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Nearly three-quarters of Americans believe the economy is in recession, according to a new USA Today-Gallup poll. Commentator and economist Tyler Cowen says it might make us feel better, but it's best to leave the real definitions to the economists.

The mailbox is bursting with your comments. This week: your thoughts on our special series "The Middle East at Work," including your personal observations from living and working in Dubai.

As the price of copper is goes up, so does the value of old pennies -- those coins minted before 1982 that still have actual copper in them. Now some people are banking on pennies to pay off big. Mary Rose Abraham reports on the new craze of penny hoarding.

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on whether California employers can spend state money on anti-union activities. It's a battle between free speech and taxpayer rights, but with a twist. John Dimsdale reports.

From mom and pop investors to day traders, everyone is affected by the chaotic market. Kai Ryssdal speaks to Daniel Scotto's of Whitehall Investment Advisors about what an individual investor can do while the market normalizes.

Though the stock market has been deeply troubled by the subprime mortgage crisis, it has yet to crash. Many attribute the relative health of the markets to actions made by the Fed to keep the cash flowing. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports on what the Fed may do next.

Between bailing out investment banks and making loans to securities dealers, Fed Chief Ben Bernanke and company have been busy lately. The big cut in short-term interest rates boosted the markets, but inflation still looms. Kai Ryssdal has the story.

Question: As much as anything is "safe" these days, is it safe to open online savings/CD accounts with such companies as "ING Direct"? Sarah,...

Whether you call it a bailout or not, the Fed is aggressively intervening in Wall Street's business. Commentator Robert Reich has no problem with the Fed stepping in -- as long as it demands something in return.

Consumer Reports used to wait for readers to come to it for advice. Now, the magazine is publicizing its findings through advertising. Dan Grech reports how the publisher's new move might attract new readers.