Marketplace for Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Segments From This Episode

• Oracle of Omaha to the rescue

  by Dan Grech

  Warren Buffett has offered to reinsure $800 billion in municipal bonds to help struggling bond insurers hampered by fallout from the credit crunch. The deal would likely allow the municipal bonds to receive a AAA rating. Dan Grech reports.

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• Jewelry retailers target ‘dirty gold’

  by Andrea Gardner

  Just in time for Valentines Day, activists and jewelry retailers are stepping up a campaign to discourage the mining and sale of "dirty gold." Their first target: a proposed gold mine in Alaska. Sarah Gardner reports.

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• Homeowners could be thrown ‘Lifeline’

  by Jeremy Hobson

  The Bush administration and six major mortgage lenders have unveiled "Project Lifeline," the latest response to the ongoing turmoil in the housing market. The plan could freeze foreclosures for as much as one month for seriously troubled homeowners. Jeremy Hobson reports.

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• Real estate websites still growing

  by Stacey Vanek Smith

  

  At the height of the real estate boom, websites like Zillow and Trulia that displayed home values became huge. Now that the market is falling rapidly, investors are turning to them even more. Stacy Vanek-Smith reports.

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• Starbucks CEO orders more training

  by Kai Ryssdal

  Starbucks will be closing the doors for a few hours at 7,000 of its stores on Feb. 26. The company will use the time for a major training effort to refocus employees on customer service. Kai Ryssdal talks to Morningstar analyst John Owens.

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• French booksellers battle with Amazon

  by Kai Ryssdal

  Small bookshops are part of the culture in France, but their existence has been threatened by Amazon. A court sided with them in a lawsuit last year, but the online bookseller is not giving up the fight. Anita Elash reports.

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• Fed gives ill economy another injection

  by Jill Barshay

  The Federal Reserve injected another $30 billion in short-term loans into the banking system. The Fed hopes the money will keep banks lending and combat the looming credit crunch. Kai Ryssdal talks to Jill Barshay about how long the credit crunch may last and who's most affected.

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• Processed foods are not that healthy

  by Kai Ryssdal

  More than ever, grocery stores are filled with processed foods that advertise nutrient values and health benefits. Commentator Michael Pollan, author of "The Omnivore's Dilemma," says the healthiest foods are still to be found in the produce section.

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