It's no secret the dollar has been falling compared to other currencies this year, but will it impact you? Tess asks economics professor Catherine Mann.
Is it time for the government to step in to stop the housing crisis? Chris Farrell sets the story straight on an expected subprime interest rate freeze.
Pregnancy's become a bigger business opportunity as more companies are marketing oh-so-trendy baby gear to expectant moms. Some of those companies met in Los Angeles to display their wares at the Mom 2B convention. Cash Peters went to check it out.
Tens of thousands of Iraqi refugees are estimated to have returned home. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Syria says hundreds of Iraqis are leaving every day. Kai Ryssdal talks with the agency's Sybella Wilkes in Damascus.
A quarter of a million miners are set to walk off the job in South Africa on Tuesday to call attention to unsafe working conditions. Mining has been part of the country's fabric for more than a century, but little attention has been paid to the human costs. Gretchen Wilson reports.
Venezuelans vote Sunday on more than 69 constitutional amendments, including one to allow President Hugo Chavez to be re-elected indefinitely. Chavez has sweetened the pot by throwing in two amendments aimed at spreading the nation's oil wealth to the poor. Dan Grech reports.
The U.S. Postal Service says delivering Netflix DVDs is costing it an extra $21 million a year because the envelopes have to be sorted by hand. Lisa Napoli reports.
The Bush Administration, big banks and mortgage lenders have been putting their heads together and may have a plan to help out homeowners who have gotten in over their heads. Amy Scott reports.
Is it time for the government to step in to stop falling house prices? Tess talks to economist Robert Shiller about the next steps in the housing crisis.
With home prices dropping all over the country, how do you choose the right time to buy? Ethan Lindsey walks us through his home buying experience in Bend, Oregon.
Our economics editor Chris Farrell answers your burning money questions. This week — calculating cost of living, credit card terms, selling at a loss and interest rates overseas.
On this week's "A Day in the Work Life," our regular look at how folks trade time for money, we explore the halls of the National Museum of Women in the Arts with guard Karen Harris.
Verizon's plan to open its network to any phone has turned some heads in the industry, but what does it mean for customers? Tess asks Marketplace's Lisa Napoli.
In the midst of the subprime mess, can you trust money market funds, known for their stability, to keep your cash safe? Marketplace's Nancy Marshall Genzer examines some investors' concerns.
Many mortgage holders who took out subprime loans with teaser rates will find those rates climbing within the next two years. Alisa Roth reports government offices and financial institutions are negotiating a deal to help.
Italy's tartufo mushrooms, also known as white truffles, are a precious and highly sought-after food. And the biggest one found in 50 years could net around $200,000 at an auction. Megan Williams has more.
Dubai's film festival is only on its fourth year, but has already managed to become big enough to entice Hollywood players to come. Doug Krizner talks to Variety editor Mike Speier about Dubai's emerging market for entertainment.
Donald Trump's bid to build a luxury golf course on the Aberdeenshire, Scotland coastline has been rejected by local politicians. Aberdeen Sustainability Group's Mickey Foote tells Doug Krizner why the course is a bad idea.
Companies and groups that give more than $5,000 to lobbying efforts must now disclose their support, according to a new rule in Congress. Jeremy Hobson reports some trade groups don't like the bill, and are trying to reverse it.
Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern's new raise makes a higher-earning political leader than the U.S. president. Stephen Beard reports that with Ireland heading towards a recession, his inflated income has pretty bad timing.
A thousand migrant farm workers in Miami are marching to Burger King headquarters to protest the fast-food giant's refusal to give them a penny more per pound of tomatoes. Dan Grech reports their last raise was three decades ago.
The Tribune Company's exemption from the FCC's rule that one can't own a TV network and a newspaper in the same market is set to expire when Sam Zell takes over. But will he get a waiver and stay above the law? Jill Barshay reports.
For a company like Facebook, the community is the business. Commentator Andreas Kluth says before long we'll all be social networking — just maybe not on Facebook.
eBay has been a cyberspace powerhouse for more than a decade. But its auction business has slowed. CEO Meg Whitman has been trying to make the site more user-friendly and to clamp down on fraudulent sellers. She talked with Kai Ryssdal in our Conversations From the Corner Office.
The big ratings agencies have been criticized for glossing over the risks that were piling up in the credit markets, prompting calls for new regulation. But one ratings firm would welcome a shake-up. Amy Scott reports.
Britain's World Wildlife Fund has ranked 10 luxury brands and found they were C students at best. But the conservation group's study isn't getting high marks, either. Sarah Gardner reports.
State and local governments say they're having trouble finding investors for their low-interest municipal bonds. That could lead to taxpayers paying higher interest rates on loans to build and maintain local infrastructure. John Dimsdale reports.
Retailer blames 3rd-quarter profit drop of 99% on a warm October that depressed outerwear sales and increased competition. But the company admits it has a lot to improve on. Janet Babin reports.
Of all the things the oil markets need, a nudge toward more volatility is not one of them. But that's what happened with a pipeline explosion on Wednesday. Two workers were killed and a key route for Canadian crude into the Midwest was crippled. Bob Moon puts the pieces together.
Broadway stagehands and producers came to an agreement that ended the stagehands' 19-day union strike. So, is it time to start the show? Alisa Roth reports it's unclear how many curtains will actually rise tonight.
Cyber Monday sales for eBay were expectedly strong, but how does CEO Meg Whitman feel about the rest of the year? Kai Ryssdal sat down with her recently and asked whether she was jittery about the current economy.
U.S. financial lobbyists are in China this week in hopes of attaining greater access into its market. Bill Marcus reports how Americans want to be specifically involved in the country's stocks and banking system.
Investors have had difficulty measuring and comparing private-equity funds due to their nature. But a new index will now be tracking them without relying on info from the funds themselves. Jill Barshay reports.
Not like Las Vegas is struggling for tourism, but Sin City is seeing some extra action from business visitors. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports on the draw the city has for businesspeople besides the lure of a quick game.
Delphi is in bankruptcy court today with the intention of getting out. The company hopes to emerge from the filing this year to avoid severe penalties. Alisa Roth reports on the consequences if they don't pull through.
A hearing today will evaluate sodium content in processed foods. Health adovcates want restrictions in place, but some think official regulations don't need to be involved. John Dimsdale reports.
Congress is bent on finding a way to reduce foreclosures around the country. But economics correspondent Chris Farrell says we should do it by abolishing something Washington holds sacred: the mortgage deduction on taxes.
Rising childhood obesity rates in China are a side-effect of rapid economic development. But Beijing has a response designed to keep kids on their feet. Scott Tong reports.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has thrown cold water on an attempt by shareholder-rights advocates to make it easier to nominate their own candidates to corporate boards of directors. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports.
The Senate is scheduled to take up an electronic surveillance bill next week that would give telecommunications companies immunity from lawsuits over wiretaps dating back to 9/11. Commentator Robert Reich says that's a bad idea.
Late-night talk show host Carson Daly is breaking ranks with Jay, Dave, and Conan on the Writers Guild Strike. He's going back to work on Monday — deal or no deal. And he's asked non-union writers to give him material. Stacey Vanek-Smith reports.
After taking some heat for its print ads, cigarette maker R.J. Reynolds says it's going to stop advertising in newspapers and magazines next year. Janet Babin reports.
OPEC's has been making noises about a production increase. But since it can be tough to figure out what makes the oil cartel tick, Kai Ryssdal turns to Greg Priddy, an oil analyst at the Eurasia Group, for some insight.
Congress is close to requiring higher fuel economy standards. They would be tucked into a huge energy package, which could come to a vote as early as next week. Sam Eaton reports.
Donald Kohn, vice chairman of the Federal Reserve, gave a little speech this morning in which he indicated the Fed might cut interest rates. Wall Street got all excited, despite the fact that Kohn emphasized how bad the economy was. Kai Ryssdal has more.
Orders for durable goods — items meant to last at least three years — dropped for the third straight month in a row. This also suggests a slow-down in manufacturing. Alisa Roth reports.
Private security firms in the U.S. have had a hard time since the Blackwater shootings. Ashley Milne-Tyte looks into whether hurt reputations have affected the companies' bottom lines.
Carson Daly will be the first late-night talk show host to go back to work since the WGA strike began three weeks ago. Renita Jablonski reports the union is not very happy with the decision.
Discount carriers have made it tougher for frequent fliers to cash in on their miles. Stacey Vanek-Smith explores how far those benefits will take you now, and whether frequent-flier programs build customer loyalty.
The SEC wants to smoothen out relationships between companies and their shareholders by using the Internet as a neutral communication platform. Jill Barshay how this tactic might help ease tensions and save time.
The storm seems to be abating for British bank Barclays, despite detrimental rumors of subprime suffering and a written-off $2.75 billion. Stephen Beard reports how the bank is taking action with its renewed confidence.
High-consuming oil countries have been putting the pressure on OPEC to pump more oil to prevent it surpassing $100 a barrel. But Stephen Beard tells Scott Jagow that OPEC blames the price hike on other factors.
Canada is getting in on U.S. "medical tourism," making it easier for Americans looking for more affordable health care to visit the country for treatment. Stacey Vanek-Smith looks into the trend's growing profitability.
If peace between Israel and the Arab states became a reality, would the price of oil come down? Commentator David Frum doesn't think so — he says it's the market conditions that matter, not the political decisions.
A small team of scientists from MIT is using Rome as an urban laboratory to devise a new technology to help us get from here to there. Megan Williams reports.
Verizon Wireless says it's going to give consumers more choice of cell phones. It plans to open up access to its network in 2008. And it's bound to have company. Janet Babin reports.
The Web giant has announced plans to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in green energy projects. It plans to produce enough electricity from renewable energy sources to power a city the size of San Francisco. Sam Eaton reports.
The sovereign investment fund of Abu Dhabi is giving America's biggest bank, Citigroup, some much-needed capital to offset its big mortgage losses. For some insight into this news, Bob Moon talks with David Wighton of the Financial Times.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors put out a detailed report today, forecasting just how badly cities are being affected by the housing slump. Bob Moon talked with Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson about how the downturn is affecting his city and others.
The worst consumer confidence numbers in two years came out today, along with the worst year-on-year drop in home prices in 20 years, and a report predicting the foreclosure crisis is far from over. Do all these indicators confirm a recession is near? Steve Tripoli reports.
For 50 years, the Burger King in Mattoon, Ill., has been a favorite spot. And thanks to a judge's ruling, that other Burger King has had to keep its distance. Jeremy Hobson reports.
Allowing commercial flights into military airspaces saved airlines money in jet fuel, but there were still long delays for take-off and landings. But Alisa Roth reports airlines were happy with the results anyway.
If a farm-raised fish is fed ground-up wild fish, can it be labeled organic? A public meeting in Washington will decide today. Nancy Marshall Genzer looks into what the fish might be eating.
Citigroup's $7.5 billion investment offer from the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority might have saved it from subprime trouble. Doug Krizner talks to Peter Thal-Larsen of the Financial Times in London about the deal.
With the rise of foreclosure filings comes the parallel rise in foreclosure auctions. Lisa Chow checks out the auction block in New York City and looks into whether or not it's worth it to buy.
New York seems to be getting ahead on its rivalry with London as the world's preeminent financial center. But Ashley Milne-Tyte reports the two cities' competition may soon be dwarfed by other emerging markets.
China is making strides to inspect its food industry and ensure the safety to the rest of the world. Marketplace got a first-hand look at the food inspection process in Shanghai. Scott Tong reports.
The FCC will be voting on stricter regulations for cable TV. But some critics say tighter restrictions could mean price controls or more limited programming. John Dimsdale reports.
The numbers for consumer confidence out this morning may be down for the fourth straight month in a row. But how will that affect what consumers spend? Jeremy Hobson explores the connection.
Some people use their businesses to help fix what needs fixing. In the first of a series, Steve Tripoli reports on a Boston woman who's spent years fine-tuning the balance between her company's business and social goals.
Peace may be the most elusive commodity in Israel and the Palestinian territories. Daniel Estrin reports some Israelis have decided violence makes it worth paying for a plan to get out.
Globalization is turning into a hot-button issue for both Democratic and Republican presidential candidates. But commentator Paul Krugman says its effects on the U.S. economy are overblown.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has parlayed Russia's huge energy resources into a powerful political tool. Portfolio magazine's James Verini has written about what lies ahead for Russia and its largest energy project, Sakhalin II. He talks with Kai Ryssdal.
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin wants more competition for the cable TV industry — from satellite television outfits and phone companies. But other members of the commission don't agree. John Dimsdale reports.
About 3,000 dealers at the Foxwoods casino in Connecticut, the nation's largest, have voted to sign up for union cards with the United Auto Workers. It's the first union to break into a tribal casino. Alisa Roth reports.
Europe's largest bank, HSBC, is going to rescue two of its structured investment vehicles, or SIVs, that have taken a beating from recent woes in the mortgage and credit markets. It'll cost HSBC $35 billion to make things right. Amy Scott reports.
China is expected to be the second-largest market for airplanes within the next 20 years, and Airbus is taking advantage. Alisa Roth reports on whether the company is pulling ahead of its American competition.
The strength of the euro is causing more European purchases of Chinese goods and hurting European manufacturers. Bill Marcus reports European officials have a solution that China has heard before.
Retailers have been promoting aggressive deals to balance out the bad news on their bottom lines. Jaime Bedrin shows us what tactics companies are employing to win customers and what deals will be particularly good.
The British government said that it favored the Virgin consortium's bid for struggling bank Northern Rock. But Stephen Beard reports Sir Richard Branson's move still needs to be approved by Rock shareholders.
When business is down, morale usually sinks with it. That's when it's time to hire someone with a shinier outlook. Jeff Tyler finds the silver lining in our cloudy economy with some professional motivational speakers.
The exchange-traded note is turning out to be a good deal for investors because of an unexpected tax advantage. But the deal is making the mutual-fund business upset. Fortune Magazine's Allan Sloan tells Scott Jagow why.
