Marketplace's Brendan Newnam and Rico Gagliano talk with fellow staffers Deb Clark, Stacey Vanek-Smith and Jeremy Hobson about under-the-radar business stories: Anna Wintour's 'shop more' campaign, sunshine insurance and TSA security guards/thieves.
Alyssa Katz's book, "Our Lot: How Real Estate Came to Own Us" provides a historical look at how and why we buy homes, and when the real estate market turned scary. She talks with Tess Vigeland.
Las Vegas had one of the nation's hottest economies when home prices were rising. Now, it's gone bust. Reporter Krissy Clark meets a former mortgage broker who's trying to make a life after living through the boom's rise and fall.
ATMs are no longer novel. Checking your balance online? Old news. For the very latest in
Web personal finance tools, Tess talks to CNET's Brian Cooley.
With no money for camp, Hodding Carter IV is taking his kids' summer entertainment upon himself. That includes helping Dad make mead, an ancient kind of wine, to take the edge off so much quality time.
Tess Vigeland and Chris Farrell answer listeners' personal finance questions about changes to Roth IRA accounts, where to get the best interest rates on student loans, whether using online tools to write a will is a good idea, and more.
Tess Vigeland talks with a couple who've become "accidental landlords." Instead of selling their old home to buy a new one, they're renting out the old place. And the couple moving in? They're renting out their previous home, too.
Economics Editor Chris Farrell says former General Electric CEO Jack Welch's contention that women can't succeed in business without sacrificing family life is nonsense. He says more family-friendly policies are needed in business.
While the recession has hit big industries hard, some entrepreneurs have been well-positioned to weather the tough times. Marketplace's Mitchell Hartman talks to small-business owners whose new enterprises are doing quite well.
With the costs of four-year colleges rising and laid-off workers needing to learn new skills, enrollment at community colleges is way up. But the two-year schools are struggling to meet the demand in the face of budget cuts. Tamara Keith reports.
Argentina is known as the breadbasket of South America, due to its ideal climate and rich soil. Yet, the nation may soon begin importing beef and wheat for the first time. A severe drought is part of the problem. But farmers say government policies are another. Ian Mount reports.
Supreme Court nominee Sonya Sotomayor insists her "wise Latina" comment does not mean she will be biased on the bench. Commentator Betsey Stevenson says biased decision-making is inevitable, but can be overridden if its existence is acknowledged.
States with double-digit unemployment numbers are finding that cuts to local government are inevitable. Miami-Dade county has reached 10.6%, and every county employee is getting at least a pay cut, if not worse. Dan Grech reports.
Kai Ryssdal talks to freelance business writer Heidi Moore and John Carney of Clusterstock.com about the reaction to Goldman Sach's gross earnings. They insist the financial crisis is far from over.
Millions of homes are standing vacant in the United States. And yet, housing starts are up this month, seemingly defying the laws of supply and demand. Kai Ryssdal talks to home builder Dean Mon to see why housing construction is up.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said consumers should pay for the carbon content of the goods they consume, even from other countries like China. One option is imposing trade tariffs, but that proposal has the potential to set off a trade war. Sam Eaton reports.
President Obama wants a plan for health care reform before Congress goes on recess. There is a lot of talk about how the changes will help patients and doctors, but lobbyists are controlling the discussion thus far. Steven Henn reports.
Today, Indian motor giant Tata delivers its infamous Nano, the $2,000 mini-car touting four speeds, four doors and no air conditioning or radio. But the vehicle's cost is still out of range for many Indians. Alisa Roth reports.
Bank of America and Citigroup announced this morning they've done extremely well in the second quarter. Steve Chiotakis talks about the recent booming bank numbers with analyst Juli Niemann from Smith, Moore and Company.
This week, many large companies reported earnings for last quarter, and everyone's looking for signs that the economy is emerging from recession. Stacey Vanek-Smith explores how close we are with economist David Wyss.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince grossed over $100 million on its opening day Wednesday. That's more than any of the previous films. Stacey Vanek-Smith talks that and other box office features with editor Mike Speier.
British Airways lost $650 million last year, and it revealed today it's lost another $160 million in the first quarter. The carrier is also facing the additional threat of strike action this summer. Stephen Beard reports.
Nickolodeon's SpongeBob Squarepants turns 10 today, and the animated superstar can thank kids and adults alike for his success in the real world. Rico Gagliano reports how the show's content is able to resonate with all age groups.
Bank of America has benefited from its controversial buyout of Merrill Lynch. But regulators won't let the bank pay back their borrowed TARP funds anytime soon. Amy Scott explores why.
The town of Fremont is home to the only auto manufacturing plant in the entire state of California, and it may soon be closing its doors. Rachel Dornhelm talks to town residents about what the facility means to them.
IBM and Google reported earnings yesterday, and both companies are up over last quarter. But the tech sector is still suffering. Mitchell Hartman explores some of the low points in this week's technology earnings.
The bombs that went off at two hotels in Jakarta, Indonesia this morning killed at least 8 people and shook local confidence. Steve Chiotakis talks to reporter John Aglionby with The Financial Times about how area businesses have been affected.
Former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson is on Capitol Hill this morning defending some of the actions he took early on in the economic crisis. Stacey Vanek-Smith talks all things Paulson with Ken Wheaton of Advertising Age.
It's been called the Sears Tower since 1973, even though Sears moved out more than a decade ago. How do Chicagoans feel about the name change? Stacey Vanek-Smith asks Tanya Santiago, a waitress at the White Palace Grill about six blocks away.
JP Morgan Chase announced its first increase in two years, while Harley Davidson's profits were down a staggering 91 percent. Mitchell Hartman explores these and other facets of today's earning report.
Auto writer and commentator Dan Neil says General Motors should hold off on plans to pay back taxpayers and get serious about investing in new technologies and better products.
As New Jersey reels from recession, Gov. Jon Corzine's connection to Wall Street is proving to be a toxic asset in his re-election campaign. Jeremy Hobson reports.
Kai Ryssdal talks with CNBC financial correspondent David Faber about his insights into the cause and effects of the recession, and his new book, "And Then the Roof Caved In," about the beginning of the financial crisis.
UPS and FedEx are in a battle over unions. UPS lobbied for FedEx teamsters to have the right to organize, a move FedEx is resisting. Dan Grech reports.
CIT received $2 billion from the Fed last fall, but it won't be getting seconds from Washington. What does that mean for the small businesses that depend on loans from the company? Steve Henn reports.
First time jobless claims fell unexpectedly last week. Analysts were expecting a slight rise in new unemployment claims. Steve Chiotakis talks to Bill Stone from PNC Wealth Management in Philadelphia.
Three separate bills in Congress are focused on reopening GM and Chrysler dealerships shut down by the companies' recent bankruptcies. Alisa Roth talks to auto industry specialists to try to figure out why.
A job fair in D.C. today is attracting legions of prospective employees, and not just because of the poor job market. John Dimsdale explores changing views of the federal government and why people are becoming more interested.
Iceland's parliament will decide today whether to apply to join the E.U. The fiercely independent country resisted E.U. membership for years, but the economic meltdown is coercing Icelanders to change their tune. Stephen Beard reports.
In this corner, an investor who sees benefits to China's $600 billion stimulus. In the other corner: a finance professor warning of the pitfalls of loose credit in the plan. Scott Tong further explores these sides of China's recovery debate.
With the U.S. government unwilling to help CIT, the small to mid-size business lender has given its debt-holders 24 hours to come up with $2 billion in emergency financing — or else. Mitchell Hartman explores the consequences of not paying up.
New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine is facing a tough battle for re-election, thanks in part to his bad financial reputation. But his Republican opponent hasn't offered much of a plan to help where Corzine is viewed as insufficient. Jeremy Hobson reports.
In addition to its name change, Chicago's Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) is getting a $350 million green makeover. Adriene Hill reports on the retrofitting it and other famous buildings are undergoing.
Research firm Dun & Bradstreet is predicting a 60% increase in bankruptcies in the U.S. — bad news for most people, but good news for a class of investors named after a certain scavenging bird. Kai Ryssdal talks to "vulture investor" Mark Sorensen.
Kai Ryssdal reviews what listeners had to say about our history of the G.I. Bill, Justin Wolfers' commentary on our need for another stimulus package, Christmas in July and Massachusetts' film tax credit.
A growing number of U.S. jobs in the wind and solar business are here thanks to companies outside the country. Sarah Gardner reports on why overseas companies are moving in.
As part of its ongoing efforts to "go green," mega retailer Wal-Mart is looking to measure the social and environmental impacts of its products. Sam Eaton reports.
The big debate over health care reform is how to pay for it. The latest proposal comes at a very high price — more than $1 trillion. To help pay for it, House Democrats want to tax the wealthy. Commentator Robert Reich says that's a good idea.
Taking advantage of cheaper real estate, 7-Eleven is aggressively expanding nationwide and adding 250 new stores. But the convenience store chain is not the only company hoping to come out ahead during the recession. Dan Grech reports.
The California Public Employees' Retirement System, or CalPERS, is suing the country's three largest credit-rating agencies for "negligent misrepresentations." But the First Amendment is likely to come into play. Bob Moon reports.
Things have gotten worse for CIT, one of the country's largest lenders to small and mid-sized businesses. Some customers are drawing down their credit lines, and the government is trying to figure out if CIT is too big to fail. Jeremy Hobson reports.
The White House wants to try to avoid the next financial crisis by giving new powers to the Federal Reserve, but a group of prominent investors and former regulators says that's a bad idea. Bill Radke talks to Marketplace's Mitchell Hartman.
Everyone says inflation's in check, but consumer prices keep going up. What's going on? Steve Chiotakis checks in with Doug Foreman, Director of Equities at Highmark Capital in San Francisco.
Employees of a Nortel plant outside Paris have threatened to blow up the factory if they don't receive a $130,000 payoff for the loss of 480 jobs. Stephen Beard reports similar acts are becoming more common among threatened French workers.
Rather than fight increased regulation, some hedge funds and other investment firms are starting to embrace it. Amy Scott looks into the thinking behind the culture change and what will be involved in the clamp-down.
Pre-existing conditions are a major road block for Americans in the U.S. health care system, even for organ donors. Bill Radke takes up the issue with Los Angeles Times business columnist David Lazarus.
Airlines like Southwest and AirTran have been forced to offer deep discounts to leisure travelers to account for a drop in business travel. Some experts worry these revenue losses could lead to a wave of bankruptcies. Sam Eaton reports.
When the recession hit, Brooklyn Brewery prepared for trouble. But then sales went up, as they did for makers of craft beer across the country. Ben Calhoun has this story and a good explanation for craft beer's success.
A U.N.-sponsored is working to reduce the swelling carbon footprint of the shipping industry. Global shipping produces more greenhouse gas emissions than all of Germany, but carbon emissions have gone unregulated. Sam Eaton reports.
The health care bill unveiled yesterday by House Democrats would insure nearly all Americans and run up a trillion-dollar bill, paid for with tax hikes and surcharges. Business lobbyists say it's too expensive. Mitchell Hartman reports.
Bad economic policies and complacency have led to a deterioration of French cuisine, says Michael Steinberger, author of a new book, "Au Revoir to All That: Food, Wine, and the End of France." He talks with Kai Ryssdal.
Recessions can often lead to a risk of deflation, when declining consumer demand forces prices down. But lately, analysts have been worrying about the opposite — inflation. Even hyperinflation. Amy Scott reports.
To turn the economy around, the Obama administration is employing many strategies used in financial crises of the past. But commentator K.C. Cole says the size of the current crisis calls for a "qualitatively different solution."
Forty years ago, President Nixon declared a war on drugs. Since then, an estimated $500 billion has been spent on the battle. Kai Ryssdal speaks with Ben Wallace-Wells of Rolling Stone magazine about whether the U.S. should continue its strategy.
President Obama wants to increase the number of students completing degrees at community colleges. But many of the 2-year schools are under stress from increasing demands and decreasing budgets due to the recession. Tamara Keith reports.
General Motors is touting a new and restructured company. But in an effort to strengthen its business, it's bringing back key parts of its past. Alisa Roth reports.
Goldman Sachs had a hand in creating the financial crisis, but now the company is reporting a $3.3 billion profit for the last quarter. Seems there's money to be made in repairing the damage. Bob Moon reports.
Retail sales and Goldman Sachs earnings are both up. Is this positive news from the rest of us? Steve Chiotakis talks to analyst Juli Niemann from Smith, Moore and Company.
Not getting that big bonus you were expecting? Don't despair — now there's yacht timeshare. Marketplace's Stephen Beard tells Bill Radke how it works — though you'll still need about $3 million to start.
Several U.S. companies are awaiting word from the Department of Energy on who will receive $2 billion in stimulus aimed at the electric car battery business. Sarah Gardner explores what's at stake for these companies.
