Marketplace's Brendan Newnam and Rico Gagliano talk with fellow staffers Tess Vigeland, Stacey-Vanek Smith, and Ben Adair about under-the-radar business stories, including a million-dollar cow, a waffle shortage, and marijuana busts.
There's growing concern that the world's central banks are flooding financial institutions with too much cash, setting the stage for another asset-bubble burst. Do banks just need to put on the brakes? Bob Moon reports.
New recommendations have been issued for when you should get breast cancer mammograms and cervical-cancer screenings. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports some doctors believe patients need to change their mindsets.
Kevin Parker, global head of asset management for Deutsche Bank, tells host Kai Ryssdal why he is currently steering investors away from American companies developing clean-energy systems and products.
Recession-fueled vacancies in commercial retail space have provided the perfect opportunity for thrift shops to broaden their horizons. Gigi Douban reports.
The L.A. Galaxy will play in the Major League Soccer championship, marking the team's first appearance since David Beckham arrived in 2007. His tenure hasn't been perfect, but it could have a happy ending. Nancy Farghalli reports.
Fortune Magazine Leigh Gallagher, and Clusterstock.com's John Carney talk with Kai Ryssdal about how much trouble our housing market is still in, and whether calls for Treasury Secretary Geithner's resignation are justified.
In effort to avoid foreclosure and preserve their credit rating, some are willing to sell their homes for less than they owe on the mortgage. But even taking a loss isn't always as easy as it sounds. Peter O'Dowd reports.
Paul Fronstin, a senior research associate with the Employee Benefit Research Institute, talks with Tess Vigeland about what to expect from next year's employer health plans.
Jason Zweig says there's no such thing as keeping your money absolutely safe, but there are ways to make it safer. He lays it out in his new book "The Little Book of Safe Money."
There's new hope for couples with marriage problems that stem from financial hardship — a therapy that melds traditional marriage counseling with financial planning. Sylvia Maria Gross of station KCUR reports.
Economics Editor Chris Farrell looks at what's behind the rising price of gold, and why he thinks the precious metal is just another bubble ready to burst.
With the end of the year fast-approaching, people want to make sure they've milked their health-care benefits for all they can, from spending what's left in FSA's to finally getting those annual physical exams. Joel Rose reports.
The E.U. has chosen Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy for the new position of E.U. president. But why didn't the title go to a more well-known candidate? Christopher Werth reports.
However it does at theaters, the latest "Twilight" installment is already popular with companies trying to connect with teens and tweens. Jeff Tyler explores how some retailers are paying homage to "New Moon."
Oprah Winfrey may be planning to leave her wildly successful daytime talk show in 2011, but she'll still be a media force with her new cable network. And she stands to make even more money. Jennifer Collins reports.
Bond investors looking for a new place to drop some cash are exploring faraway countries with appealing interest rates. The downside: There's a chance they may not see their money ever again. Jeremy Hobson reports.
Cruise lines have a few competitive advantages when it comes to finding customers in turbulent economic waters. But will Royal Caribbean International's new quarter-mile, 6,000 passenger vessel be able to stay afloat? Rico Gagliano reports.
Chicago is a hub for trade shows, conventions and meetings. But recently, some trade groups have announced they're leaving town for more affordable destinations like Orlando and Las Vegas. Susie An reports.
A House panel has voted in favor of letting Congress take a closer look at the Federal Reserve. Bill Radke talks to Alisa Roth about what the measure means and why some Fed officials are worried about more transparency.
Each week on Marketplace Money, host Tess Vigeland looks at the week's major national and international stories that will impact the average listener's wallet.
In the Mexican state of Baja California, the government and international corporations want to build wind farms that could generate enough electricity to power homes in the United States while boosting the state's economy. Sam Eaton reports.
Interest-rate swaps are supposed to provide a hedge against big changes in interest rates. But as they've gone sour, regulators are taking a closer look at these exotic products. Joel Rose reports.
Virtually the entire sugar beet crop in the United States is genetically engineered to protect it from herbicides. Now, a lawsuit claiming the biotech beets pose a risk to other varieties could threaten sugar production. Mitchell Hartman reports.
A Federal Aviation Administration computer glitch caused flight delays and cancellations. Hans Weber, owner of an aviation consulting firm, talks with Kai Ryssdal about what's going on with plans to update the system.
A lot of big numbers have been thrown around for the health-care overhaul bills in Congress. But how would the plans actually help the average family of four with no insurance? Nancy Marshall Genzer reports.
AOL is reducing its workforce by a third and spinning off from Time Warner. Is this a sign of the end? Bill Radke talks to Business Week media reporter Tom Lowry, who explains how AOL plans to carry on.
A glitch in the Federal Aviation Administration computer program that tracks flight plans has caused widespread flight delays and cancellations. Steve Chiotakis talks to airline analyst David Field about the impact this is having.
Barnes & Noble has been making moves to avoid a potential hostile takeover. But with sales slipping, many believe the book industry belongs on the endangered list. But Jeff Tyler reports there's still some value in e-books.
This week's market numbers seem to indicate that inflation has been subdued. Bill Radke takes a closer look with economics correspondent Chris Farrell.
Swedish labor leaders are pressing Chinese car maker Geely to say where it's getting the financing for its bid to buy Volvo from Ford. Christopher Werth examines what Volvo might feel it stands to lose and what it could gain from the deal.
The House Oversight Committee is rummaging through stimulus jobs reports in search of information that may have been misleading. Nancy Marshall Genzer explores where there may have been snags in reporting.
Japan Airlines is teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, and U.S. carriers American Airlines and Delta are each vying to save it. Jeremy Hobson explores the global benefits of partnering with an international carrier.
Packaged food giant Pinnacle Brands is getting ready to buy Birds Eye Foods, the biggest frozen vegetable producer in the U.S., for more than $1.3 billion. Steve Chiotakis gets more details from Alisa Roth.
David Leonhardt of the New York Times talks with Kai Ryssdal about what can be done to keep the unemployment rate from rising, and discusses another stimulus plan in the works.
A lot of companies are reporting good profits, but many people are unsure if things have really turned around. What gives? Commentator Robert Reich says it's not that hard to figure out.
Demand for container ships has been stuck in the doldrums, yet in Asia several big publicly-traded shipping companies are enjoying a boom in their stock price. Steve Henn reports.
The data trail we leave behind in the digital age keeps growing. Professor Andreas Weigend talks with Kai Ryssdal about how businesses are trying to figure out how to use that data effectively.
This year's pumpkin harvest was already looking meager when Nestle, which controls much of the canning crop, announced Midwest rain destroyed much of the remaining pumpkins. Will we survive a shortage of pumpkin puree? Jennifer Collins reports.
The Treasury Department and Small Business Administration are working on ways to get money flowing to small businesses. SBA assistance could run into pitfalls as problems continue to loom. Mitchell Hartman reports.
Goldman Sachs has announced a half-billion dollar initiative to help small businesses in the U.S. Is this a PR move to compensate for mistakes the company said it made during the credit crisis? Bill Radke talks to Alisa Roth.
Hershey and Italian sweet producer Ferrero are in talks with banks to beat Kraft to a deal for British chocolate maker Cadbury. Christopher Werth explores why this partnership may make a lot more sense.
Online database RealtyTrac says foreclosure rates aren't going to peak until next year. Which is good news for auction houses rattling off prices to an increasing number of bidders. Sean Cole visits a foreclosure auction in Boston.
Officials in South Korea are hoping to push President Obama officials are hoping to push him on free trade. But expectations in Seoul are low for a breakthrough on a stalled trade deal. Scott Tong reports.
A California utility is aggressively developing power sources cleaner than coal — natural gas, nuclear, hydro, wind, solar … and now even cow manure. But Pacific Gas & Electric isn't turning green totally on its own. It's the law. Sarah Gardner reports.
The Congressional Budget Office has been crunching the numbers to find out how much the Senate health-care overhaul will cost. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports the bill's opponents are having a field day.
Kai Ryssdal reviews what listeners had to say about stories involving for-profit schools like the University of Phoenix, and difficulty in finding work.
Have Facebook friend requests, cell-phone messages, incessant emails and texts made it impossible to disconnect? Feel overwhelmed? Sally Herships reports on one solution.
More Americans say they'll be using cash instead of credit cards to pay for their holiday purchases this year. Stacey Vanek-Smith reports why that's bad new for retailers.
A report from the TARP Inspector General Neal Barofsky suggests we overpaid a good deal to rescue AIG. Senior editor Paddy Hirsch talks with Kai Ryssdal about Treasury Secretary Geithner's role in the bailout of AIG.
