Marketplace Morning Report for Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Segments From This Episode

• Workplaces are safer, but major risks remain

  by David Gura

  The AFL/CIO reports that worker safety has improved in the 40 years since the Occupational Safety and Health Act was passed. But millions of workers remain at risk.

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• Will the Fed end quantitative easing?

  by Marketplace Staff

  Richard DeKaser, economist with the Parthenon Group, explains the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing policy, and forecasts the future of the project.

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• All ears on Bernanke’s language at press conference

  by Eve Troeh

  The Federal Reserve will host its first ever press conference today starring Fed chief Ben Bernanke. The Fed's nuanced language in today's public statement is intended to calm nervous markets and bankers.

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• Bernie Madoff speaks

  by Marketplace Staff

  New York Times journalist Diana Henriques is the only reporter to interview Bernie Madoff twice from prison. In her new book 'The Wizard of Lies' Henriques provides vivid details of the events that led up to, and followed, the largest Ponzi scheme in history.

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• Britain’s economy grows modestly in first quarter

  by Christopher Werth

  The United Kingdom's gross domestic product rose 0.5 percent from the last quarter of 2010. The small growth is bad news for the U.K., a country still trying to climb out of recession.

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• J&J buys orthopedic company in $21.3 bil. deal

  by Rebecca Singer

  Johnson and Johnson has agreed to buy Swiss orthopedic medical device company Synthes — a move addressing the needs of an aging population.

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• Pope’s beatification draws fewer tourists than expected

  by Megan Williams

  Pope John Paul II is getting beatified by the Vatican this Sunday. And while the spring season is usually a busy one for Rome and Vatican City, the big event seems to be keeping regular tourists away.

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• Sony hack risks personal information

  by Steve Henn

  Sony's PlayStation network has been offline for a week, locking out 77 million users. But news that personal information has been compromised may spark a user uproar.

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• McDonalds, Starbucks, Subway rank as biggest chain restaurants

  by Marketplace Staff

  McDonalds, Subway and Starbucks are now the top three largest-selling chain restaurant in the United States. Darren Tristano of Technomic explains.

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