Feb 2, 2012

Marketplace Morning Report for Thursday, February 2, 2012

Facebook's initial public offering means that the general public now knows more about the company than it did yesterday. In Nebraska, farmers don't typically save, but instead invest back into their farm, with more land or new equipment. Happy Groundhog Day!

Segments From this episode

How Facebook could grow its business

by Jennifer Collins

Feb 2, 2012

Now that it has gone public, will Facebook start buying up other startups to grow?

Facebook mulls its China strategy

by Rob Schmitz

Feb 2, 2012

China is a huge potential market for Facebook but to get in the company may have to modify its uncensored software.

Congress considers rules about child labor on farms

by Elizabeth Wynne Johnson

Feb 2, 2012

The government was set to impose new rules limiting the work kids are allowed to do on farms, but those rules are being reconsidered after an outcry from farmers.

Why Facebook is going public now

by Diane Swonk

Feb 2, 2012

Economist Diane Swonk discusses what is it about a strong market that makes it good for a company, like Facebook, to go public.

Facebook to face more regulation

by Nancy Marshall-Genzer

Feb 2, 2012

Becoming a public company also means Facebook will be facing more scrutiny, from investors, sure -- but also from government regulators.

Groundhog Day: Your economic predictions

by Jeremy Hobson and Adriene Hill

Feb 2, 2012

What will happen to the economy in the next six weeks?

The Real Economy

High-tech farm investment unphased by election

by David Gura

Feb 2, 2012

Farmers in the Midwest hardly notice it's an election year. When times are good, as they are now in Nebraska, farmers make high-priced investments in hopes of more profitable crops next year.

What the Facebook IPO reveals to us

by Nancy Marshall-Genzer

Feb 2, 2012

As part of the required government filing that goes along with an initial public offering, the social networking giant had to expose a lot about itself.

BBC World Service

Australian boss shares fortune from company sale

by Duncan Kennedy

Feb 2, 2012

A bus company in Australia recently sold his company, and decided to share the profit with with 1,800 staff members.

Challenger: Planned layoffs reach four month high

by Adriene Hill

Feb 2, 2012

According to early numbers out ahead of official unemployment figures from the government out tomorrow, planned layoffs went up in January -- but that is actually fairly typical.

Indiana becomes right-to-work state

by Adriene Hill

Feb 2, 2012

The new law means workers can't be forced to join a union in order to get or keep a job. Proponents say it'll bring more jobs into the state; opponents say it could lead to a decline in working conditions.

Mid-day Update

PODCAST: Facing the Facebook IPO, changing labor laws

by Mary Dooe

Feb 2, 2012

A sign with the 'like' symbol stands in front of the Facebook headquarters on February 1, 2012 in Menlo Park, Calif. Facebook filed paperwork for its IPO late yesterday.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

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Mid-day Update

Mid-day Extra: Laws schools sued over job placement numbers

by Adriene Hill and Jeremy Hobson

Feb 2, 2012

A number of law schools across the country are being sued by former students who claim they inflated the numbers on post-graduate job placement.

Attitude Check

Attitude Check: Obama's plan to grow jobs in 2012

by Marketplace Contributor

Feb 2, 2012

Gallup data shows the employment picture is improving slightly, and that many Americans support President Obama's plan to create tax breaks that bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S.

Facebook’s initial public offering means that the general public now knows more about the company than it did yesterday. In Nebraska, farmers don’t typically save, but instead invest back into their farm, with more land or new equipment. Happy Groundhog Day!

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