Week of September 27th, 2010

Tess Vigeland and MSN personal finance columnist Liz Pulliam Weston answers your questions about preparing for retirement while you're still young and whether now is the time for borrowing, if ever.

Marketplace's Kai Ryssdal and Marketplace Money's Tess Vigeland talk to TIAA-CREF Roger Ferguson about how the recession has changed the retirement outlook.

Question: I'm a 24-year-old who makes ~$60K a year, living in a very expensive city with ~$50K of student loan debt (I hold a masters). My question…

This weekend on Marketplace Money, Alison Green of the blog Ask a Manager talks with host Tess Vigeland about how to ask for a raise, even in a r…

Marketplace asked listeners to weigh in on whether or not parents should save for their kids' college education. Here are some of the reasons…

This final note today, toward a more consumer friendly Internal Revenue Service, perhaps The left-leaning think tank Third Way has a new policy…

Marketplace host Kai Ryssdal and Marketplace Money's Tess Vigeland talk to Roger Ferguson, CEO of TIAA-CREF, about retirement after the Great Recession.

Kai Ryssdal talks to Leigh Gallagher from Fortune magazine and John Carney from CNBC about whether they feel better that they know what caused the Flash Crash and if TARP was a success or not.

Consumer spending went up a wee bit in August. After two years of selling at bargain prices — and getting consumers addicted to low low prices — can retailers start raising prices now?

There's a group of high-level financial regulators — including Timothy Geithner and Ben Bernanke — who will keep their ears to the ground to predict future bubbles. But what will they do once they predict one?

Posted by Chau Tu…

While many Americans are toiling with saving for retirement, a number of wealthy Brits are choosing instead to be "nevertirees" — rejecting retirement altogether to keep working, all for pleasure.

Posted by Chau Tu…

The Commerce Department said spending was up 0.4% in August. And incomes rose half a percent. Both numbers are better than expected. Jill Schlesinger from CBS MoneyWatch talks with Steve Chiotakis about why she's optimistic about the latest consumer spending report and why people are saving more money.

The Obama administration will propose a new fuel economy standard beyond the year 2017. John Dimsdale reports.

Posted by Daryl Paranada…

On trial today: the government's response to the financial crisis. The White House is officially evaluating the $800 billion stimulus program. …

In a bill that makes total sense yet for some reason took decades to even come to a vote, the Senate passed a bill that will require television…

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer received only half of his potential bonus, a mere $670,000 (insult!) from the Microsoft board of directors after his…

Marketplace Tech Report for October 01, 2010

Scientists in the Midwest are researching ways to rewire the brains of people who've suffered traumatic brain injuries. We speak with Pedram Mohseni and Randolph J. Nudo about their work, which has recently been given a $1.44 million grant by the Defense Department.

The week's business news in a 60-second poem. This week: TARP's ending, Europeans are upset about budget cuts, and the Postal Service might revamp the price of a stamp.

The TARP, also known as the bank bailout, ends this weekend. Well, maybe "ends" is a strong word. But the Treasury Department will stop spending and lending new money from the current $475 billion fund. It's about two years old. Jeremy Hobson reports the program become less popular than most screaming toddlers.

Brazilians will soon be voting for a new president. Whoever wins will be charged with leading one of the world's fastest growing economies. Annie Murphy reports.

The United Nations' International Labor Organization says continued budget cuts will hit jobs in a lot of places. The BBC's Jon Bithrey talks with Steve Chiotakis about why it might take longer for the labor market to rebound and what the effects of long-term unemployed might be.

That's Nissan's new electric car, the Leaf, goes on sale in December. Twenty thousand people have pre-ordered one, and now there's a waiting list. But Eve Troeh reports, there's another way take one for spin.

Department store chain Kohl's opened 21 new stores. JC Penney also announced plans to expand. What's that say about how the retail industry is doing? Amy Scott reports.

The White House issues a report card on the $800 billion stimulus program. And yes, the administration gives itself an A, for implementation. Washington bureau chief John Dimsdale talks with Bill Radke about how the White House can justify the grade.

Marketplace for Friday, October 1, 2010

Marketplace Money for October 1, 2010

Marketplace Morning Report for Friday, October 1, 2010

Because milliseconds matter in the world of high-frequency trading, the new cables being laid between New Jersey and London will take cable speed from 65 milliseconds to below 60 milliseconds.

Marketplace senior editor Paddy Hirsch put Marketplace on the web video map with his Whiteboard video series, in which he explains complex financ…

Artists Nate Larson and Marni Shindelman take location data from Twitter tweets, go to the place where the tweet originated and photograph it, and…

Now that Rep. Henry Waxman's net neutrality bill died before even getting out of committee, congressional Democrats are looking to the FCC to…

A final note today. This new Goldman Sachs ad campaign is the gift that just keeps giving. Here's another couple from the web that we found. This…

Posted by Chau Tu…

A poetic summary of where the bailout money went, and how we get it back….

With college tuition always on the rise, it seems natural to start saving up for your child's college tuition early. But forget early — some parents aren't saving up at all.

David Brancaccio looks how decisions made by the world's central banks will affect business owners and lenders.

Microblogging site Twitter is testing "Promoted Tweets" and "Promoted Trends" as potential ad revenue streams. But the company isn't accepting any offers from politicians, nor are politicians clamoring to become the next popular hash tag.

Marketplace's Jeremy Hobson takes a look at the beginnings of the Troubled Asset Relief Program and why it has such a bad rap even though it did help stabilize banks.

Kai Ryssdal talks to Marketplace's Mitchell Hartman about the effect government subsidies for workers' wages in both the private and public sector.

Employers who mainly use low-wage workers are concerned that the "medical loss ratio" requirement of the health reform law will make it too expensive to insure their workers.

Faulty foreclosure paperwork and 'robo-signers' who sign off on them are the reason that JPMorgan Chase is halting foreclosure proceedings in 23 states.

The first step to reducing your home's energy consumption is knowing how much you use in the first place. Utility companies are offering online tracking software and tools that can help, but some have yet to see the benefits.

Question: I recently got married and inherited a student loan. Lets say its 22k with 5k of capitalized interest. My understanding is that I can…

As Oktoberfest approaches, the German labor department, announced that beer — a fixture of German society — is not necessary for living. The…

The Mid-Day Update is a five-day-a-week podcast from the Marketplace Morning Report co-hosted by Bill Radke and Steve Chiotakis that wraps up the…

Posted by Daryl Paranada…

According to a new study by Duke University, Penn State University, and Intel Labs, several popular free Android apps have been sharing personal…

We talked this week about the Stuxnet computer worm. It's a bit of malware that attacks infrastructure system controls as opposed to electronic…

Shares in the electronics giant Nintendo have fallen by almost 10% in Japan. The company announced its much anticipated 3DS hand-held console won't be out before the crucial holiday season.

A stimulus program that put hundreds of thousands of unemployed people back to work is out of money. Senate Republicans have blocked new stimulus money to keep the program going. So workers in 38 states could start getting pink slips right away. Mitchell Hartman reports.

Getting your kid an e-reader could get them to read more….

Marketplace Tech Report for September 30, 2010

A new bill may change what you're able to see on the web. The bill is aimed at going after material online, like pirated movies, that violates copyright laws. It has bipartisan support in the Senate, but advocates of a freer, less regulated Internet say it takes too broad an approach to law enforcement. We explore the bill and get an update on it.

Economist Diane Swonk of Mesirow Financial talks with Bill Radke about Europe's debt problems and whether the House vote to allow tariffs on Chinese imports may result in a trade war.

BP's incoming Chief Executive Bob Dudley takes the helm shortly, but already he's shaking things up. He's ousted one top manager and announced a new safety czar. But it may take more than a change at the top to reform BP's culture. Janet Babin reports.

The Irish finance minister said his country's public finances are "horrendous" as he discussed a huge bank bailout. Europe correspondent Stephen Beard talks with Steve Chiotakis about how much a bailout could cost Ireland and how its economic situation compares to the rest of Europe.

The House passed legislation to penalize China for manipulating its currency. If passed into law, it would allow the U.S. government to levy tariffs on countries like China that undervalue their currencies, making their goods cheaper than American products. What's the reaction in China? Rob Schmitz reports.

David Brancaccio has been studying new international banking rules as part of a new beat on Marketplace called "Economy 4.0," about tracking efforts to re-engineer the financial system. He talks with Bill Radke about how the new "Basel III" rules work and how experts feel about them.

The future of a massive New York City apartment complex is a little clearer this week after a state appeals court ruled that a foreclosure sale will go forward. The $5.5 billion sale of the development four years ago marked the peak of the real estate bubble. Now the property is said to be worth less than half that. Amy Scott reports.

It's the end of the government's fiscal year and there's still no new budget. Lawmakers voted to extend government spending until December. One issue they're looking at out of many is funding for the postal service. Reporter John Dimsdale talks with Bill Radke about the postal service's plan to raise the price of a first class stamp.

Marketplace for Thursday, September 30, 2010

Marketplace Morning Report for Thursday, September 30, 2010

Think for a second about the global economy — in particular, the financial system — and then ask yourself this question: Does it work? Does the…

This final note today….

For years now, the U.S. has been pushing China to let its currency float. Back in 2007, when I was in graduate school working for Voice of America…

Question: I need help in developing a saving plan. I have a steady/stable job, a house, and a retirement plan to which my employer contributes 10%…

If you want to buy hard alcohol in Virginia, you'll have to head to one of the state-owned ABC stores, where vodka, gin and bourbon have a hefty mark-up. But the state is considering privatizing the liquor market to help the government through the recession.

Commentator David Frum thinks the U.S. can learn some lessons on the decisions the German government and central bank made during the years after East and West Germany reunified.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is a tough act to follow. Whoever succeeds him will have to figure out how to balance da Silva's expensive social programs with the country's budget.

Kai Ryssdal talks to Eswar Prasad about the House's new bill that'll slap tariffs on countries that manipulate their currencies — Target: China.

Robert Dudley will officially take over the CEO spot at BP this Friday, Oct. 1, but he's been re-shuffling the BP administration. Will he be able to successfully change BP's image?

Workers across Europe took to the streets to protest austerity cuts by their governments. But even with such a big show of solidarity, European governments will most likely go ahead with the budget cuts.

Insurance company AIG is in talks with members of the Fed and the Treasury Department on how the company will return the billions the government lent AIG.

Posted by Chau Tu…

Even in this day and age of keyboards, two top pencil manufacturers are waging war, according to this Wall Street Journal article. German companies…

Scholastic took a survey of 1,045 kids ages 9 to 17 and the results are pretty interesting….

The Mid-Day Update is a five-day-a-week podcast from the Marketplace Morning Report co-hosted by Bill Radke and Steve Chiotakis that wraps up the…

Posted by Daryl Paranada…

He's re-releasing all six Star Wars movies (the three actual movies plus the three abominations against all that is holy) in 3D. Starting with…

This according to a new study. Because if you're stupid enough to text while driving, are you really going to follow laws? I didn't think so….

Is located here. Good luck! That luck won't do you any good!

A new round of U.S. trade sanctions against Iran taking effect will ban Iranian pistachio imports. Washington bureau chief John Dimsdale talks with Bill Radke about how that is good news for American pistachio growers.

Economist Richard DeKaser of Woodley Park Research talks with Bill Radke about what the government's goal is as officials meet with the board of AIG to figure out how to extricate the taxpayer from that bailed-out company.

As labor strikes are being staged across Europe, the European Commission is announcing plans to stop European countries from overspending. Governments that borrow too much money will be hit with fines.

For fans of the Grateful Dead who witnessed their music live, it was more than just a concert. It was a world unto itself. And a new book says there are important marketing lessons to be learned from the way the band operated. The book's co-author, Brian Halligan, takes a look at the band as a business model.

The House may start debate on a bill that would pressure China to increase the value of its currency. The measure would make it easier for the U.S. to slap tariffs on Chinese imports. But some leading U.S. business groups are against the legislation. Why? Nancy Marshall Genzer reports.

Labor strikes are occurring across Europe over government budget cuts in several different countries. Labor unions are worried about job and pay cuts as a result of deficit reduction measures by their governments. Europe correspondent Stephen Beard talks the details with Steve Chiotakis.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the agency designed to help make sure banks and other financial companies are dealing straight with their customers, is on its way. L.A. Times consumer columnist David Lazarus talks with Bill Radke about how financial companies are trying to influence the rules and what activists want.

Amtrak released a 30-year vision for high-speed rail travel along the Northeast corridor. It'll cost more than $4 billion a year over the next couple decades. That's more than the annual operating budget for the government-funded rail company. Alex Goldmark reports.

The government is trying to clean up one of the biggest messes left from the financial crisis, the bailout of AIG. Officials from the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve Bank are meeting with AIG's board to consider a complex exit plan. Reporter John Dimsdale talks the details with Bill Radke.

Marketplace Morning Report for Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Marketplace for Wednesday, September 29, 2010