Week of May 4th, 2009

Question: My son graduated in December in one of the worst economic times. He was fortunate to land and entry level job in his field with an…

On Marketplace After the Bell, I look back on the week in business and economy and try to make sense of it. Sometimes, trying to make sense of it…

Now that some large investment firms have been shuttered by the economic fallout, consumers have a tough choice: stay with a large firm or seek out a smaller, independent one. Bob Moon reports.

Investment firms are on the prowl for new customers. Those still in the green have the opportunity to snatch up new business after the downfall of companies like AIG. Andrea Gardner reports.

San Francisco wants to boost its high recycling rate, so it may become the first city to make composting and recycling mandatory. And there could be stiff penalties for those who don't comply. Caitlan Carroll reports.

This falls into the picture-says-a-thousand-words category. The International Economy magazine features a Google Earth photo that makes the…

Tess Vigeland and economics editor Chris Farrell talk about the current state of the economic crisis and how it compares to financial crises of the past.

The Chrysler lenders who were putting up such a fight over the bankruptcy and Fiat deal have decided to throw in the towel. The creditors withdrew…

Unemployment continues to plague cities across the country. But Wilcox County, Ala. has suffered severely due to the closure of a large lumber mill. Now one in four residents can't find work. Tanya Ott reports.

Many of the largest banks still don't get passing grades in U.S. government stress tests and must raise billions of dollars before they can pass. How does this affect the consumer? Reporter Jeremy Hobson has some answers.

The Department of Energy is pulling the plug on hydrogen fuel-cell research. So electricity and ethanol are jockeying for the top car-powering spot. Are more electric cars in our future? Jennifer Collins reports.

The White House Correspondents' Dinner is typically a huge fete for journalists. And this year it could be bigger than ever. As Steve Henn reports, it's also a chance to do a little business.

Reaction to the banks' stress test results wasn't as gloomy as some predicted. Kai Ryssdal speaks with ClusterStock.com's John Carney and the Wall Street Journal's Heidi Moore about the fallout from those tests.

The whiskey business is doing pretty well thanks to soaring sales in emerging markets like China. Scott Tong reports from an industry show in Shanghai.

New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is launching an investigation into 14 debt settlement companies, which he calls a "rogue industry." Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.

The American steel industry announced 5,000 layoffs, including suspending production at a mill in Alabama. That move is leaving 1,700 workers in limbo. Tanya Ott reports.

Last month's unemployment numbers are out, and they're not as bad as some experts expected. But half a million layoffs is still a whole lot of people. John Dimsdale reports.

Marketplace's Brendan Newnam and Rico Gagliano chat with fellow staffers about their favorite under-the-radar business stories from this week: a surge in criminal rewards, lawn paint for foreclosed homes, and how reading is becoming more expensive.

A couple of the stress test banks that need to raise capital have already done so. Wells Fargo sold $7.5 billion in stock. Morgan Stanley raised…

This morning's unemployment numbers report was just one of a few jobs indicators to come out in the last few days. Jill Barshay reviews what these indicators say about job losses overall.

Bill Radke talks to Jim Dunigan, Chief Investment Officer of PNC Wealth Management, about the market reaction to unemployment and where the bright spots may be in today's numbers.

More than half a million people losing their jobs in one month isn't a good thing by any interpretation. But Tamara Keith reports that, like a lot of things in this economy, it could have been much worse.

The Bank of England plans to buy an additional $120 billion in bonds on top of the $70 billion already established for the same purpose. The move is an effort to pump cash into the economy, and some call it a desperate last throw. Stephen Beard reports.

Two PR blunders worth mentioning, and they both involve breasts. KFC has reneged on a coupon for a free grilled chicken meal because hordes of…

The job loss number is still a big number. It only looks good compared to the past 6 months. It does seem to confirm other signs that not only has…

Good news, bad news on the job front this morning. The economy lost 539,000 jobs last month…

News about stress tests have been leaking all week. Edward Hadas of financial Web site Breaking Views tells Renita Jablonski how that's helped markets, and why rallies give banks hope for raising the needed $75 billion.

It's more important than ever to nail a job interview, and Seattle resident Steiner Skipsness wants to help. On his Web site, he has videos of fake interviews he's conducted with outrageous results. Renita Jablonski takes a look.

The average household may be cutting back, but the ultra rich are still spending, and Prestige Magazine is still printing glossies for them. But some advertisers wonder how it can maintain prestige when it's free. Sally Herships reports.

Many Americans are struggling with fear of the proverbial ax in this recession, but not everyone. Jeremy Hobson spoke with a tech worker in New York who wants to be let go from his job — and talked about how he's trying to get there.

Thousands of small banks across the country are susceptible to financial fallout. What can be done to help them? Jennifer Collins looks into a few different strategies, one of which could be bailout in the future.

Stress test results are in, and some banks are doing better than others. While American Express is ready to pay back its TARP funds, Bank of America needs to come up with nearly $34 billion of capital. Tamara Keith reports.

Marketplace Morning Report for Friday, May 8, 2009

Marketplace for Friday, May 8, 2009

The bank stress test results are in. Citi needs $5.5 billion, Bank of America, $34 billion, Wells Fargo $15 billion — the same numbers reported…

The 50-game suspension of LA Dodgers star Manny Ramirez may have ramifications beyond the baseball field. First of all, I'm a Dodgers fan, so… …

Cities across the country are experiencing increasing ridership on public transportation just as funding dries up. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.

The H-1B visa program allows skilled foreign workers to get jobs in the U.S. But many workers are having a hard time renewing their visas because of security checks. Raymond Thibodeaux reports from New Delhi.

A new report shows that specific groups are being hit the hardest by long-term unemployment in this recession. Sarah Gardner reports.

Tunica, Miss., was the poorest county in the nation twenty years ago. That changed when casinos came to town and brought thousands of jobs. But the recession is hitting the casino business hard. Jeff Tyler reports.

Wholesale retailer Costco said its net sales fell more than expected in April. Janet Babin explains why.

There is lots of talk about what should happen now that the stress test results are out. Commentator Dean Baker says one thing we should consider is letting some of the big banks fail.

The stress test results are now officially public. New York bureau chief Amy Scott talks with Tess Vigeland about the new information we learned and what the results tell us about the health of the banking industry.

This is too priceless not to post. It's a screen shot from CNN's website last night. I found it at consumerist.com. Look carefully:

Steve Chiotakis talks to Bill Stone, Chief Investment Strategist at PNC Wealth Management, about the bank stress tests, jobless claims and retail sales.

Starbucks and McDonald's are locked in hand-to-hand advertising combat, and Starbucks is getting pummeled. Apparently, the clown has one helluva…

The Obama budget team has identified 121 line items they say don't work. But one person's failed idea or unnecessary expense is someone else's vital program, and the proposed $17 billion in cuts will likely face opposition. Tamara Keith reports.

And for today's jeopardy: Who is the U.S Trade Representative to China and why did he meddle with Maryland's proposed healthy toy bill? What…

Live Nation is still waiting to find out if regulators will approve its proposed merger with Ticketmaster. If the deal goes through, it could mean taking advantage of bigger shares from artists. Joel Rose reports.

It's the 10th anniversary of the Bank of England's decision to sell off its gold reserves, and the move has cost them billions in the long run. Steve Chiotakis explores the pitfalls of the decision with Marketplace's Stephen Beard.

CNET says Twitter is about to change its search function in a way that could make it at least a semi-competitor for Google. Right now, a Twitter…

The bank stress tests are expected to be released at 5 pm ET today. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner says they will lift the "fog of uncertainty"…

The Star Trek franchise is trying a new product to tap into the zealous love of Trekkies: three kinds of perfume, named faithfully after inside references to the show. Marketers call it a smart move. Caitlan Carroll reports.

Volkswagen and Porsche have agreed to merge after the sports car's plan to buy stake buckled under debt. Stephen Beard explores the longstanding family feud between the two companies and whether it's ended now.

Chicken enthusiasts are fighting for their right to keep the birds in backyard coops in many big cities where the practice is illegal. Joel Rose explores the issue and visits with urban chicken owners in Philadelphia.

Solar panel users who generate more power than they need currently relinquish that excess energy to local utilities. A Senate committee is considering whether to require those companies to pay for that energy. Jennifer Collins reports.

The results of the bank stress tests will officially be made public today, but with the news leaking out over the last several days, many of us already know the score. The goal now is a plan for action. Tamara Keith reports.

Question: I have a $16,000.00 credit card balance with Chase at 3.99 % until balance is paid off. I also have a home equity credit line that would…

Marketplace for Thursday, May 7, 2009

Marketplace Morning Report for Thursday, May 7, 2009

Oil prices are heading back up. From today's Wall Street Journal:…

Wasting taxpayers' money certainly isn't the special province of the Treasury Department. The LA Times reveals that 160 teachers in the Los…

So, what do you think it will be, inflation or deflation? Will we be Zimbabwe or will we be Japan? (I vote neither.)…

The Administration says it plans on cracking down on offshore tax shelters and avoidance. The target of the initiative is U.S.-based multinational…

Researchers at the University of United Arab Emirates are using Facebook to make it easier for robots to converse with humans. The Marketplace Players wonder how it might go.

InBev paid $52 billion for Anheuser-Busch. But that kind of debt is weighing the company down, so funding for TV commercials during sports events is being slashed. Adam Allington reports.

Beer conglomerate InBev says it may take up to 4 months to pay its bills. Janet Babin reports.

What do eliminating foreign tax havens and establishing universal health care have in common? A whole lot, says commentator Robert Reich.

Henry Hagedoorn, general manager of Borough Chrysler Jeep in Wayne, N.J., talks with Kai Ryssdal about what's going on with Chrysler at the dealer level as the automaker seeks to eliminate hundreds of its dealerships.

The government will soon release results from the big banks' stress tests. What are investors and analysts saying about the possible outcomes? Amy Scott reports.

Some bankers are eager to get rid of their federal bailout funds, and free themselves from government regulation. But to do that, banks will have to clear a few hurdles first. Steve Henn reports.

Reports say that Bank of America may need to raise $34 billion in capital to stay solvent. Karen Shaw Petrou at Federal Financial Analytics, talks with Kai Ryssdal about why this might be good news and how the bank can come up with the cash.

Here's a fact — the banks getting bailed out by the government were irrefutably a key reason for the subprime lending crisis. I say irrefutably…

Bank of America reportedly needs $34 billion to survive this economic climate. Where did the bank get this number? Steve Chiotakis talks to analyst Juli Niemann with Smith, Moore and Company.

Today, Congressman Barney Frank introduced a bill that would roll back the Bush Administration's ban on Internet gambling in the US. Right now,…

Consumerist.com is having a little poll/tournament to decide the worst company in America. The Final Four was AIG vs Ticketmaster and Bank of…

A recent investigation by the Center for Public Integrity into the subprime mortgage debacle makes a convincing case that it wasn't perpetrated by…

I've been on the hunt on this morning for an explanation about Bank of America. I'm at a loss to explain why word leaks out that B of A needs $34…

This week, the Supreme Court made a ruling on aggravated identity theft about the use of Social Security Numbers that has business columnist David Lazarus a little "cheesed off." He lets off some steam with Bill Radke.

The debate on credit card interest rates in Congress has sparked a separate battle over the fees credit card issuers charge merchants. John Dimsdale explores the take of store owners versus card issuers.

The word about Bank of America's stress tests is that the bank needs $34 billion in capital. B of A might have to raise the money by converting…

Unlike the federal government, states can't carry deficits, and many states are cutting services to balance their budgets. Jennifer Collins reports why this hurts the economy, and why it would be bad for states to rely on cuts alone.

A bankruptcy judged ruled against a group of Chrysler's creditors who were trying to block the deal with Fiat. The opposition claims the plan is illegal, but Stephen Beard reports it's unlikely anybody else would offer a better one.

The government is reluctant to let banks rapidly repay TARP money for fear they won't be ready to stand on their own. Tamara Keith reports new guidelines banks will need to follow, including giving up the FDIC debt guarantee.

The Boston Globe's survival has many area advertisers breathing a sigh of relief. It may not have the same selling power as it did in its heydey, but ad space in the newspaper is still vital to many. Curt Nickisch reports.

President Obama lashed out at several Chrysler investors who refused to sign on to the administration's restructuring plan. But commentator Will Wilkinson wonders why the president is involved in bailout proceedings at all.

Marketplace Morning Report for Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Marketplace for Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Question: Every May and November I download the redemption values for my I Bonds. I use the program called "Savings Bond Wizard" that goes to the…

The SEC has charged a former manager at a hedge fund and a salesman for Deutsche Bank with insider trading on credit default swaps. It's the first…

The Environmental Protection Agency is weighing in on how to measure the eco-friendliness of renewable fuels like ethanol. Jennifer Collins reports.

Listeners weigh in on stories about multitasking, generational differences, pension plans and soup kitchens, company perks, and hairmats.

Stacy Perman, author of a new book on the Western U.S. fast-food chain In-N-Out, talks with Kai Ryssdal about what makes the burger joint different from its competition.

McDonald's is launching a massive advertising campaign to promote its specialty coffee. Jeremy Hobson reports.