Marketplace Morning Report for Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Segments From This Episode

• Consumers turn to coupons in tough times

  by Marketplace Staff

  Conventional wisdom says that, during recessions, people use coupons more. Do they?

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• Oil spill worse than expected because of river conditions

  by Eve Troeh

  Regulators and communities want better oil spill cleanup plans that reflect actual worst case scenarios.

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• Facebook feeds the hype machine

  by Stacey Vanek Smith

  

  By trying to create buzz around its latest announcement, Facebook follows the hype tactic being deployed by fellow tech companies.

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• Michigan sues private company over bridge construction

  by Sarah Hulett

  The Michigan Department of Transportation and the Detroit International Bridge Company had a $230 million deal to jointly build a series of ramps on the Ambassador Bridge. But the state says the company isn't complying with the design they agreed upon.

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• Moody’s downgrades Portugal debt to junk

  by Marketplace Staff

  Ratings agency Moody's downgraded Portugal's debt to junk status, saying the country would likely need a second bailout to regain a strong financial foothold. Economist Fernando Alexandre explains.

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• U.K. parliament debates tabloid hacking claims

  New allegations have emerged in a scandal over British newspaper News of the World's phone hacking in Britain.

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• Challenger: Planned layoffs rise in June

  by Marketplace Staff

  John Challenger, CEO of the job placement firm Challenger Gray & Christmas, explains today's job report, and how jobs in the technology and energy industries are showing strong signs of growth.

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• Banks push bank against regulators’ plan to ‘claw-back’ pay

  by Mitchell Hartman

  The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation is expected to finalize a proposal today that would require big back executives to return pay if their bank fails.

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• Is Chinese inflation an American problem?

  by Marketplace Staff

  Richard DeKaser, economist with the Parthenon Group, explains China's recent bump in interest rates, and how it could hurt the U.S. economy.

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• Plastic’s popularity means no $10 bills printed in 2010

  by Marketplace Staff

  The number of dollar bills rolling off the printing presses at the U.S. Treasury Department hit a modern low last year, thanks in large part to the increased use of credit cards. Binyamin Applebaum, reporter for the New York Times, explains.

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