If you've bought into a worthless stock, is it hopeless to try to make a gain? Cash Peters went to find out and learned some valuable lessons along the way — including not trust his financial advisers.
At a time when many banks are reeling from the hit they took on subprime mortgages, one New York institution has no problem collecting on its loans. Joel Rose reports on tiny bank loans making a big impact.
How do you test the financial stability of a group slightly smaller than a major bank? Tess Vigeland talks to personal finance expert Knight Kiplinger — of Kiplinger's Personal Finance about working on a family budget.
It was a wild week for bank stocks as rumors of nationalizations, bailouts and massive losses created a roller-coaster for investors. Steve Henn reports on what this might mean for you.
A dirty word that is slowly creeping into financial crisis dialogue: Depression. What's the difference between a recession and a depression? Tess Vigeland talks to professor Robert Reich about whether we're really in one.
You say your neighbor wants help with her gardens, and you're pretty good at fixing cars? Some communities are quantifying this kind of neighborly good will. Paul Rockower checked out the barter system at a time bank in Los Angeles.
President Obama's budget proposal has some interesting ideas involving student loans, Pell Grants, retirement and taxes. Tess Vigeland talks to our Economics Editor Chris Farrell, who breaks down portions of Obama's proposed 134-page budget.
There was a time when school cafeteria jobs were hard to fill. But in this downturn, demand for lunchroom jobs has more than tripled in some places. Gigi Douban find out why from a cafeteria in Birmingham, Ala.
The FDIC is raising its rates to compensate for the slumping bank sector. The insurance corporation has shut down 14 banks this year and sold what's left to healthier financial institutions. Mitchell Hartman reports.
China's dairy industry took a hit when the chemical melamine was found in every brand of its milk. But that hasn't stopped one entrepreneur from entering the industry. Scott Tong reports.
News about the banks generated a lot of talk this week. Kai Ryssdal speaks with Fortune Magazine's Leigh Gallagher and Clusterstock.com's John Carney about what's next for the banking sector.
The Treasury Department will become Citigroup's biggest single shareholder. But will this move be the last for the struggling financial giant? Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.
The GDP shrinkage was worse than expected. With the U.S. economy plummeting, Kai Ryssdal speaks with economist Barry Bosworth about what might happen if we don't see the economic growth the White House is banking on.
Gross Domestic Product shrank 6.2% in the fourth quarter of 2008, much worse than the 3.8% the Commerce Department had predicted just a month ago. How did the government get it so wrong? Steve Henn reports.
Vice President Joe Biden is championing the middle class by promoting a rise in the green jobs sector. Ashley Milne-Tyte explains the correlation between the two and why green jobs are expected to grow fast in coming years.
Citigroup says this morning, it reached a deal that gives U.S. taxpayers 36 percent stake in the bank. Bill Radke goes deeper into the deal with Marketplace's Dan Grech, who explains why the administration moved forward with the plan.
African craft artists pump about $300 million into the economy. But the locals are finding it tougher to compete with factories in China making replicas of their crafts. Gretchen Wilson explores how this is a form of identity theft.
President Obama wants to finance health care reform by rolling back tax cuts and deductions for people earning more than $250,000. Mitchell Hartman reports whether that tax increase will punish small businesses.
AIG is selling off parts to recover from its losses, including its Asian life insurance division, which grows by 20 percent every year. Scott Tong reports why AIG needs to sell even a profitable wing.
Marketplace Senior Editor Paddy Hirsch can usually be found answering questions on complex financial terms at the Marketplace Whiteboard. Today, Renita Jablonski asks him some additional questions from listeners in the studio.
Warren Buffett's company, Berkshire-Hathaway, releases its earnings today. Analysts are predicting a dismal report, but Rico Gagliano reports why Buffett's shareholder letters still command respect.
Fannie Mae reported yesterday it lost nearly $60 billion last year. Now, the government-backed mortgage company is tapping its federal line of credit. Dan Grech reports how much the company will need to stay afloat.
President Obama is proposing to set aside $634 billion for health care reform over the next 10 years by raising taxes on the wealthy and cutting Medicare costs. Janet Babin reports.
The stimulus package is devoting billions of dollars to alternative energy projects. But while the federal government is spending more on green, debt-burdened states are pulling back. Sarah Gardner reports.
As job losses mount, some people with the entrepreneurial spirit are considering franchising. Is that a good idea? Cash Peters reports from a franchising expo in Los Angeles.
Luke Bergmann, author of a book about Detroit, says the Motor City has reason for optimism: After years of feeling alienated from the rest of the country, it now shares in many of the nation's economic concerns. He talks with Kai Ryssdal.
Some in Washington want to create a commission to draft a balanced budget proposal. Commentator Lawrence Haas argues that lawmakers should do it themselves because that's why we elected them.
The government has already spent $45 billion to prop up Citigroup. Now the U.S. may take a nearly 40% stake in the troubled financial giant. Jeremy Hobson reports.
President Obama wants to trim the nation's debt by trillions of dollars. But he's also planning to spend trillions more. What has got to give to get those savings? Ronni Radbill reports.
The auto market's not showing signs of restarting anytime soon, and General Motors could soon run out of its $13 billion government loan. So today, GM execs return to Washington with a simple pitch. Jennifer Collins reports.
Write-downs have been a major player in the recession's ongoing drama with banks' balance sheets. But what are they? Marketplace's Bill Radke explains in our latest Marketplace Decoder.
Gap's sales began to struggle a few years before the recession was official. Today, issues like use of retail space and a cluttered market hurt Gap and other stores like Banana Republic. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.
Dell announced it was cutting 2,000 jobs in Ireland as it transports operations to Poland to pay workers there cheaper wages. Renita Jablonski talks to Professor Frank Barry in Dublin on how this will affect the country.
The Japanese economy is struggling in no small part due to the poor health of exports. Products like cars and flat-screen TVs are usually bought on credit, which these days is hard to come by. Scott Tong reports.
A report finds the U.S. is only spending one-third of what's necessary to keep up its roads. The gas taxes that pay for roads and bridges now aren't as effective as cars become more fuel efficient. Sarah Gardner reports.
President Obama unveils his budget today to Congress — a 10-year spending plan which includes $250 billion for the reeling banking system, "just in case." Dan Grech reports the current bailout doesn't cover everything.
Steady drug and gang crime have made traveling to Baja California a venture for the brave and open-minded. But those who can put the violence in perspective can find great deals and opportunities. Phillip Martin reports.
Funding for renewable energy projects was drying up until the stimulus package was passed. The federal infusion comes none too soon, but it's only a start. Sam Eaton reports.
TARP recipient Northern Trust is feeling the heat from Congress for spending lavishly on a golf tournament. As Jeremy Hobson reports, it's just the latest example of the financial industry figuring out what's OK and what's not.
The recession has only exacerbated the problems facing the newspaper industry. Veteran journalist David Westphal talks to Kai Ryssdal about what the industry is doing to meet the challenges it faces.
The Employee Free Choice Act would make it easier for workers to form unions by barring managers from firing or intimidating them. Employers are trying to stop it from becoming law. John Dimsdale reports.
President Obama wants to cut the current deficit in half by the end of his first term. Commentator Robert Reich says what Obama should really be focusing on is reducing the ratio of debt to the national economy.
With the federal government rapidly increasing spending and getting more involved in the private sector, business for Washington lobbyists is booming. Ronni Radbill reports.
President Obama wants to clean up the regulation of banks. As Steve Henn reports, the president might want to start out by streamlining the entire system.
The Obama administration is hoping to jolt the housing market by promoting a new, $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers. Is it enough to get home sales moving again? Janet Babin reports.
The Senate's Special Committee on Aging meets today to discuss new rules for retirement-savings funds. Target-date funds in particular are coming under increased scrutiny for more regulation. Ronni Radbill explores why.
Credit card assistant programs are popular as consumer debt levels near one trillion dollars. Steve Chiotakis talks to LA Times columnist David Lazarus about why he's skeptical about some of these firms.
Tiger Woods rejoins the PGA tour today after an eight-month absence to recover from knee surgery. Ratings dropped after Woods left, and many hope his return will bring excitement back to the game. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.
President Obama's third choice for Commerce Secretary Gary Locke has a lot on his side for the job, including his Chinese ethnicity, which could help promote business ties in China. Scott Tong reports.
President Barack Obama told a joint session of Congress last night that his plan is to help people, not banks. But Wall Street traders are getting nervous about overspending. Dan Grech reports.
Today is Apple's annual shareholder meeting, and the company's stock is down 50 percent from nine months ago. Investors want to know how the illness of CEO Steve Jobs factors in on the equation. Rico Gagliano reports.
CNBC's Rick Santelli hit a nerve with some homeowners when he went off on subsidizing the neighbors' mortgage. Commentator Will Wilkinson explains why even a small flame of populist resentment shouldn't be ignored.
With more retail stores closing in this recession, property owners are left with a lot of vacant space to fill. Some are finding creative ways to do so. Tamara Keith reports.
In this downturn, franchisees are defaulting on loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration in record amounts. That could have a huge impact on franchise lending in the future. Mitchell Hartman reports.
New Orleans residents can celebrate more than Mardi Gras. The city's economy is doing pretty well because of the tourism and construction industries. Will it last? Kate Archer Kent reports.
When math wizard David X. Li invented a formula to price collateral debt obligations, many on Wall Street adopted it. But now the formula's being blamed for spurring the collapse of the financial sector. Kai Ryssdal discusses the formula with Felix Salmon, who wrote about it in Wired magazine.
American Express is paying some cardholders $300 to cancel their accounts to avoid the risk of more defaults. Is this the beginning of a new trend? Janet Babin reports.
Many people look at the major stock market indices as leading economic indicators. But as Jeremy Hobson reports, the volatile stock markets aren't always indicative of what's going on in the economy.
Struggling insurance giant AIG is seeking more help from the government as it prepares to reveal a fourth-quarter loss of $60 billion. But what happened to the $150 billion in bailout money it already received? Steve Henn reports.
New Orleans tourism is still a multibillion-dollar business. This strong hospitality revenue is helping the city battle the current financial climate and boost up reconstruction funds. Kate Archer Kent reports.
AIG is rumored to report a $60 billion loss, and could turn to the U.S. government for additional bailout funds. Renita Jablonski talks to Breaking Views's Edward Hadas about whether it's a good idea to give AIG more money.
The recession of the 1970's hit New York City hard with rampant crime and a mass residential exodus. But today, the city is in a much better position to keep from a similar downward spiral. Jeremy Hobson reports.
Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso is visiting the White House today, and Washington is hoping the country of good savers will turn around and start spending some of its rainy day fund. Scott Tong reports.
As the Federal Reserve continues to make emergency loans to help troubled financial systems, some analysts are gawking at its size. Steve Henn juxtaposes the institution with an old state bank from the Soviet Union.
In the 1930's, burlesque shows were a popular, cheap escape for the downtrodden. Online Host Scott Jagow talks to actor George Wendt, who stars in a new musical about a burlesque house, about entertainment's power to lighten your load.
An annual federal report out today finds health coverage could nearly double within the next decade. By 2016, public payers could be doling out more than half of all health care funding. Ronni Radbill reports.
JP Morgan Chase, the second-largest U.S. bank and also one of its healthiest, slashed its dividend and knocked payments down to a nickel. CEO Jamie Dimon called the move a precaution. Dan Grech reports.
