May 4, 2011

Marketplace Morning Report for Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Segments From this episode

Pain from increased gas prices is mostly mental

by Jennifer Collins

May 4, 2011

Drivers groan when gas prices rise. But what are the actual effects, in comparison to our perceptions?

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Damper on corn planting season

by Sarah Gardner

May 4, 2011

Floods and wet weather have corn farmers worried across the U.S. grain belt. Supplies are tight and could get tighter.

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Congress looks at Sony's data security

by John Dimsdale

May 4, 2011

A hearing today examines what Congress can do to prevent the sort of hacking that has penetrated millions of Sony Playstation accounts.

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Has a silver bubble gone bust?

by Nancy Marshall-Genzer

May 4, 2011

U.S. silver futures plunged yesterday triggering losses across other commodity markets such as crude oil and gold.

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Roundabouts cause rifts between cities and drivers

by Tony Arnold

May 4, 2011

There are about 2,000 roundabouts in the U.S. now. Proponents say that they cut down on traffic time and are good for the environment. But residents in Chicago, where roundabouts have been popping up lately, aren't convinced.

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Portugal reaches $100 billion bailout deal

by Stephen Beard

May 4, 2011

Portugal has agreed to the terms of a bailout deal from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund. The deal promotes a "softer," less austere approach than previous deals with Ireland and Greece.

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Abu Dhabi, Singapore commit to Glencore IPO

by Christopher Werth

May 4, 2011

The world's largest commodities trader predicts it will raise more than $50 billion with the help of big government investors when it goes public later this month.

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Report: Planned U.S. layoffs decline 4.8% in April

by Marketplace Staff

May 4, 2011

A report out today from job placement firm Challenger Gray and Christmas says employers will lay off 12 percent less staff in April than in March, and 4.8 percent less than the same perios a year ago.

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Report: Private job growth slowed in April

by Nancy Marshall-Genzer

May 4, 2011

According to the ADP Employer Services, private companies added fewer jobs than expected in April -- creating only 179,000 jobs.

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Jobs: April shows modest growth

by Marketplace Staff

May 4, 2011

Richard DeKaser, economist with the Parthenon Group in Boston, explains two new jobs reports and why modest growth in jobs means a modest recovery.

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S&P: Greece's fiscal problems differ from Calif.'s

by Marketplace Staff

May 4, 2011

A new report from Standard & Poor's compares the financial woes of California with Greece's debt problem. Gabriel Petek, senior director of credit market services for S&P, explains.