Sep 20, 2011

Marketplace Morning Report for Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Segments From this episode

The great pumpkin shortage!

by Sarah Gardner

Sep 20, 2011

Growers say Hurricane Irene's final trick on the Northeast is a devastated autumn pumpkin harvest.

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What's happened to the middle class?

by Marketplace Staff

Sep 20, 2011

The recession has made the growth for the middle class of America more difficult.

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U.S. pension liabilities could grow

by Nancy Marshall-Genzer

Sep 20, 2011

This week, the Federal Reserve might say it'll push long-term interest rates even lower. That means U.S. pension funds could make even less than they already are.

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Prices rises squeeze food producers, retailers

by Alisa Roth

Sep 20, 2011

Food conglomerate ConAgra reports quarterly results and finds itself caught in price pressures from the farm and in the supermarket.

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General Motors gaining more confidence in China

by Rob Schmitz

Sep 20, 2011

General Motors is taking steps to cooperate with China, including the announcement that will help develop electric vehicles in the Asian market.

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Italy downgraded by Standard & Poor's

by Marketplace Staff

Sep 20, 2011

While so much focus has been placed on the Greek debt crisis, Italy is the latest European country to take a hit. Today, Standard & Poor's announced a downgrade of the country's credit rating.

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New Fed policies will try to lower home mortgage rates

by John Dimsdale

Sep 20, 2011

The Fed will meet today to yet again tackle the best way to deal with the country's current economic downturn.

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The Federal Reserve meets to discuss 'Operation Twist'

by Marketplace Staff

Sep 20, 2011

The Fed will meet today to discuss possible options for healing the ailing economy in the U.S. But its policies might only make a tiny dent in the bigger issues.

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Tyco, Kraft and other companies trend towards splitting up

by Marketplace Staff

Sep 20, 2011

We often hear about big acquisitions and mergers in the U.S. business environment, but recently things have been going the other way. What are the advantages to companies breaking up instead of building on?

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Young Harvard professor wins $500,000 grant

by Marketplace Staff

Sep 20, 2011

34-year-old Roland Fryer was awarded a MacArthur 'genius grant' for studying income and socioeconomic inequalities.

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Obama deficit deal would slash USPS spending

by John Dimsdale

Sep 20, 2011

One big cut in President Obama's big deficit reduction plan would include streamlining the Postal Service. But that kind of legislation might not be so easy to pass these days.

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BBC World Service

Dutch tulips held hostage in Romania

by Anna Holligan

Sep 20, 2011

Romanian officials have seized truckloads of Dutch tulips at the border this week, claiming they could be contaminated with a dangerous bacteria. It turns out, much more than flowers are at stake.