so surprised about low profits for a free service.
Since purchasing U.S. Trust, Bank of America has been trying to shake its blue-collar image and appeal to weathy clientele. A new series of ads targets the self-made millionaire still remember where they came from. Amy Scott reports.
The House is reviewing Pentagon spending on reconstruction efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. About a third of the $45 billion spent to rebuild Iraq was used for security. Jeremy Hobson reports.
A new report out says iPod-related crimes are on the rise. Scott Jagow talks to economics correspondent Chris Farrell about the evolving technology market and how we could curb "iCrime" in the future.
The record industry is finally going to trial after thousands of lawsuits against people who share music online illegally. The results of the trial could affect future lawsuits, as Jill Barshay reports.
It seems Barclays is set to admit defeat in the battle for Dutch bank ABN AMRO, in light of a cash offer by rival Royal Bank of Scotland. Stephen Beard reports on a possible resolution.
Rising prices will be a big issue for the next leader of Argentina. Government figures are expected to peg the annual inflation rate at 8%, but many economists say the actual rate is much higher. Rachel Hopkin reports.
General Motors just unloaded billions of dollars in health-care obligations. Commentator Robert Reich thinks G.M.'s a fine example for the rest of the country.
The latest, hot item from Apple is the iPod Touch — basically an iPhone with a few things left out. Kevin Pereira from G-4 television talks with Kai Ryssdal about its cool features and high price — for now.
The growing role of private security forces in war zones has exposed a legal gray area that shields them from U.S. or Iraqi laws. But a new House bill would hold them accountable. John Dimsdale reports.
Countrywide, the nation's biggest mortgage company, is gearing up for a major public relations campaign to improve its subprime-debacle image. Steve Tripoli reports that Countrywide needs to be careful how it deploys the PR playbook.
Goverment workers are routinely abusing the rules of first and business-class when they buy their plane tickets, according to a congressional report out this morning. Amy Scott reports these findings aren't terribly new.
The Bush Administration is set to give Mexico nearly a billion dollars to fight drugs. But Dan Grech reports critics are skeptical of the effectiveness of the aid package.
For many residents of Soweto on the outskirts of Johannesburg, the work place is in the city. And thanks to the Soweto Business Express, the commute is plush with middle-class comforts new to local train culture. Gretchen Wilson has the story.
Fashion designer Valentino, whose brand was bought earlier this ear by a private equity firm, is presenting his last ready-to-wear show in Paris. Jill Barshay reports that the namesake has come to succeed the person.
American private equity firm JC Flowers has raised £15 billion to buy British mortgage lender Northern Rock, which recently borrowed several billion dollars from the Bank of England to get out of trouble. Stephen Beard reports.
The idea of giving a savings account to every newborn is making the rounds in Congress and has high-profile support. The goal is to give kids a head start on assets. Sarah Gardner reports.
Counterfeit products continue to be a massive problem in the U.S. A conference is meeting today in Washington to come up with a plan to tackle the issue. Lisa Napoli has more.
Tax relief is difficult to sell as helpful to lower-income Americans, who pay little to no income tax. Commentator David Frum offers these solutions outside of the income tax system.
The U.S. government says there are about 190,000 private contractors in Iraq, supporting 163,000 U.S. troops. Andrew Haeg has the story of two of them — one civilian, one military.
Information about which drugs doctors prescribe for you often ends up in the hands of big drug companies, which use it to market their products. But some states are passing laws to ban the practice. Helen Palmer reports.
In the Iraq war, the spotlight is on the large-scale privatization of what used to be military functions. Kai Ryssdal talked with Steve Schooner, a George Washington University professor who has studied the role of private contractors.
Senators are considering a defense spending bill that, at nearly $460 billion, won't pay a dime for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Democratic leaders have postponed that debate until later this year. John Dimsdale reports.
Erik Prince, CEO of the private-security firm Blackwater, defended his company's performance in Iraq before the House Oversight Committee today. Kai Ryssdal has more.
This morning, the Nasdaq announced that it was buying the Boston Stock Exchange, one of the oldest regional exchanges. But after purchasing so many international exchanges this month, why Boston? Amy Scott explains.
Young people aren't famous for being wise about money. But the Federal Reserve of New York is trying to get them money smart early on with a series of educational comics covering a wide scope of financial topics. Jaime Bedrin has the story.
Saving readers $400 in annual fees, The Financial Times of London will allow visitors access to free content online. Stephen Beard reports this may be a pre-emptive strike against Rupert Murdoch.
Brazil is gearing up to become a major player in the oil market. State-run oil firm Petrobras will start selling exploration licenses to foreign firms next month. Dan Grech reports.
Chevron was largely exempt from former U.S. sanctions on Myanmar, but now the White House is considering forcing the oil giant to cut its ties with the country. Profits are a major revenue source for the military junta. John Dimsdale reports.
Congress is taking up the issue of whether a person's credit score should determine their insurance rate. Consumer groups find the practice discriminatory. Steve Tripoli has more.
High-end retailers are holding off some of their orders on the approach of the holiday season, according to one report. Sarah Gardner reports they may be starting to feel the crunch.
Las Vegas knows that 4 out of 5 of its high rollers come from Asia. And the casinos are increasingly more prepared to serve the specific needs of their best customers. Lenora Chu has the story.
In the past year, business interests have fared very well in the decisions handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court. Will that business-friendly record continue? John Dimsdale reports several cases will be putting that question to the test.
With South Korea becoming a rich, democratic nation, as many as 10,000 people from North Korea have risked crossing the border. Adapting to a capitalist society may be less dangerous but it's no less difficult. Rico Gagliano reports.
For the first time since the credit crisis began, the Dow Jones Industrial Average surged past the 14,000-point mark to a new closing high. Bob Moon talked with market strategist Art Hogan about what the stock market is thinking.
CD music sales continue to decline. But the popular alternative British group Radiohead is trying something new. They're making a key change in their sales strategy. Lisa Napoli reports.
Starbucks is now a "family destination," or so the company says. It might soon be brewing up menu items targeted directly to kids and teens. Commentator Tim Bedore worries that insufferable adolescents might overrun his coffeehouse.
The Subway chain is trying to sandwich in some new growth to its 21,000 locations. Stacey Vanek-Smith takes a look at a kosher Subway that has opened right here in Los Angeles.
Finnish cellular giant Nokia, the world's largest maker of mobile phones, is apparently navigating its way into the future with the purchase of Navteq, the digital mapping company. Jill Barshay reports.
Citigroup reported that third-quarter profits will probably drop 60 percent. Amy Scott explains what got them there, and reports that the worst might not be over.
Reports out say private equity firms Cerberus and JC Flowers are considering taking over some of the assets of London's Northern Rock, which recently faced trouble from the subprime mortgage crisis. Stephen Beard reports.
In response to the events in Myanmar last week, the U.S. imposed new economic sanctions. But critics say they're not strong enough — particularly regarding the country's lucrative gem trade. Amy Scott reports.
This week, Congress will consider forgiving the debt of developing countries in exchange for safeguarding their natural resources. Dan Grech reports that these "debt-for-nature" swaps have worked well before.
