Recent severe weather across the U.S. reminds us to be prepared for the worst. Candysse Miller shows Tess what she'd need to know to about her possessions to file an insurance claim.
On this week's "A Day in the Work Life:" who says you can't have a farm in the middle of the city? Jules Dervaes of Pasadena, Calif. started one in his own backyard.
Growing your own food would spare you from high prices at the grocery store, wouldn't it? Stacey Vanek-Smith puts her green thumb to the test to find out.
How could an attempt to diversify turn volatile and raises food prices worldwide? Jill Barshay explains the unintended consequences of large-scale commodity investment.
Is the recession nearing the end or just beginning? Economics editor Chris Farrell sets the story straight, saying either way, expect a partly cloudy economy for some time to come.
Gas, food, copper: prices are rising all around us and inflation talk is picking up. Tess asks Janet Bodnar how to protect your money from rising inflation.
First-quarter earnings season is upon us and profit numbers are under the microscope. Alisa Roth investigates where expectations come from and what they mean for investors.
It's not just the poor who are suffering from the global food crisis. More middle-class people are having trouble feeding themselves. Sean Cole visits a family in Minnesota. Then, Gretchen Wilson reports from South Africa where home gardening is a necessity.
Victims left deformed when their mothers took the drug Thalidomide are in Germany to launch the latest stage in a multibillion-dollar campaign to get more compensation from the company that marketed the drug 50 years ago. Stephen Beard reports
Nations such as Saudi Arabia are seeking to ensure their future food supplies by buying up productive agricultural land in other countries. Sam Eaton reports.
The price of oil jumped to $126 a barrel on news that Venezuela President Hugo Chavez may have closer ties than initially suspected with the Colombian terrorist group FARC — raising fears of U.S. sanctions on his oil-rich nation. Dan Grech reports.
Ever since a massive cyclone swamped the nation of Myanmar last week, only a fraction of the displaced population has received aid. International relief agencies are scrambling to figure out how to deal with the country's xenophobic rulers. John Dimsdale reports.
Battered Citigroup has raised money from investors, laid off employees and sold off chunks of the business. It wasn't enough. Today the company announced it would sell off $400 billion in assets. Amy Scott has more.
A new hedge fund is investing $125 million in Africa and the Middle East, areas where the fund managers say opportunities are huge. Sarah Gardner has more on whether this is a sign that Africa is the "last frontier."
Next week, the government releases its consumer price index for April, so we'll get to see just how high the cost of living has jumped, right? But economists aren't predicting a big jump in the cpi. Nancy Marshall Genzer asks why.
Food prices are getting ridiculous, and experts are predicting they'll continue to rise. What to do? Grow your own food. Stacey Vanek-Smith looks into the trend at community gardens and garden supply stores.
Higher prices for steel and copper are being blamed for the increasing unprofitability of offshore wind farms. A British firm that was going to build one now questions its viability. Stephen Beard reports from London.
In November, radio station giant Clear Channel announced it would be taken private in a $20 billion leveraged buyout. Now, the banks that were to finance the deal want to back out. Dan Grech has more.
The racing world is mourning the death of Eight Belles, the filly that broke two ankles after finishing second in the Kentucky Derby. Animal rights groups are protesting. Scott Jagow asks commentator Diana Nyad why it happened.
Across the country food manufacturers are struggling to handle rising costs, all the while trying to avoid raising prices. Their choices are changing the way some household food items are being made. Sam Eaton reports.
In our continuing series, "Food Fight," we look at the profitable side of the global food crisis. Sarah Gardner reports on the big agribusiness firms that are breaking earnings records as everything from grains to soybeans skyrockets.
Tax-rebate checks go out Friday as part of the $150 billion economic stimulus effort. And retailers are eager for a cut of your cash. We went looking for some of the more unusual ways people are planning to spend their rebates. Kai Ryssdal reports.
Commentator and investment strategist Andy Rothman says economic development pushed by Beijing will be great for Chinese workers and the environment, but now all of us will have to pay part of the cost.
In World War II, scores of cultural landmarks in Germany were destroyed, including former royal palaces. Some were rebuilt quickly, while others are only now being revived as Germans look to connect with their past. Brett Neely reports.
India's government has decided it's had enough with rising food prices. It has suspended futures trading for some key commodites there, including soybean oil, chickpeas and potatoes. Sam Eaton reports.
While it seems the price of everything is rising, electronics — computers in particular — are getting more powerful and cheaper at the same time. But Lisa Napoli reports that's about to end.
Mortgage rates in some markets came down today, with banks offering certain jumbo loans at a little above 6% — a lot cheaper than last week. Banks are loosening up on lending again because Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have a new strategy. Jill Barshay reports.
The house put on hold a $195 billion bill to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan after some lawmakers questioned the way the money would be spent. Steve Henn reports on reactions to the move.
The Securities and Exchange Commission is stepping up its scrutiny of investment banks. After the Federal Reserve engineered the rescue of Bear Stearns, regulators want a little something in return. Amy Scott reports.
In Haiti, the price of rice, the country's main staple, has risen nearly 80 percent since September. In the poorest country in the world, that's especially painful. Reed Lindsay reports from Port-au-Prince.
Best Buy has purchased a $2 billion stake in British retailer Carphone Warehouse. The two companies plan to open electronic superstores across Europe. This will be a first. From London, Stephen Beard has more.
Toyota reported a 28% drop in quarterly profit today. The Japanese car maker has steered clear of the auto industry's troubles so far. Now, Stacey Vanek-Smith reports, Toyota will hike the prices on some popular models.
Continuing our series on the worldwide food crisis, today we take a look at farmers who are taking advantage of the increased prices of commodities. Josephine Bennett reports from Georgia on the situation for peanut farmers.
A gaping loophole in British airport security has come to light: Criminal records checks are not being done for foreign employees. Marketplace's Stephen Beard in London explains the situation to host Scott Jagow.
Bad harvests, bad weather, bio-fuel policy…. They could all conceivably turn around. But over the long term there's one big unknown we can't really control: the growing collective appetite of China's 1.3 billion people. Scott Tong reports.
Agricultural economists have been saying for years that we were due for a global food crisis. Still, for most of us, the current worldwide spike in food commodity prices has come from out of the blue. Today, Kai Ryssdal begins our special series, "Food Fight."
Cuba has eased restrictions on certain products, such as computers, that its citizens previously weren't allowed to buy. But reporter David Adams, who recently visited the country, tells Kai Ryssdal that significant change is a long way off.
The Federal Reserve says consumer credit, basically everything we owe money on except our houses, rose more than 7% last month to $2.5 trillion. Commentator Robert Reich says the mortgage crisis offers a valuable lesson in the hazards of our mounting credit card balances.
Ford Motor Co. is going to start installing a new kind of transmission in nearly all of its vehicles that it says will make them more fuel-efficient. Sam Eaton reports.
The House is debating a $300 billion home-loan rescue package that would dramatically increase the Federal Housing Administration's role in cleaning up the subprime mess. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports on whether the FHA is up to the job.
U.S. worker productivity increased in the first quarter of 2008 at an annual rate of better than 2% — which is pretty good. But the underlying reason is that job cuts required the remaining employees to do more work. Dan Grech reports.
Sprint and a company called Clearwire today announced a $14.5 billion deal to establish a wireless network that would make it possible for you to be online almost anywhere. A slew of companies are involved, including Google. Lisa Napoli reports.
Sprint Nextel and Clearwire are teaming up to create the next generation high-speed Internet network. The companies will combine their wireless broadband units. Amy Scott reports they'll get help from powerful friends.
A study out today finds that many scientific studies leave out details about who paid for the research.
Janet Babin learns from the author of the study that such omissions prevent a realistic evaluation of the research.
In the midst of a worldwide food shortage crisis, the crops from small farms are earning record prices. Commentator and farmer Richard Oswald says it's a turnabout that's been a long time coming.
PepsiCo shareholders have their annual meeting today. Pepsi announced this week it would reduce plastic packaging. But some shareholders are also concerned about the plastic Pepsi uses for bottled water. Lisa Napoli reports
Hoping to take advantage of its peace process, Northern Ireland is hosting an investment conference today attended by directors from big companies like IBM, Microsoft and Apple. Stephen Beard reports on lingering investor concerns.
To start our special series called Food Fight, Host Scott Jagow talks to the head of research at Oxfam, an international group working on solutions to poverty, asking him why so many countries are fighting over food.
In Garland, Texas, today, Wal-Mart opened its first superstore targeted to Hispanic customers. Wal-Mart wanted to meet the need of the surrounding community. It's stocked with tortillas, Spanish movies and games. Stacey Vanek-Smith reports.
Businesses are taking notice of their customers' interest in fighting global warming. ClimateCounts.org's annual scorecard shows 84% of 56 major companies are more environmentally friendly than last year. John Dimsdale reports from Washington.
The market for houseboats seems to be floating right along. And it just so happens that one of the most famous houseboats in the world is up for sale in Seattle. Chana Joffe-Walt takes us on a tour.
The wedding between Microsoft and Yahoo might be off, but commentator and venture capitalist Paul Kedrosky says CEOs Steve Ballmer and Jerry Yang could still use some counseling and support.
Since speed cameras were introduced in France five years ago, they've been smashed, sawed-off, daubed with paint or sprayed with hunting-rifle shot. Now, a clandestine group has even turned to blowing them up. John Laurenson reports.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is handing over the reigns of power to Dmitry Medvedev, a 42-year-old corporate lawyer and former head of Gazprom. Russia expert Martha Brill Olcott talks with host Bob Moon about what the change will mean for the country.
In addition to the human cost of the cyclone that has ravaged Myanmar, damage from the storm will continue sending ripples through rice markets across the world for some time to come. Steve Henn reports.
Chrysler has announced that customers who buy or lease one of its selected new cars in the next few weeks can lock in lower gas prices for three years. What is it thinking? Amy Scott reports.
Fannie Mae, the biggest mortgage underwriter in America, reported a loss of more than $2 billion last quarter. Investors are now bracing for more bad news when its federally-sponsored cousin Freddie Mac reports results later this week. Alisa Roth has the story.
Remember back when you could get a gallon of gas for under $3? Chrysler is offering its customers a bit of a flashback. Through early June, customers who buy or lease a new Chrysler will get a price break on gas. Amy Scott reports.
Government-backed lenders Fannie Mae and its cousin Freddie Mac are buying up 80% of mortgage securities, giving lenders fresh money to make new home loans. They could lead us out of the housing crisis. Bob Moon reports.
Locally grown food is high on many shopping lists, but if you are an institutional kitchen that serves, say, 10,000, you might have problems with supply. Peter Crimmins reports on locally grown food and economies of scale.
Does the Magic Kingdom still have that sparkle? Investors find out later today whether the ailing economy has put a damper on Walt Disney's bottom line. The media giant will unveil quarterly earnings. Janet Babin reports.
Swiss bank UBS is selling some of its subprime mortgages to an American investment firm for $15 billion — 25% of the face value. Some see the deal as a sign the credit crisis might be easing. Stephen Beard reports from London.
France has a quota system to encourage bands to sing only in French. But, as John Laurenson reports, a new generation of French groups are defying the quotas and singing in what they believe is the true language of rock 'n' roll.
The FTC is trying to get a handle on mobile advertising, which is when a retailer sends you a coupon or text message on your cell phone. It's the topic of a two-day town hall meeting in Washington. Nancy Marshall Genzer has more.
The New York Stock Exchange hopes to finish acquiring the American Stock Exchange by the third quarter of this year. As many as 75% of Amex employees may be laid off after the merger. Alisa Roth reports.
Many homeowners are frantic to refinance as their home values drop. But on the other side of the equation are buyers who are refusing to jump in until the market hits bottom. How will they know when it does? Dave DeWitt reports.
New York state is requiring online retailers to charge sales tax if they have marketing agreements with businesses in the state. It's prompted an Amazon lawsuit. But commentator Michael Mazerov says Internet retailers should play by the same rules as the shop on the corner.
The Associated Press and 100 of its member newspapers have launched a service that will allow you better access to local news on the go. Lisa Napoli explains.
One thing the presidential candidates haven't been talking about is a space policy. Jeremy Hobson takes a look at whether the candidates have any plans for the final frontier.
New York City's art auction season opens today. Sotheby's and Christie's are hoping to sell $1.8 billion worth of works — 25% more than last year. Jill Barshay reports on the art bubble that's just getting larger, despite a struggling U.S. economy.
Chinese President Hu Jintao leaves Tuesday for a five-day visit of Japan aimed at healing tensions between Asia's two biggest rivals. They're expected to unveil a plan for managing their economic interests in the coming years. Scott Tong reports.
Investors in the insurance company Aflac have become the first shareholders of a major U.S. company to vote on top executives' salaries. They overwhelmingly rubber-stamped a pay package put together by the board of directors. John Dimsdale reports.
Paul J. Richards (Top) and Hector Mata (Bottom)/AFP/Getty Images
Microsoft has finally given up on wooing Yahoo into a long-term relationship. And today shareholders punished Yahoo with a 15% price drop. Host Tess Vigeland talks with C-Net's Ina Fried about what happened.
Yahoo's stock is taking a beating today. This weekend, Microsoft raised its $43.7 billion bid for the company, but Yahoo turned it down. Amy Scott looks now at what's next for both companies.
When the Italian food giant Parmalat went bankrupt in 2003, it became known as "the Enron of Italy." Investors in the U.S. and Europe lost billions. The company has just agreed to a settlement with American investors. Megan Williams has more.
Congressional leaders are still trying to cut a deal over funding to continue fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Both Republicans and Democrats want spending limits, as well as a share of costs from Iraq. John Dimsdale reports from Washington.
A move that would raise taxes for multinational companies in Britain has stirred up a fury. Giant advertising firm WPP says it may pull its headquarters out of Britain. Others could do the same. From London, Stephen Beard reports.
This weekend Microsoft raised its offer to buy Yahoo, but Yahoo turned it down. Was that a miscalculation on Yahoo's part? There's already one shareholder lawsuit against Yahoo. What's next? Lisa Napoli reports.
Record prices for uranium have sparked a mining boom in the Western states. A green advocacy organization says runoff from the mining could contaminate the Colorado River, which supplies water to 25 million people. Jeremy Hobson has more.
The House is expected to consider a $300 billion housing rescue package this week. The bill would allow the Federal Housing Administration to insure new, cheaper mortgages for homeowners facing foreclosure. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports.
Fortune Magazine's Allan Sloan talks about why the Mars-Wrigley deal went through in this tight economic climate. He says Warren Buffett's blessing helped, and that gum is simply a good business.
