Marketplace Morning Report for Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Segments From This Episode

• Cane sugar v. corn syrup: Battle of the sweeteners

  by Sarah Gardner

  Cane sugar and corn syrup at going at it in court. Sugar doesn't want to be confused with syrup and they both want to hold onto their markets.

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• In Illinois, voters hope election results will boost economy

  by Mitchell Hartman

  Workers in Rockford, Ill., are divided on how much the auto bailout helped the local economy. Many hope yesterday's primary election might be the first step in helping factory areas in the state fully recover.

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• The scarce ways that crude oil costs could drop

  by Scott Tong

  The president might be able to do little to really bring down short term gas prices. But reporter Scott Tong outlines some things that actually would affect the price.

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• Soda sales fizzling out

  by Jeremy Hobson and Stacey Vanek Smith

  

  New numbers out today show that the soda sales slump that has been going on for years continued to speed up in 2011, with consumers buying more healthy beverages in its place.

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• Race to find new World Bank leader could take power from U.S.

  by Andrew Walker

  How would the IMF and the World Bank really change if the new leader was appointed from a developing nation instead of the U.S.?

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• The influence of Mitt Romney’s business background

  by Jeremy Hobson

  What drives the Republican presidential candidate, and what's more important than the simple fact that he has wealthy friends.

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• Getting gasoline to the East Coast

  by Adriene Hill

  Obama may waive a law so that foreign ships can transport gas from the Gulf of Mexico to the East Coast to ease shortages and lower prices.

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• British budget to be unveiled with focus on income tax

  A former British finance minister once threatened to “squeeze the rich until the pips squeak," but that won’t like be the message of today.

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• What can be done about high oil prices

  by Jeremy Hobson

  Oil prices are slightly lower this morning in overseas trading, around $124 a barrel, but that is still very high. And those high oil prices are leading to high gas prices which are starting to really worry some economists who are concerned about our recovery and whether or not it could be derailed.

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• PODCAST: Farewell Exxon Valdez, Happy Birthday Twitter

  by Mary Dooe

  

  The morning after yet another primary Tuesday, we take a deeper look at the economic policies of Mitt Romney. Is cane sugar really better for you than corn syrup? And as gas prices keep going up, the White House could grant a waiver of what's known as the "Jones Act," which currently forbids foreign cargo ships from moving their goods from one American port to another.

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• A possible change for bankruptcy and student loans

  by Stacey Vanek Smith

  

  Current laws make it very hard for student loans to be forgiven. There's a proposal now in Congress that would change that.

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• Twitter celebrates its sixth birthday

  by Stacey Vanek Smith

  

  The company is set to make around $250 million next year — but should it be making much more?

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