Tess Vigeland and economics editor Chris Farrell talk about whether or not the new savings trend will continue and how this recession is different from those in the past.
Graduating college is usually a celebratory experience. But saying goodbye to university and hello to real life can be a real burden during a recession. Vigeland talks to author Beth Kobliner about the advice she has for the class of 2009.
We've reported on the unemployment rate, but what about those who are underemployed? Many people are having difficulty finding jobs offered full-time. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.
General Motors and Citigroup were booted from the Dow Jones index this week. So what's it like for the new kids, Cisco Systems and Travelers? Our Marketplace Players imagine a possible classroom scenario.
Many people living in comfortable surroundings are now embracing a frugal-chic attitude. Maine-based author W. Hodding Carter and his family are experimenting in being ultra-frugal for an entire year.
Tess Vigeland and economics editor Chris Farrell answer listeners' pressing questions about debt settlement companies, the state of GM's pension funds, how closing a bank account affects FICO and much more.
Being in debt used to be a social stigma, but now it seems to be the American way. Tess Vigeland talks to Dave Ramsey, author of "Total Money Makeover," about how America became a nation of borrowers in love with credit.
There may be job fairs popping up in every major city, but many are offering only internships or volunteer positions and few paid jobs. However, working for free now could put you ahead down the line. Lisa Napoli reports from UCLA.
The national unemployment rate has reached a depressing 9%, but states like Oregon and South Carolina have it even worse. We talk to unemployed workers from these states to see how they're making ends meet.
Marketplace's Brendan Newnam and Rico Gagliano talk with fellow staffers George Judson, Amy Scott and Stacey Vanek-Smith about their favorite under-the-radar business stories this week: Pesticide industry protesting, robotic farmers, and bureaucratic training in Japan.
John Steinbeck took Great Depression hardships and turned them into 'The Grapes of Wrath,' an American masterpiece. Now some novelists are at work on books that involve our own economic woes. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.
State jobless programs are billions of dollars in debt, which could spell disaster for unemployment benefits. Mitchell Hartman talks with Tess Vigeland about whether states can turn their programs around.
The Atlantic's Megan McArdle and Reuters blogger Felix Salmon talk with Tess Vigeland about what may hamper our economic recovery, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner's trip to China, and provide a reality check on the economy.
Competition is considered healthy, but it doesn't always produce the best result. Commentator K.C. Cole says another strategy may help you finish first.
Many of our current economic woes can be blamed on the housing market. And it turns out the worst may not be over in the housing sector. Jeremy Hobson reports.
General Motors will help a private-equity firm buyout bankrupt auto-parts company Delphi with some of the $30 billion it will receive from the government. Bob Moon reports.
Unemployment hit its highest rate since 1983, though the pace of layoffs let up in May. So have we turned a corner in this recession? Janet Babin reports.
The pace of job losses slowed down in May to the the fewest since September. What does that improvement say about the market? Bill Radke talks to economist Peter Morici from the University of Maryland.
What should we be thinking right now about the American job market? Are we getting happy, or still sad? Steve Chiotakis gets an analysis from Bill Stone of PNC Wealth Management in Philadelphia.
Recently, the government was going to help banks unload some of their risky loans. But lately, the banks have been able to raise their own money, so the FDIC has postponed the public-private sale of a billion dollars of loans. Amy Scott reports.
The convenience of the Web is threatening the potential for full-time newspaper strip comic artists to make a living. John Rabe explores what may be a potential threat to comic artists' careers and what they're doing to stay afloat.
Years of wetland destruction have taken a toll on the Great Lakes. But President Obama has proposed spending about half a billion dollars on the clean-up. Sam Eaton reports the challenge will be to spend that money wisely.
Metals company Chinalco would have gotten a whopping 9 percent of $19.5 billion and two board seats in mining giant Rio Tinto. Scott Tong reports why Rio is not as desperate any more to make a deal.
Typically, recessions hit less well-educated workers harder than people with higher degrees. Not this time around. Mitchell Hartman reports recession is broad-based and it's hitting all workers on all levels.
When Delta Airlines merged with Northwest earlier this year, it made Detroit the second-largest hub for the world's largest airline. And that can help put the city on the map away from its struggling auto industry. Sarah Hulett reports.
Miner Rio Tinto scrapped its near $20 billion deal today with China's Chinalco and set up a joint production venture with rival BHP Billiton instead. Steve Chiotakis discusses the move with Marketplace's Stephen Beard.
Chrysler's bankruptcy plan is in appeals court today in a hearing that could be the last hurdle before the automaker is sold to Fiat. Tamara Keith explores the plan to put the best parts of Chrysler in a new company.
Unemployment insurance is meant to be a safety net for laid-off workers. But so many people are claiming benefits that state unemployment trust funds are broke, or close to it. Mitchell Hartman reports in collaboration with the investigative newsroom Pro Publica.
The regulator of the futures trading industry is proposing new rules for trading financial contracts known as derivatives. John Dimsdale reports that big wheelers and dealers are now fretting about overreaching regulation.
United Airlines is taking advantage of low prices in a down economy. The airline wants to add 150 planes to its fleet, and has asked two manufacturers to come up with the best price. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.
The Palm Pre smartphone that goes on sale soon is a must-succeed product for Palm, which has struggled in the digital market. What are its chances of success? Stacey Vanek-Smith reports.
Gadget guru Kevin Pereira and Kai Ryssdal tour the E3 expo in Los Angeles and discuss the latest products and developments in technology and electronics.
Young workers in the Middle East are having trouble finding work, even those who are educated. Navtej Dhillon of the Brookings Institute talks with Kai Ryssdal about why youth inclusion is so important there.
What do falling jobless claims tell us about the job picture and its potential for recovery? Steve Chiotakis talks to Doug Foreman, Director of Equities at Highmark Capital in San Francisco.
Mortgage interest rates in the U.S. have charged up over the past couple of weeks, and that's putting a chill on the home refinancing boom. Jeff Tyler reports why investors are worried and what could happen next.
President Obama appearance in Egypt this morning highlights some of the economic problems
the country faces. Steve Chiotakis explores the issues with Mirette Mabrouk, visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution.
Even though the U.K. recession is over, a survey of business confidence is making some feel better about the current state of the economy. But it's not time for Britain to celebrate just yet. Stephen Beard reports.
Chinese net police have cut off access to sites like Flickr, YouTube and Twitter on the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square firings. But some say it's just the cost of doing business in China. Scott Tong reports.
Automakers used to rely on drivers buying a new car every three years. But these days, upkeep is king, even for the most hardcore new-car enthusiasts. Mitchell Hartman reports.
A new report out in the American Journal of Medicine says medical bills are involved in 60 percent of personal bankruptcies in the U.S. Many of those people affected are covered by health insurance. Tamara Keith reports.
Some view the recession-oriented graffiti covering public spaces in New York City as defacement of property. Others think it's a great way to get the message out. Sally Herships explores what the graffit are saying.
The Food and Drug Administration is revisiting safety concerns surrounding the plastic hardener Bisphenol A, commonly known as BPA. The FDA is likely to ban BPA in baby bottles, cups and food containers. Sarah Gardner reports.
How much someone gets in an unemployment check — and even whether they're eligible at all — depends a lot on where they live. Mitchell Hartman reports.
Who should regulate our financial system? Commentator Robert Reich argues there should be one financial regulator to prevent the kind of fiscal meltdown that sent the U.S. into this recession.
Fallout from the British lawmakers' expense list scandal continues. Four government ministers have recently quit and more may follow. Stephen Beard reports.
In 1989, Chinese troops attacked pro-democracy protesters in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Shanghai bureau chief Scott Tong talks with Kai Ryssdal about how the democracy movement is doing in China now, some 20 years after the attacks.
Microsoft's new search engine Bing is the software giant's boldest attempt yet to replace Google as king of the search. Will it work? Sam Eaton reports.
Thousands of GM dealers received a letter this week giving them a choice — give up control over a lot of their businesses or face closure. Steve Henn reports.
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is warning about the growing deficit, which could reach $2 trillion this year. But there are signs that spending has helped rescue the U.S. economy. Why's he so worried now? Amy Scott reports.
Tamara Keith talks with Bill Radke about Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's optimism in his testimony before a House committee, and how the government programs aimed at stabilizing the financial system are doing.
A private survey shows fewer jobs were lost in May than in April, but the numbers are still pretty high. Steve Chiotakis reviews the employment numbers' effect on the market with Jim Dunigan of PNC Wealth Management.
What health care system would help reform the industry in the U.S.? Los Angeles Times business columnist David Lazarus tells Bill Radke Obama is on the right track with a hybrid of the private and public sectors.
With GM reorganizing, seven plants could close in Michigan, costing 9,000 jobs. But things don't look so bleak in the state capital of Lansing, where GM has two plants considered modern and adaptable. Rob South reports.
Canceling franchises at dealerships that haven't performed well is a key part of Chrysler and GM's restructuring plans. But dealership owners say closing them down will cause job losses across the country. Tamara Keith reports.
The health care industry is looking for ways it can simplify its processes as a way to cut costs. But some analysts are skeptical that skirting red tape can really be all that effective. Steve Henn looks at both sides.
The NBA season is lasting longer than ever, and some of the players don't like it. The reason for the extension: money. Steve Chiotakis rationalizes the extension with business of sports commentator Diana Nyad.
Morgan Stanley is raising capital through a new stock offering, and China is getting in on the deal. In fact, China's getting in on a lot of deals lately. Scott Tong looks into why.
GM and Chrysler executives will testify today before the Senate to discuss dealership closings — and meet their new owners. Once the companies emerge from bankruptcy, taxpayers will be significant stakeholders. Jeremy Hobson reports.
Police in one British town are hoping to nab criminals by asking residents to report their suspiciously glamorous neighbors with a controversial message: "Too Much Bling, Give Us A Ring." Christopher Werth reports.
Kai Ryssdal reviews what listeners had to say about stories involving California's budget problems, state-mandated health insurance in Massachusetts, GM's woes, and social media at work.
TALF is a program aimed at getting credit flowing to consumers. But it might be the biggest government program you've never heard of, even though it provides financing for a lot of the things you buy. Jeremy Hobson reports.
President Obama has warned that rising health care costs are a true threat to our economic health. Dr. Atul Gawande wrote an article about why health care costs are so high after going to McAllen, Tx., and talks to Kai Ryssdal about his findings.
The World Health Organization says the swine flu outbreak is inching closer to a pandemic, but the general level of infection is still moderate. A pandemic might present a challenge to businesses. Jeff Tyler reports.
Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase and others have raised billions to pay back TARP funds. But the government is reluctant to get repaid. Why? Amy Scott reports.
GM is shutting down or idling 14 U.S. plants, including two in Pontiac, Mich. Kai Ryssdal talks with Pontiac resident Donna Kelley about how the plants closures are affecting her town.
General Motors just filed for bankruptcy, but it's already trying to re-brand itself. The automaker has launched a new ad campaign touting how the company will reinvent itself. Are consumers buying the new sales pitch? Sarah Gardner reports.
Smith, Moore and Company's Juli Niemann talks with Steve Chiotakis about what banks that are returning bailout money will do with their capital cushion and how successful Treasury Secretary was in China.
Management consultant Peter Cohan talks with Bill Radke about some of the industries where the U.S. can compete and succeed: information technology, entertainment and biotechnology.
