If you're invited to someone's place for dinner, you might show up with some flowers or a bottle of wine. You don't even ask yourself if the polite gesture's worth the expense. But commentator and economist Dan Ariely says maybe you should.
The Puma shoe brand was born when the brothers who founded Adidas split in a dispute that divided their family. Kai Ryssdal talks with "Sneaker Wars" author Barbara Smit about how the family feud behind the two powerhouses shaped the face of global sports.
Gold prices have been running at historically high levels, which has put a crimp in some businesses that use the shiny yellow stuff. But in New York City one merchant has found a tasteful way to adjust. Andrea Mustain reports.
Iowa has been hit with tornados, thunderstorms, hail and flooding in recent days, prompting its governor to declare essentially the whole state a disaster area. Watch for the impact to reach well beyond the Midwest. Sam Hudzik reports.
Just a year ago, social networking site MySpace had nearly three times as many visitors as its rival Facebook. Now the two sites are about even. That probably explains why MySpace is getting ready to unveil a big makeover. Stacey Vanek-Smith reports.
Irish voters have defeated a treaty that would have streamlined the European Union. For the United States and its businesses, that will make trade more complicated. Stephen Beard reports.
The core inflation rate doesn't include gas and food prices. But if you add those products to the report for last month, consumer prices shot up 0.6% — the biggest increase since November. That's why some economists say it's time to stop ignoring them. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports.
With banks getting out of the student loan business, students are turning to the Internet — and sometimes total strangers — to cover the cost of school. Nancy Marshall Genzer has more.
In this edition of Getting Personal, Chris and Tess talk about a relative's financial deal, types of credit scores, rewards checking accounts and pooling money to buy a house.
What should you believe when every housing figure points a different direction? Economics editor Chris Farrell cuts through the confusion and sets the story straight on the housing market.
So what do you do when you're out of financial options? Tess talks to law professor David Skeel about what to think about when you're considering bankruptcy.
Oil and food prices are climbing to staggering heights, but some analysts say if you look at core inflation, which excludes food and energy, the spikes aren't as upsetting. Janet Babin reports.
The Screen Actors Guild's is willing to keep actors working without a deal as long as talks continue with studios. But SAG's head is coming down on another actor's union. Renita Jablonski talks to Variety's Stuart Levine.
A Brooklyn construction site owner is being charged with manslaughter after the death of one of his workers on the job this week. Alisa Roth looks into whether this will encourage employers to make work safety a priority.
Ministers from oil-producing and oil-consuming nations are due to meet for an emergency summit in Saudi Arabia this Sunday. Stephen Beard reports whether talks will help lower prices or if meetings will be just talk.
Big golf fans will soon be able to play on the same courses as the pros did during the U.S. Open. Scott Jagow talks to sports commentator Diana Nyad about why accessible courses are starting to host the tournament.
Many Zimbabweans rely on the efforts of international food aid to sustain themselves, but President Robert Mugawe is starting to forbid access to these supplies based on a political agenda. Jeremy Hobson has more.
Corn futures surpass the $7 a bushel mark this week, and some are predicting prices are headed much higher. Sarah Gardner reports what other high food prices we might be able to expect with the rising cost of corn.
A big shake-up in the search business: Microsoft's bid is off the table and Yahoo has announced a partnership with Google. Kai Ryssdal gets the latest developments form Marketplace's Bob Moon.
In this presidential campaign there'll be lots of debate over how to pay for budget priorities. Some argue for tax increases because, they tell us, we can't cut federal spending. Economist and commentator Glenn Hubbard thinks otherwise.
Census data show a lot of people mark their career as "artist." What does it take to be an artist and how true are the stereotypes? Janet Babin reports.
Europe's InBev has launched a bid for Anheuser-Busch, maker of Budweiser beer. The offer is being slammed by some as unpatriotic. Marketplace's Stacey Vanek-Smith reports.
The National Retail Federation reported a jump in May sales, meaning people are using those stimulus checks. But can we keep the spending up? Nancy Marshall Genzer has the story.
Congress is trying to gauge the future financial fallout of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, which includes counseling for soldiers with post-traumatic stress or depression. Steve Henn crunches some numbers.
To adapt to the new reality of energy prices, Ford wants to switch some assembly lines from trucks and SUVs to cars. But Ashley Milne-Tyte reports the process of revamping their facilities could be tricky.
Microsoft is working with the U.N. to donate three to four-year-old computers to an upstart company in Uganda to get affordable machines to businesses. Gretchen Wilson reports on the computer restoration efforts.
The truckers' strike in Spain is the latest in a string of international protests against the rising cost of fuel. Renita Jablonski talks to Danny Wood in Madrid about how this strike is affecting consumers.
Want to help fight a deadly disease but don't have any money to contribute to research? The Seattle Biomedical Research Institute can enlist you to contract the disease — and even get paid for it. Ethan Lindsey has more.
Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and others are concerned about inflation and a weak dollar. So why isn't economics correspondent Chris Farrell breaking a swear? He explains to Scott Jagow why there's reason not to worry.
InBev brewery, the maker of Stella Artois, has put down a $46 billion bid in cash for Anheuser Busch. Stephen Beard has more about why the Belgian company is so interested in the Budweiser brewer.
A lock and dam on the Mississippi River is having a huge economic impact on small towns around the Midwest that rely on it for business. Maureen McCollum reports on how it's affecting a village in Wisconsin.
Philadelphia's plan for citywide Wi-Fi has fallen apart, but other cities are starting to see the benefits of providing Internet access. Stacey Vanek-Smith reports.
Rating agencies are being blamed for giving high marks to bonds backed by subprime mortgages. Marketplace's Amy Scott talks to Kai Ryssdal about the SEC's attempts to reform the system.
Barack Obama has raised three times as much cash as John McCain. Commentator David Frum says this has turned the usually flush GOP into an unconvincing underdog.
The Colombian free trade deal awaits a vote in Congress two years after the president's signature. Kai Ryssdal talks with Colombian Trade Minister Luis Plata about the agreement.
The Lisbon Treaty aims to reform the way the 27-country European Union runs, but a referendum in Ireland might bring the treaty to a halt. Stephen Beard explains.
Retailer Gap Inc. plans to consolidate its various specialty stores into its main stores to save on real estate costs and unite its brand. Janet Babin reports.
Skyrocketing oil costs and high food prices have stirred inflation worries around the globe, and a weak dollar means we'll definitely feel the effects. John Dimsdale explains.
The Energy Department says high gasoline prices are here to stay. But is there anything the government can do to alleviate the pressure? Jeremy Hobson reports.
The FDA says tomatoes harvested after May 1 in California and Florida are safe to eat. But that doesn't mean you're going to see them stockpiled at your local grocer just yet. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.
Congress is considering whether to impose musician royalties over what's played on FM radio. Jeremy Hobson looks into whether airplay still helps record sales and how Capitol Hill feels about the potential new business model.
With money tight, a lot parents worry the cost of summer camp may be getting too high. Caitlan Carroll reports how some parents are cutting back on the summer fun and others will still go to any expense for their kids.
Donald Trump is refuting Scottish claims that his proposed $2 billion golf course in Aberdeen would harm environmentally sensitive sand dunes. Stephen Beard reports it could also help support an economically depressed area.
Congress is looking into making loans for green homes and energy-efficient remodeling projects more affordable. Sam Eaton reports energy efficient housing could offer a bright spot in a slumping market.
Many people are looking for someone or something to blame for rising prices in food and fuel. Commentator Robert Reich says a rapidly growing middle class is demanding these things faster than they can be produced.
The SEC wants to know why ratings agencies Fitch, Moody's, Standard & Poors gave AAA ratings to mortgage bonds that turned out to be junk. Some blame increased competition for a loss of objectivity. Amy Scott reports.
We've all heard the advertising slogan that milk does a body good, but followers of a new trend say milk straight from the cow is even better. Sasha Khokha explains.
It's hard to walk into the grocery store without experiencing sticker shock. But economist and commentator Tyler Cowen says as time passes we'll get so used to the higher prices, we may even be tempted to splurge.
Moody's, Fitch and other ratings agencies have been slammed for not spotting the risks in the subprime mortgage market. Now they're hard at work to earn back their reputations. Amy Scott reports.
In the wake of the massive tomato recall, the White House is asking Congress for $275 million more to increase FDA staff and inspections in its effort to secure the food supply. John Dimsdale reports.
Despite the arrival of a hot summer, natural gas prices are almost double what they were in December. Ashley Milne-Tyte explains last winter's effect on current supplies and other culprits to the rising costs.
Congress passed a law designed to stop terrorists from using container ships as part of an attack. But a report out of Europe this morning says the measure could be bad for global trade. Stephen Beard reports.
Home buyers in China used to pay the full price for a house upfront. But a new generation is following a pattern familiar one seen in the U.S. a few years ago — they're borrowing more for real estate. Lisa Chow has more.
With the credit crunch making it harder for even those with good credit to get a loan, small business entrepreneurs are increasingly turning to peer-to-peer lending. Stacey Vanek-Smith talks to a few who have prospered.
The number of uninsured Americans gets a lot of media coverage, but that doesn't mean we should ignore the ranks of those without enough insurance. Jeremy Hobson reports on the growing number of underinsured.
Not getting enough of presidential hopeful Barack Obama? Now for the right price, you can take a miniature him home. Renita Jablonski talks to German doll maker Marcel Offermann about his tribute to the presidential nominee.
Volkswagen may have closed its U.S. plants in 1988, but the car maker wants to make a stateside comeback. Alisa Roth sites reasons for the company's return, including a weaker dollar and the price of exporting cars.
The Senate is voting on an energy bill designed to force oil prices down by taxing oil companies and granting federal authority to sue OPEC nations in U.S. courts. But Sam Eaton reports the move may be little more than PR in an election year.
Banks have made bad decisions and lost billions in the credit crunch. Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf talks about how his bank has been riding out the subprime storm.
We think it's cleaner and safer, and we'll pay any price to get it, even though it comes out of faucets for a fraction of a cent. Author Elizabeth Royte talks to Kai Ryssdal about America's obsession with bottled water.
Grocery stores and restaurants are rushing to remove tomatoes as salmonella fears spread and regulators try to figure out where the bacteria came from and how to stop it. Janet Babin reports.
U.S. manufacturers may complain about China's weak currency, but a lot of Americans are finding job opportunities there that they can't find at home. Bill Marcus reports.
Apple's latest iPhone delivers faster downloads and a dramatically slashed price tag. Kai Ryssdal talks to CNET's Tom Kravitz from the floor of Apple's developers conference
Both the Obama and McCain campaigns have started stumping on economic issues. Steve Henn reports on the dollars and cents in the nominees' recent speeches.
Charities are having a harder time recruiting help because volunteers can't afford to drive where they're needed. Sarah Gardner reports on the impact of gas prices on America's most needy.
Lehman Brothers, the smallest of Wall Street's big investment banks, is reporting big losses — and that's making many market watchers nervous. Jill Barshay reports.
While Lehman Brothers expects to lose nearly $3 billion in the second quarter, the bank says it's raising $6 billion in capital from elsewhere. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports it may be readying for a sale.
A German World War II bomb was found near a subway station in London's financial sector. Renita Jablonski talks to underground mapping specialist Mike Sainsbury about how an unexploded device was discovered.
Even with an impressive skill set, many Iraqi refugees have trouble finding jobs in the U.S. To help, a nonprofit group in Washington, D.C. is working to help bridge the communication gap. Janet Babin has more.
Ministers from the group of eight industrialized nations met in Japan to discuss rising oil prices. Stephen Beard reports the leaders left the meeting emphasizing greater energy efficiency among the consuming nations.
Between a writer's strike and a weak economy, you might expect the TV industry would be in trouble. But the medium is holding steady. Stacey Vanek-Smith reports network TV is still a big way to tap into a diverse audience.
