Marketplace Morning Report for Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Segments From This Episode

• Failing local municipalities could lead to another financial crisis

  by Marketplace Staff

  A new report finds cities in pretty serious trouble. Financial analyst Meredith Whitney says we're about to see another economic crisis because of local economies failing. Eve Troeh has more.

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• Deutsche Bank agrees to pay more than $500 million to settle a tax evasion case

  German financial giant Deutsche Bank has agreed to pay more than half a billion dollars to settle a tax evasion case here in the U.S. Stephen Beard explains.

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• Gallup says emerging countries are more optimistic than others

  by Rebecca Singer

  There's a new global survey that shows even the world's richest economies don't necessarily feature the planet's happiest people.

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• American Airlines opts out of Orbitz

  by Marketplace Staff

  If you are traveling this holiday season, chances are you booked your flight online. But now a major airline is opting out of a discount travel site entirely. Eve Troeh reports.

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• Will last-minute shoppers find the bargains they’re looking for?

  by Marketplace Staff

  All the good sales used to be after Christmas. But after the financial crisis, stores got desperate, and they started having sales before Christmas. So will last-minute bargain-hunters find the deals they're looking for?

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• U.S. GDP grows 2.6 percent in the third quarter

  by Marketplace Staff

  U.S. Gross Domestic Product grew 2.6 percent in the third quarter. Richard DeKaser has more.

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• Green gifting or greenwashing?

  by Adriene Hill

  'Tis the season for gift giving but do you know exactly what you're buying? Marketplace reporter Adriene Hill ventures out on a shopping expedition to find out which holiday gifts are as green as they say to be.

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• Why is consumer spending up this season?

  by Marketplace Staff

  Stacey Vanek Smith talks with the L.A. Times' consumer columnist David Lazarus about why consumer spending's up this season, and what to be wary of when you're out shopping.

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• Trend of late retirement might be a good thing

  by Bob Moon

  The AARP released a report today that gauges how baby boomers are going about retirement. A trend of working past the age of 65 might turn out to be good for Uncle Sam, reports Bob Moon.

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