Marketplace®

Daily business news and economic stories
  • The President of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi addresses the European Parliament in Brussels, on December 1, 2011.
    Thierry Charlier/AFP/Getty Images

    Markets are finally smiling again following the news yesterday that coordinated action will be taken by the world's central banks to ease credit and increase liquidity. In Illinois, state lawmakers have rejected a bill that would have offered millions of dollars in tax breaks to keep the Chicago Mercantile Exchange from leaving the state. And some economists say long-term benefits help the unemployed avoid reality.

  • The euro sign is seen in front of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
    Daniel Roland/AFP/Getty Images

    The European debt crisis spreads to American banks. The National Labor Relations Board could speed up the process for elections. In light of recent scandals, universities are taking a closer look at candidates before hiring them on. And the end of Napster has finally come.

  • A new study suggests that creative-minded people might also be more likely to cheat — and find a good reason for it after the fact.

  • Tonight, the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show airs on TV. What does the company gain by putting on such a show?

  • American Airlines planes sit on the tarmac at Miami International Airport on October 4, 2011 in Miami, Florida.
    Joe Raedle/Getty Images

    What would a doomsday scenario in Europe look like? The Occupy movement has led protesters to take over a UBS building in London's financial district. In China, the government has put a ban on advertisements during primetime TV shows. And American Airlines flies towards… bankruptcy.

  • Today is Cyber Monday, and it follows on the tails of a very promising Black Friday sales weekend. But what do customers, and companies, have to lose from the surge in mobile shopping?

  • Customers shop for electronics items during Black Friday at a Best Buy store in San Diego, Calif.
    Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images

    The national retail federation says sales over the last 4 days jumped 16 percent from last year. Consumers spent an average of 398 dollars on Black Friday– and Black Thursday, and all Black Saturday and Sunday. And about 40 percent of that shopping was done online.

  • People stand in line to make purchases inside Macy's department store November 25, 2011 in New York after the midnight opening to begin the 'Black Friday' shopping weekend.
    STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images

    More and more mobile devices like iPads are handling our purchases, but the makers of computers and cash registers aren't ready to give up the industry yet. TV sets are among the most discounted items for Black Friday this year. New York City's Grand Central Station is about to become home to Apple's newest store, and we speak to the CEO of Macy's on this year's holiday season.

  • PODCAST: The cranberry industry, no Thanksgiving for Europe

    This Thanksgiving, we talk to a big wig in the cranberry industry, the CEO of Ocean Spray. While the U.S. is on holiday, financial troubles in the eurozone march on. And Google wants to light up your home — with lightbulbs, that is.

  • Today is Thanksgiving, and to celebrate — and check in on the state of the markets for popular Thanksgiving foods — we went to the CEO of Ocean Spray. Here is the extended version of the conversation.

Mid-day Update