New credit regulations take effect next year to insure small-business owners get the credit they need. But one credit company has been squeezing small businesses so much that the government is taking notice now. Steve Henn reports.
It's been several months since the White House began it's Making Home Affordable plan. The goal was to encourage banks to modify loans of homeowners in foreclosure. Tamara Keith reports on loan counselors who are trying to do just that.
As job losses and foreclosures continue, more people are finding they can't afford to live on their own. Host Tess Vigeland talks to personal finance author Beth Kobliner about how families can handle an adult child moving back in with the parents.
Tess Vigeland and Chris Farrell answer listeners' questions about mortgage rates, cutting finances to buy a house, using savings to pay off credit-card debt, and avoiding sudden changes to credit-cards rules.
Many seniors sell their homes to afford the high cost of moving to a full-service retirement community. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports that people are delaying this move because their houses aren't selling.
As General Motors emerges from bankruptcy, it's shedding thousands of jobs in the United States. Layoffs are likely in Europe as well, but GM employees there have a stronger social safety net to fall back on. Brett Neely reports.
People in the West African nation of Ghana have been working with metal for generations — making jewelry, musical instruments and even guns. The government has cracked down on the local weapons industry, but many blacksmiths find it difficult to leave the trade. Anna Boiko-Weyrauch reports.
Sears and Kmart are already rolling out their Christmas merchandise, some 165 days before the holiday. Kai Ryssdal speaks with Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at the NPD Group, about the chains' strategy.
Fortune magazine's Leigh Gallagher and T. Rowe Price's Andy Brooks talk with Kai Ryssdal about President Obama's efforts at the G8 summit in Italy and what's to blame for the end of the recent bull market rally.
President Obama is hoping for a vote on the health care overhaul bill before Congress goes on its August recess. Commentator Matt Miller says business owners must also rethink their approach to health care.
To help pay for the health care overhaul bill, the Obama administration may cut a tax deduction drug companies get for television advertising. Sally Herships reports.
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and HUD secretary Shaun Donovan are urging some of the country's largest banks to step up their efforts to help homeowners modify their mortgages. Tamara Keith reports.
Oil prices dipped below $60 a barrel today, and some forecasters predict that gasoline prices will likely fall below $2.50 a gallon by the end of July. Bob Moon reports.
The revamped General Motors is supposed to be all new, including its board of directors. The government owns half of the company, but will it also have a role in day-to-day operations? Alisa Roth reports.
As one of its new initiatives, GM says it will partner with eBay to auction cars online. Bill Radke talks to Laura DiDio with Information Technology Intelligence Corporation about whether people will actually buy cars on eBay.
Chinese authorities are holding an executive from the Anglo-Australian mining company Rio Tinto on charges of stealing state secrets over iron ore prices. Tamara Keith delves deeper into Rio Tinto's tumultuous relationship with China.
General Motors CEO Fritz Henderson says GM is back and working on several new initiatives, including a partnership with eBay. Stacey Vanek-Smith talks to Doug Foreman at Highmark Capital about whether GM is ready for a turn-around.
G8 leaders are discussing a new $20 billion plan for world food aid that would encourage agriculture over sending homegrown U.S. produce. The idea is to help farmers in poor countries become more productive. Stephen Beard reports.
President Obama makes his first visit today to sub-Saharan Africa, but chose Ghana as his priority country over several others with more prominent business prospects. Gretchen Wilson explores the motivation behind the president's choice.
In some ways, the government's cash for clunkers plan, which encourages people to trade in old cars for newer fuel-efficient ones, also serves as a sort of stimulus plan. Sally Herships explores how the plan contributes to different industries.
When the government bailed out the banks, they promised taxpayers a share in future profits. But a congressional oversight panel says taxpayers haven't seen significant profit. Bill Radke talks to professor Elizabeth Warren, head of the panel.
This week, the U.S. earmarked $1.5 billion in stimulus dollars to prevent homelessness. Stacey Vanek-Smith discusses the rise in homelessness with Jennifer Wolch, professor of city and regional planning at Berkeley.
AIG is due to pay about 40 senior managers delayed performance bonuses totaling $2.4 million. But this time around, the company has asked for the blessing of the Obama administration's new compensation czar. Dan Grech reports.
Auto parts-maker Delphi is trying to sell assets this week, and several firms and investors have shown interest. But the car parts business is slow right now as hardly anyone is making cars. Alisa Roth reports.
Rupert Murdoch's U.K. paper "News of the World" is accused of phone tapping and hiring private investigators to find dirt on high-profile people. The allegations say they then paid large sums of money to cover it up. Kai Ryssdal talks with Stephen Beard.
The Midwestern state has the highest rate of unemployment in the nation due mostly to its dependence on the auto industry. But some have found a new way to stay alive by building machinery for green energy. Dustin Dwyer reports.
Brokers and deal makers used to be the popular kids on Wall Street, but the economic collapse has changed all that. Kai Ryssdal talks with Randy Beatty, dean of the Leventhal School of Accounting at USC, about what is now the sexier financial occupation.
With unemployment above 9.5% and companies continuing to shed jobs, debate is increasing over whether another stimulus package would help. Commentator and economist Justin Wolfers says there's no question — the economy needs a further boost.
Massachusetts has been wooing film productions with tax breaks as a means of bringing money into the state. But its Department of Revenue says the state has lost more than $95 million due to the incentives. Rico Gagliano reports.
The South American country is seeking $3 billion in carbon credits in exchange for leaving some of its Amazon oil reserves untapped. Sam Eaton reports.
Retail chains are reporting dismal monthly sales numbers, despite cutting inventories and discounting prices. So why are most of the major retailers still doing so badly? Mitchell Hartman reports.
British police have launched an inquiry into one of Rupert Murdoch's newspapers. Reporters there are being accused of hacking into people's cell phones to get scoops. Stephen Beard reports.
Retail sales for the month of June are out, and they're not looking so good. But indicators do show that the pace of layoffs is slowing. Stacey Vanek-Smith gets more market analysis from Diane Swonk of Mesirow Financial.
Bill Radke talks to professor Peter Sommer, cyber terrorism expert at the London School of Economics and Political Science, about how difficult it is to assess who's behind the South Korean Web site attacks.
California has issued about $3 billion worth of IOUs this month. But starting tomorrow, many financial institutions, like JP Morgan Chase and Bank of America, say they're going to stop accepting them. Dan Grech reports.
Oil is down from last week, but still a lot higher than it's been in recent months. That jump in price has had a lot to do with speculators. Bob Moon examines the role speculators plays in influencing oil prices.
Employers are increasingly scaling back company perks in order to save on costs. But some experts say this can damage employee loyalty. Alex Cohen reports why it's a smart move to keep some benefits.
Many G8 leaders have signed on for dramatic cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, but not everyone is on board. Bill Radke talks to Mark Kenber of The Climate Group, who released a report on steps industrialized nations can take to reach short-term energy goals.
Officials are trying to find the source of a new wave of cyber attacks on Web sites in the U.S. and South Korea. There's speculation that North Korea is behind the attacks, but sourcing a cyber offensive can be tricky. Dan Grech reports.
Earlier this week, we heard more government stimulus may be on the way. Stacey Vanek-Smith talks to economics correspondent Chris Farrell, who explores critics' concerns over another stimulus plan.
Equatorial Guinea's GDP has increased more than 5,000 percent since it discovered huge offshore oil reserves in the early 1990's. But Human Rights Watch says the country's half a million people haven't seen that wealth. Gretchen Wilson reports.
Shriners Hospitals for Children are struggling to stay open due to falling membership and tapped funds. Today, the group will decide whether to close some of its facilities. Alisa Roth reports.
Certain types of purchases can be red flags to credit-card companies watching for signs of consumers with questionable finances. Here are 10 compiled with the help of Robert Manning, author of "Credit Card Nation."
With credit card defaults rising, some companies are looking for reasons to cut your plastic. To make these decisions, banks rely on data about what you buy, where, and the company you keep. Stacey Vanek-Smith reports.
The Obama administration's deal with three hospital groups will save $155 billion in Medicare and Medicaid spending. But commentator David Frum says there's a bigger problem with Medicaid.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida has opened an Apple Store-style outlet that offers health-insurance services. Could it be coming to a mall near you? Tamara Keith reports.
The Wall Street Journal's Roger Thurow, co-author of the book "Enough," talks with Kai Ryssdal about why the markets may be impeding getting food to poor countries, and what may help.
The latest issue of Boston's Bay State Banner could be its last. Amy Scott reports the recession is hurting a number of minority-owned and ethnic newspapers.
An ad by JPMorgan Chase details the bank's effort to modify mortgages and keep Americans in their homes. Jeremy Hobson reports why the bank is spending so much on an ad campaign.
Sustainability reporter Sarah Gardner talks with Kai Ryssdal about how the G8's indecision over climate change could impact America's own legislation for greenhouse gas reductions.
How strong of an impact will Google's new operating system have on Microsoft's business? Bill Radke attends to the issue with Henry Blodget, editor of The Business Insider.
It's the first day of the second quarter, and aluminum giant Alcoa is the first Dow-listed company to report earnings. Stacey Vanek-Smith talks to Doug Foreman of Highmark Capital about whether Alcoa can be considered a bellwether.
The Group of Eight summit is being held in the earthquake-destroyed town of L'Aquila in central Italy, with the intent of pumping money into the region. But many are not happy with the decision. Megan Williams reports.
Today the British government unveils its plans to regulate the U.K.'s financial industry. British bankers are bracing themselves for a crackdown on bonus pay and lending practices. Stephen Beard reports.
The Atlantic Yards development project in Brooklyn was set to include housing, offices and a basketball arena. But the recession has forced the project to scale back. Sally Herships reports that could be a good thing.
Chrysler is re-opening factories in order to keep up as they run out of cars that are selling well. Contrary to popular belief, bankruptcy has actually helped the automaker push vehicles off the lot. Jeremy Hobson reports.
Poverty used to be a symptom of the inner cities, but today, more low-income people live in the suburbs. Jeff Tyler tells the story of an accountant with an MBA who survived suburban homelessness.
Today kicks off a new earnings season for U.S. companies, and Wall Street investors are working to manage their expectations during the recession. Bob Moon explores where and why analysts have set their sights low.
Google has announced plans to release its own operating system, a month after Microsoft launched a search engine. The move has raised questions about Google's dominance in computing. Dan Grech reports.
Marketplace's Shanghai Bureau Chief Scott Tong talks with Kai Ryssdal about the economic factors that have contributed to ethnic clashes in Xinjiang, China.
Microsoft just released a new game for its Xbox that's based on an old TV game show, which means there are prizes to be won and commercials to be endured. Sally Herships reports.
Fans around the world celebrated the life of Michael Jackson at his memorial service in Los Angeles, and vendors were there in full force. Kai Ryssdal visits with fans and sellers at Staples Center.
Auto parts maker Lear has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and more suppliers are expected to follow suit. But Alisa Roth reports things could be a lot worse.
Reports say three major hospital associations have agreed to a voluntary deal to trim $155 billion from the government's health care bills over the next decade. But some are concerned it might not happen. Steve Henn reports.
Major hospital associations have agreed to chip in $155 billion over 10 years for health care reform. Stacey Vanek-Smith talks about the move with Julie Niemann, an analyst from Smith, Moore and Company in St. Louis.
