Marketplace's Brendan Newnam and Rico Gagliano talk with fellow staffers Paddy Hirsch, Amy Scott and Phyllis Owens about under-the-radar business stories, including the "Viagra Effect" and Malibu's first town hall.
With everything that's been going on with the economy, it's easy to forget that some families lost everything years ago. Host Tess Vigeland speaks to the King family about what their life is like four years after Hurricane Katrina.
The Commerce Department said consumer spending rose in July, but household incomes were unchanged. Bob Moon reports a lot of the extra spending money is coming from our savings.
Up til now, farmers have survived the recession relatively unscathed. But according to a forecast by the U.S. Agriculture Department, farm profits will fall 38% this year. How will this play out at the grocery store? Jeff Tyler reports.
Economist Paul Kedrosky recently flew into Newark Airport and his flight was early. But rather than bask in his extra 15 minutes, he spent a long time trying to figure out why. He takes us on a logistical thrill ride.
Kai Ryssdal gets a look at what happened in the markets the last full week of August with business writers Heidi Moore and Megan McArdle from The Atlantic magazine.
It's that time of year again: young adults are schlepping off to college, many of them for the first time. How are parents handling the whole money conversation? Commentator Harriett Brackey tells her story.
Two years ago, the FCC said a single cable provider can't serve more than 30 percent of the nation's subscribers. The cable companies sued, and today they won their case. Alisa Roth explores what this means for consumers.
The FDA's first tobacco regulator will begin work Sept. 14. But Big Tobacco is looking to China's emerging market to keep profits smoking. China bureau chief Scott Tong explains to Kai Ryssdal how smoking is interwoven into Chinese life.
If you think Craigslist or eBay are entertaining places to hock or buy wares, how about radio? Jennifer Collins previews shows around the country which provide an on-air yard sale. Also, she's selling some microphones in good condition.
We've all met them, 20-somethings who've been coddled by their parents and seem to expect everything to be handed to them. But the economy might just be changing Gen Y's outlook. Gigi Douban reports.
Social Security payments usually increase by a small amount each year to adjust for cost of living. But thanks to the recession, those living off the government-issued checks won't be seeing more dollar signs this year. Tamara Keith reports.
Richard DeKaser, president of Woodley Park Research, talks with Steve Chiotakis about how much Cash for Clunkers helped to increase consumer spending in July, and the latest incomes and savings stats.
Bill Kreher, technology analyst with Edward Jones, talks with Bill Radke about what the positive outlook for Intel and rebound talk for Dell and Hewlett-Packard means for U.S. high tech.
When Chrysler filed for bankruptcy, the plan was for the automaker to leave all of its old liabilities behind, including lawsuits filed on behalf of injured customers. But that plan has changed. Steve Henn reports.
After having a contestant on one of its reality shows become a murder suspect who then committed suicide, VH1 is now considering cleaning up its act. Mitchell Hartman reports.
Musicians used to shy away from selling songs to commercials, but changes in the record industry have made many artists reconsider. Rafael Cohen reports.
Competition among big drug store chains has gotten so fierce that no market is off limits. One regional pharmacy chain is looking to stand out by adding services for the terminally ill. Joel Rose reports.
One bright spot that tends to emerge out of calamity is a renewed sense of community. Author Rebecca Solnit's book explores how this trend emerged in five disasters, including Hurricane Katrina. She talks to Tess Vigeland.
The Federal Reserve Board is trying to head off a court order to reveal, by the end of the month, which banks accepted trillions of dollars worth of emergency loans from the Fed to stay afloat. John Dimsdale reports
Many people are out of work or under-employed
because of the recession, so you might think they'd use their free time to volunteer. Not so — a new report out today shows that Americans are donating less of their time. Jeff Tyler reports.
Economist Betsey Stevenson isn't your typical wedding guest. While most ceremony attendees are thinking love and romance, she's listening for the contract in the vows. She explains why searching for a partner is like searching for a job.
Today the FDIC announced its rescue fund dropped by 20% in the second quarter. How concerned should we be about the solvency of the FDIC? Tess Vigeland talks to former FDIC chairman Bill Isaac.
In the last few weeks, AIG, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have all bounced big time — and taxpayers are big investors in all three. But Amy Scott tells us why it might not be a good idea to invest even though these seem like hot stocks.
Native American tribes that run casinos are expanding to new ventures as changing markets affect gaming. Now tribal portfolios are incorporating everything from malls to chocolate factories. Brian Bull reports.
Greg McBride, financial analyst at Bankrate.com, talks with Bill Radke about how to take the news that the U.S. economy contracted by 1%, and the latest decline in first-time jobless claims.
Reporter Steve Henn talks with Bill Radke about why the FDIC's is running low on money, and why it's encouraging private-equity firms to get into banking.
Economics correspondent Chris Farrell talks with Steve Chiotakis about whether banks are doing better now that some are repaying bailout money and stocks are trading higher.
The Department of Transportation has released its top 10 lists of vehicles traded in and bought under Cash for Clunkers. Steve Henn reports the program was good to Asian automakers.
Some sneaker makers are giving national advertising campaigns the boot. To get more traction, they are increasingly turning to a tactic known as hyper-local marketing. Curt Nickisch reports.
Even on vacation, economists can't help themselves: They think about money. Commentator Robert Reich tells us what his recent road trip with his son taught him about the state of the U.S. economy.
Kai Ryssdal talks to Marketplace's Senior Business Correspondent Bob Moon about a risky strategy by banks to put off dealing with the toxic assets that mucked up the economy and are still on their balance sheets.
Stock traders are always looking for ways to get a leg up on the competition. Jill Barshay reports that today it's all about two things: speed and location.
Do political contributions affect how lawmakers vote? A new online tool allows users to draw their own conclusions by putting donations from interest groups up against a calendar of Capitol Hill legislators' votes. Jeremy Hobson reports.
The German government has given its blessing and a promise of $6 billion in financing to assist General Motors in selling its Opel division to a Canadian parts maker with Russian backing. But GM is balking. Stephen Beard reports.
Sen. Edward Kennedy, who died Tuesday at 77, was a man of privilege who dedicated himself to defending opportunities for workers, students and the sick. Marketplace's John Dimsdale takes a look back at Kennedy's economic philosophy.
Richard DeKaser, president of Woodley Park Research, talks with Steve Chiotakis about whether the increase in car sales is responsible for the rise in durable goods orders, and if it's another sign of recovery.
Lenders that contributed to the subprime mortgage crisis will get more than $21 billion in taxpayer money to help borrowers modify the terms of troubled loans. Steve Henn reports.
India and China are becoming increasingly influential in world trade, but relations between the two countries may be souring. Raymond Thibodeaux reports.
The EPA is soon expected to formally declare that C02 emissions endanger human health. But that's something the world's largest business lobby wants to prevent with a public hearing on climate science. Sam Eaton reports.
As the planet warms, fewer crops will survive the summer heat. Yet the world's population will keep growing. Some scientists are responding by keeping seeds on ice for future generations, but one Arizona seed farm is cultivating them in the desert sun. Sam Eaton reports.
Tess Vigeland reviews listeners' comments about a recent car review, an interview touching on the American Dream, Europe's social safety nets, and how we saved a San Diego man money on his car rental.
Mike Rose, a professor at the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, talks with host Tess Vigeland about why he thinks America's schools need a different approach to teaching and learning.
Pennsylvania plans to raise the price of pre-paid tuition at state colleges because the fund parents have been paying into is running a $233 million deficit. Parents will pay today's tuition rates plus up to 8% more. Jeremy Hobson reports.
The 10-year projections of the federal deficit by the Congressional Budget Office and the White House's Office of Management and Budget differ by $2 trillion. Economics and law professor Alan Auerbach explains why they're so far apart.
The Congressional Budget Office and the White House Office of Management and Budget expect the federal government to add between $7 trillion and $9 trillion to the national debt over the next decade. How accurate can a 10-year projection be? John Dimsdale reports.
President Obama announced today he wants Ben Bernanke to stick around for another term as Fed chairman. Another term of steering the U.S. economy out of recession, dodging inflation, dealing with critics…. Amy Scott reports.
Analyst Juli Niemann talks with Steve Chiotakis about how Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke's reappointment nomination will impact the jittery economy, and reporter Steve Henn gauges how likely it is he will be confirmed.
The Mega Millions lottery game is seeing an increase in ticket sales ahead of an upcoming drawing for a $250 million-plus jackpot. But the lottery industry isn't as recession-proof as it used to be. Jill Barshay reports.
Times may be tough right now, but there's one area where the more you put in, the bigger the payoff. Sally Herships reports on how money — lots of it — can buy you love, or at least a date.
China has been busy making oil and gas acquisitions, but one deal in Iraq has landed the country's biggest refiner, Sinopec, in political hot water. Scott Tong reports.
President Obama has renominated Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke to a second term at that post, ending months of rumors and speculation. Steve Henn reports.
