Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson has announced he will step down when the new president is sworn into office in January. Commentator Bill McConnell has some thoughts on what's in store for the next Treasury secretary.
These days, many Americans are saying good-bye to life's little luxuries. But one Minneapolis business owner is hoping consumers won't let the sinking economy beat their love of chocolate. Annie Baxter reports.
Oil has been a big story all week, as hedge funds and traders have tried to figure out what the falling prices mean. Tess Vigeland takes a closer look with Kai Ryssdal.
China is in the middle of a huge boom in consumer spending, which would seem to be good news for credit card companies. But the Chinese haven't warmed to the idea of paying with plastic. Lisa Chow reports.
China's central bank is reported to be concerned about its relatively low capital base, which is partly a result of the economic problems in the United States. Ashley Milne-Tyte has more.
The non-profit program called One Laptop Per Child will be teaming up with big business this holiday season to make it easier for anyone to buy one of its $200 models. Dan Grech reports.
Dell is looking to revamp its signature process of building its products to order. And it's reportedly talking about selling off most of its facilities and having somebody else make its computers. Mitchell Hartman reports.
Unemployment hit 6.1% last month — the highest in nearly five years. It was the 8th-straight month of fewer jobs, with a total drop of 600,000 jobs this year. But some economists believe the real story is even uglier. Steve Henn reports.
Chris and Tess answer questions about whether credit ratings follow you to other countries, investing in foreign stocks, managing sweepstakes winnings, and the intricacies of health savings accounts.
Child care can be hard to find. It's often expensive, and what if you need something other than a traditional 40-hour-a-week caretaker? Some parents are learning to share — their nannies, that is. Alisa Roth reports.
Wilcox County, Ala., is one of the poorest areas in the nation. It residents spend a greater percentage of their income on fuel than anywhere else, and they have few transportation options. Tanya Ott reports.
There's a new edition out of the financial primer "Investing 101." Tess Vigeland talks with author Kathy Kristof about why she decided to publish a new version of her book in the current economy.
Google has unveiled a new service that will allow you to store and access your medical records on the Web. Martha Bebinger walks us through Google Health to explore the risks and benefits of going online.
Some pundits have questioned whether a college education is still worth the cost and time. Chris Farrell says yes, but you need to look closely at what's right for you.
Because of the poor economy, many senior citizens are looking to get back into the workforce. Nancy Marshall Genzer met a few of them at an AARP job fair and found out why they're not ready for retirement.
How are insurance companies treating hurricane zones in the Gulf and the Southeast coastline? Tess Vigeland talks with Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon about lessons learned from Hurricane Gustav.
Last month, the economy lost more than 84,000 jobs. And the losses are no longer just in housing-related industries, they're spreading into manufacturing, retail and business services. Steve Henn has the story.
Today's election in Angola is significant worldwide because the African nation — in peace after a decades-long war — has major stores of oil, gems and metals. Gretchen Wilson reports.
When OPEC ministers meet next week, they will face a dilemma over oil prices — should they decrease production to boost the price or stay the course? Brett Neely asks energy experts what to expect.
It's time for the new fall TV season and Bob Moon checks in with Stuart Levine of Variety to find out what's new — or, well, old. "90210" and "Night Rider" are coming back. Grab the remote control.
Miami saw a drop in tourism during the first half of this year and wants the tourists back. A travel show this weekend turns south — way south — to bring a wave of visitors to the beaches and shopping malls.
The Environmental Protection Agency says we've been choking on fumes from lawn mowers and other engine-powered machines. Rachel Dornhelm reports on new regulations aimed at clearing the air.
The Social Security System is in good shape today, but in seven years, retired boomers will outnumber workers and drain the reserves. Danielle Karson reports on solutions proposed by the American Academy of Actuaries.
The 50-plus workforce is growing, but it still isn't easy finding a good-paying job. The AARP added a job fair to its annual convention in Washington this week to help. Nancy Marshall Genzer stops in.
Google celebrates it's 10th year this month, but the company isn't slacking, even though it's now worth $140 billion. Joel Rose reports on why the world's most popular search engine has its head in the clouds.
A decade ago this week all of our lives started to change just a little bit. Google was born. And now it seems you almost can't go anywhere — on the Web, at least — without using it to search and do many other things. Kai Ryssdal takes a look.
Commentator and economist Glenn Hubbard says Republicans are wrong to think that health-care reform isn't going to mean some kind of government involvement.
The Federal Communications Commission is considering cutting back on the information it collects from the nation's biggest telecommunications providers about service problems. Steve Henn reports.
About 7 million Americans collect disability benefits from the Social Security Administration. Another 2.5 million people apply each year, leaving hundreds of thousands stuck in a backlog for approval. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports.
The hurricane watch has shifted away from the Gulf Coast to Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas as tropical storm Hanna approaches. Kai Ryssdal talked with two business owners who are getting ready.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission is looking into whether oil companies have been manipulating prices, according to a Wall Street Journal report. Ashley Milne-Tyte has more.
Union machinists at Boeing could hit picket lines by Friday night, if a two-day cooling off period doesn't stick. Mitchell Hartman has been following the story. He checks in with Kai Ryssdal.
American workers' productivity in the last quarter was way up, according to a government report. But another report says labor costs decreased. That may be good news for those worried about inflation, but not so good for workers. Janet Babin reports.
On Friday, federal regulators are expected to dial back on the amount of information collected when consumers make complaints about bad phone service. Steve Henn asks what consumer advocates think of that.
British Petroleum and its billionaire Russian partners in Russian oil company TNK have settled a long-running dispute. The deal includes removal of CEO Robert Dudley as CEO. Brett Neely has more.
If you've seen his commercials on television, you know the Texas oilman is promoting his idea to build electricity-generating wind farms to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Pickens explains it to host Bob Moon.
The so-called Beige Book contains the Fed's assessment of the country's economic health. John Dimsdale learns that the report doesn't brighten the dark economic climate as we already know it.
The quarterly publication WSJ has the Wall Street Journal's pedigree and potential high-income subscriber list to bring in loads of advertising dollars. Rachel Dornhelm takes a look.
GMAC's financial services arm announced that it will close its retail offices and lay off about 5,000 employees. Renita Jablonski talks with economics editor Chris Farrell about the overall unemployment rate.
Boeing machinists, the airline's largest union, decisively reject the contract. However, they agree to put a walkout on hold for 48 hours to give Boeing a chance to renegotiate. Mitchell Hartman reports.
Traffic jammed on some roads into New Orleans as the mandatory evacuation of the city was lifted. Many begged to be able to return, worried about the expence of staying in hotels. Dan Grech reports.
Coca-Cola is offering almost $2.4 billion for the Huiyuan juice company in China. The all-cash deal would be the biggest foreign takeover ever of a Chinese company. But regulators in Beijing could take the fizz out of the deal. Janet Babin reports.
With many communities hit hard by foreclosures, schools are reporting spikes in the number of homeless students this fall. Mhari Saito reports on how those districts — and their students — are coping.
Yale economist Robert Shiller's been watching the real estate market for a long time. He's the author of a new book called "The Subprime Solution." Since that would be a pretty popular thing right now, Kai Ryssdal asked him to explain it.
While the GOP convention is on, we've asked some Republican thinkers to tell us where they think the party can do better. Commentator David Frum says it ought to start with immigration.
A branch of one of the world's largest sovereign wealth funds — the Abu Dhabi fund — plans to spend $1 billion over five years to produce and distribute feature films in Hollywood. Ali Jaafar of Variety discusses the details with Kai Ryssdal.
After decades of seeing its designs turned into fashion statements, the U.S. Army has decided to partner with Sears to launch an Army-inspired clothing line. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.
Prices for commodities have been dropping, so it's a tricky time for companies that run those kinds of investments. One of the larger hedge-fund managers says it's closing down a flagship commodities fund that's gone very bad. Amy Scott reports.
The European economy continues to slump. One U.K. minister said it's the worst it's been in 60 years. The bad news overseas, however, helped boost the dollar against the euro. Brett Neely reports.
August layoffs were down 14 percent from July, but it's not all good news on the job loss front. This was the worst summer of layoffs since 2002. Steve Henn learns that an even grimmer picture could be yet to come.
California's anti-sprawl bill encourages development near businesses and workplaces to cut down on driving and reduce emissions. Rachel Dornhelm explains how the policy will work.
The economy is taking a bite out of school lunches. School districts are getting fewer tax dollars and want lunch programs to support themselves. Steve Henn reports on the choices they face.
Big grocery store chains, like Albertsons, had been stocking up for weeks to prepare for the return of evacuees from hurricane Gustav. Mitchell Hartman has the story.
The Coca-Cola company announced its intention to buy Chinese juice maker Huiyuan, a purchase that would expand Coca-Cola's operations in the huge Chinese market. Host Bob Moon talks with Scott Tong in Shanghai.
Corporate representatives who attend the convention come in two flavors, says commentator Robert Reich. He also discovered that sometimes reps from the same company play contradictory roles.
The government today will release its monthly report on factory orders for non-durable goods — things like clothing, food and gas. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports on what the numbers are expected to show.
The government's implicit backing of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae has apparently convinced investors that the two mortgage giants are a safe bet. John Dimsdale finds out why.
If International Association of Machinists members reject the new contract proposal, a strike could cost Boeing $100 million a day and delay delivery of work for the government. Danielle Karson reports.
A possible solution to high health-care costs might be coming from an unlikely source — an alternative form of treatment that's been around for centuries. Joel Rose reports.
The Internet search giant is adding a browser to its mix of products. Rafe Needleman of CNET.com was at Google's announcement today. He shares the details with Kai Ryssdal.
Rising fuel costs are affecting virtually every school district in the nation, according to a new survey. Some schools are keeping classes in session longer, but only four days a week. Jeremy Hobson reports.
Commentator Reihan Salam says some Republicans have lost touch with the economic anxiety of average Americans. He offers a suggestion for self-improvement.
The remake of the popular 1990's show "Beverly Hills 90210" debuts tonight. It's the latest try at getting young viewers to spend a little less time in front of You Tube and a little more time in front of that other tube. Janet Babin reports.
The iconic songs of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein may soon be on the auction block. Their catalog could fetch a couple of hundred million dollars. Amy Scott reports.
Even though Hurricane Gustav wasn't as severe as expected, it still left billions in property damage behind it. But a bigger cost to business might turn out to be living with frequent mass evacuations. Dan Grech reports.
Although assessments of the derricks and refineries in the Gulf are only just beginnng, the expectation is that Hurricane Gustav left minimal damage. Oil futures dropped on the assumption. Steve Henn reports.
If the International Association of Machinists members reject the new contract, the union could strike. That could cost the company $100 million a day and delay delivery of work for the government. Danielle Karson reports.
Libyan leader Moammar Gadaffi will begin distributing the country's substantial oil profits directly to the people of Libya. They can spend it however they want. Gretchen Wilson has more.
Nokia is taking aim at Apple with a new phone that lets buyers download music for free for a year. "Come With Music" phones go to market in the UK first, then Europe. Brett Neely reports.
During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims fast during the day and break their fast after sunset. Then, for many it's sit back and watch TV. Ben Gilbert reports on advertisers going after that audience.
Hotel managers knew rising gas prices and a slumping economy would cause vacationers to cancel travel plans. Hence, the "staycation," offering discounts and other amenities to locals. Jean-Luc Renault reports.
Katrina cost the insurance industry $40 billion, and in the hurricane's wake, home insurance rates have as much as doubled. Many homeowners couldn't afford the new premiums and had to pass. Dan Gretch reports.
Some school districts can no longer afford to offer school bus service because of tight budgets and soaring gas prices. Rachel Dornhelm reports on what some families are doing to get their children to school.
Hugely expensive textbooks have helped fuel an online black market, where students are downloading books from file-sharing Web sites for free. Katie Macpherson reports.
The pharmaceutical industry spends billions of dollars on direct-to-consumer advertising. But a Harvard Medical School study says the ads aren't really working. Janet Babin reports.
Oil companies won't know the full extent of damage to offshore oil rigs and refineries in and along the Gulf of Mexico until Hurricane Gustav passes. But they think measures they've taken should limit the losses.
As Hurricane Gustav came ashore along the Gulf Coast, more than 2 million evacuees found shelters to wait out the storm. Tess Vigeland got the perspective of two members of the Southern Baptist Convention, which is providing assistance.
Labor Day has become a time for end-of-summer sales and barbecues, but it really is intended as a way of honoring workers. With that in mind, Nancy Marshall Genzer looks at how the American worker is doing.
The Gulf oil derricks are said to be better prepared to handle a hurricane than they were three years ago. The real threat is to Gulf area refineries. Scott Jagow talks with an oil industry expert about that.
