No bailout for Detroit. Citigroup stocks took a dive. So did the markets, at least before the Treasury choice surfaced. Kai Ryssdal asks trader Andy Brooks and Felix Salmon of portfolio.com about an ugly week.
Retailers are doing just about anything they can think of to bring shoppers in during a holiday season where consumers can't help but feel the lightness of their pocketbooks. Marketplace's Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.
Marketplace presents "Here's What I'm Doing," a series asking people from all walks of life how they're coping with the financial crisis. In this edition, Julie Willnerd.
Some lenders are becoming more willing to modify the terms of loans and it's the bit of relief many homeowners needed to keep their homes. Minnesota Public Radio's Jess Mador reports.
As Internet universities grow in prominence, employers are going to see a lot more "'.com"s on resumes. Host Tess Vigeland asks pollster John Zogby how the perception of online degree programs is changing in the workplace.
Layoffs and lower costs are driving more students towards the virtual classroom. Marketplace's Mitchell Hartman reports on the state of online degree programs.
Host Tess Vigeland asks economist Teresa Ghilarducci how today's plans compare with retirement strategies from the past and some proposed plans for the future.
More and more American's nest eggs are getting picked apart by the financial crisis. Host Tess Vigeland talks with J. Mark Iwry of the Brookings Institution about how the 401(k) has outgrown its original intent.
After the bell rings on Wall Street, trading still goes on, but at a trickle compared to the regular trading period. Why doesn't trading go full-speed, 24/7? Mitchell Hartman explains.
The financial crisis is putting so much pressure on top company executives that many of them are leaving posts on the boards of other corporations because it's just too much. Renita Jablonski reports.
GM has announced more layoffs. But while GM shrinks, the natural gas industry is doing some hiring. So could ex-GM workers go from assembling power trains to driving drill bits into the earth? Kate Archer Kent reports.
Sources close to Obama's transition team are confirming reports that Obama will nominate Timothy Geithner, President of the N.Y. Federal Reserve Bank, to be Treasury Secretary. John Dimsdale reports.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid promise to try to get help for automakers after Thanksgiving. But the automakers have to make a convincing argument for why they need it. Alisa Roth reports.
Citigroup stocks were selling at a dizzying pace on reports that the troubled company might be considering a merger. How did things get so bad for Citigroup so quickly? Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.
Billions have been spent on the bailout already, and we've been keeping track. Steve Henn reports where the money went for our series "Tracking the Bailout."
There's a shortage of kosher turkey and beef thanks to the closing of supplier Agriprocessors, which had provided much of the country's kosher meat. Renita Jablonski reports the price of kosher turkeys has doubled.
Americans have more than $900 billion collectively in credit card debt, and it's as big a problem for the credit card companies as it is for the debtors. Stacey Vanek-Smith explores how creditors got into trouble.
George W. Bush will be attending what will likely be his last meeting with world leaders at the APEC summit in Lima, Peru. Nancy Marshall Genzer explores what his focus should be as many note he no longer matters much.
A report is projecting a major shift in global economic and political power, putting more of the focus on China, India and Russia. Stephen Beard reports why decline in U.S. power may not be comforting.
The watchdog group Public Citizen is asking a court to throw out a rule concerning hexavalent chromium, a carcinogen. Abolishing the ruling would help a new administration issue a new one. Sam Eaton reports.
With layoffs becoming almost routine in the banking industry, options for financial professionals are dwindling. Many are circulating their resumes around the fast-growing market of Dubai. Kelly McEvers reports.
With its stock having lost more than a quarter of its value on Thursday, Citigroup looks like it could be in talks for a merger or sale. The company's board reportedly will meet today. Janet Babin has the story.
Major publishers are struggling to stay afloat. But author and commentator Megan Hustad said some no longer produce the quality publications they used to, and she won't miss them if they go under.
Teen vampire movie "Twilight" has already sold out advance tickets in hundreds of theaters for its opening on Friday, demonstrating again that the teen market remains hot. Stacey Vanek-Smith reports.
Like AmEx, financial services company GMAC has applied for status as a bank, which would make it eligible to receive bailout funds. Tess Vigeland asks banking law professor Lissa Broome to explain the trend.
Some of the nation's largest companies are asking Congress to suspend rules requiring them to contribute more money to pension funds. Washington Bureau Chief John Dimsdale reports.
Congressman Henry Waxman has replaced John Dingell as chairman of the House Energy Committee, a loss of influence for the Big Three automakers. Alisa Roth reports.
The Dow has taken more dramatic dives this week, once again raising the question of where the bottom is. Jeremy Hobson takes it up with investment specialists in New York.
The European Commission is drawing up plans for a stimulus plan for all of Europe. The package would total about $160 billion, the same amount as the first package for the U.S. Stephen Beard reports.
About 500 foreign workers arrive in the U.K. every day to settle down. Now, the government wants to crack down on its immigration policy. Stephen Beard reports a majority of Brits favor a cut in immigration.
Prices for warehouse, retail and office space have dropped recently in much of the country. That could lead to more bank write-downs and trouble for companies trying to get credit. Janet Babin reports.
A German solar energy company wants to buy General Motors' Opel unit for $1.25 billion. GM says Opel isn't for sale, but Sam Eaton reports it may just be a matter of time before innovation is delivered from the outside.
The economy is stressing enough for so many in the U.S. that many are bringing it up in therapy. Sean Cole visits several therapists and finds the crisis as a current event has had an impact akin to 9/11.
In poor economic times, gold coins have been considered a stronghold investment. Lately, they're so popular the U.S. Mint can't supply people fast enough. Dan Grech reports on the coin's increased demand.
Congress will grill the Treasury today on what small business is getting out of the $700 billion bailout. Mitchell Hartman reports for some small businesses, things have gotten worse since the financial bailout began.
The U.S. economic crisis means it's harder for Mexican migrants to find work, and that means there's less money sent home to families. Dan Grech visits a small town in central Mexico to see how it's faring.
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson has switched the bailout plan from buying troubled mortgage securities to buying preferred shares in healthy banks. Commentator Robert Reich says it's time to stop the handout.
Sales of used goods are rising as consumers ditch expensive retail stores for more creative and cheaper ways to shop. Why not? Sarah Palin does it. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports on a booming shopping sector.
Pepsi, maker of the sports drink Gatorade, is using new techniques to cut down on its water use and save some money in the process. Sarah Gardner has the story on the eco-friendly ideas at Gatorade plants.
Procter & Gamble Co. and Google have been swapping employees since the beginning of the year. Host Kai Ryssdal talks to Ellen Byron from the Wall Street Journal about the unusual arrangement between the two.
Consumer prices fell 1% last month, the most on record. It's good news for consumers looking to save a little on purchases, but as Steve Henn reports, deflation means we could be heading into even worse economic times.
Even if the Big Three were to be bailed out, it doesn't mean that customers will come running. Janet Babin reports the issues surrounding auto companies with questionable futures and how the government could help.
A new report ranks states by the climate for new economic growth. Mitchell Hartman reports why Massachusetts, Washington and Maryland, among others, provide a supportive environment for start-ups.
Congressman John Dingell, chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee is holding a fundraiser today for freshman Democrats. Nancy Marshall Genzer looks into the money message this sends to newcomers early on.
Pirate have been hijacking ships crossing the Gulf of Aden, a stretch of water between Yemen and Somalia. Stephen Beard reports the costs of the lotting and how ships might be able to avoid future trouble.
The town of Saltillo, Mexico was nicknamed "Little Detroit" for its bustling car manufacturing industry. But declining auto sales have taken their toll on the town's related businesses. Dan Grech reports.
Today, the Senate will consider allowing bankruptcy judges to modify terms of mortgages for homeowners in trouble. John Dimsdale explores how this could potentially make many mortgages out of reach for the middle class.
Corporate leaders are banding together to push Congress for more aggressive green mandates, from renewable energy to a stricter cap and trade system. Sarah Gardner reports what else the new coalition, BICEP, is pushing.
The Food and Drug Administration opened up its first overseas office today in China in an attempt to get closer to where issues could start. Scott Jagow talks to Scott Tong in Shanghai about other FDA offices to follow.
Detroit's car makers will try again to get help from the U.S. financial bailout today. The Big Three claim it would be more beneficial to the U.S. to be bailed out, and Janet Babin explains one bank report backs them up.
President-elect Obama is considering several "czar" positions for his cabinet to head up everything from technology to cars. But commentator Will Wilkinson says the only thing czars are good at is looking busy.
When Donald Trump almost went bankrupt in the '90s, creditors made him give up his credit cards before he got help. Commentator Todd Buchholz says homeowners who face foreclosure have to give up some things too.
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson got an earful from members of the House Financial Services Committee over management of the $700 billion bailout and his refusal to act on foreclosures. Steve Henn has more.
Global Entrepreneurship Week has events in 77 countries. But is now the time to start a business, when the economy is shrinking? Mitchell Hartman finds out.
U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization members are in Rome to deal with a looming food crisis among the world's poor. Kai Ryssdal talks to food policy expert Joakim Von Braun about a key issue in food distribution — security.
Hewlett-Packard reports fourth-quarter profits will be stronger than expected. The company is also optimistic about the future. Stacey Vanek-Smith reports.
Detroit automakers say they need help before they crash. Kai Ryssdal talks about the rest of the industry with Micheline Maynard of The New York Times.
In Mexico, the peso has plunged, unemployment is rising and foreign investors started pulling money out last month — all fallout from the economic crisis in the U.S. Dan Grech reports from Mexico.
The Small Business Administration is holding a symposium on international trade to get Congress to pass agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea. Marketplace's Nancy Marshall Genzer reports.
Dutch insurance company AEGON is looking to make itself eligible for the U.S. financial bailout by buying American. If successful, it could receive more than a billion dollars of U.S. taxpayers' cash. Stephen Beard reports.
Travelers from South Korea no longer need visas to travel to the U.S., which is good news for the U.S. travel industry. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports South Korean tourists tend to spend more than other foreign visitors.
Kevin Hassett of the American Enterprise Institute joins Steve Chiotakis to give his take on the global economic situation for our "What's the Fix?" series. And he says a deep recession isn't necessarily a bad thing.
In California, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger convenes a two-day summit today on climate issues with over 600 officials and activists attending. Sam Eaton reports how this could be helpful globally.
Retail sales have been dark lately, but alternative teen clothing chain Hot Topic has seen a bump in its sales. Renita Jablonski reports how the apparel and entertainment store may be reflecting a national mood.
In our latest installment of "What's the Fix?" we look to the natural world for market answers. Commentator and animal behavioralist Richard Conniff explains how elk defend themselves when they see a grizzly bear.
Mickey Mouse turns 80 today, and the mouse is doing well as a media mogul. Stacey Vanek-Smith explores why Mickey has remained strong as a brand — from evoking family fun to growing up during the Great Depression.
Yahoo founder and CEO Jerry Yang saw the company through merger talks with Microsoft and ad deals with Google — neither of which happened. Janet Babin reports on Yang's rocky stint as company leader.
