Nov 13, 2009

Marketplace for Friday, November 13, 2009

Segments From this episode

Retail experiments in bad economy

by Mitchell Hartman

Nov 13, 2009

Best Buy has been test marketing electric bicycles, motorcycles and Segways in 19 stores on the West Coast. Mitchell Hartman cruised his local outlet in Portland, Ore. to explore whether the gear was a stretch for the electronics retailer.

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Weekly Wrap: Another bubble?

by Kai Ryssdal

Nov 13, 2009

Kai Ryssdal takes a look at this week's action with Megan McArdle of the Atlantic magazine and business writer Heidi Moore.

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At least Americans are buying things

by John Dimsdale

Nov 13, 2009

The U.S. trade deficit shot up in its biggest monthly jump in a decade. Imbalances between what we buy from overseas and what we sell abroad can be an economic drag, so John Dimsdale takes a look at the brighter side.

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Dollar-menu costs can hurt profits

by Ashley Milne-Tyte

Nov 13, 2009

A dollar menu may seem like a great way for McDonald's to cut a profit in hard economic times, but franchisees can get grilled on food costs. Ashley Milne-Tyte explores how the fast food chain can benefit from cheaper items.

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A comeback for sales of fine art

by Kai Ryssdal

Nov 13, 2009

Several art auctions over the past few weeks have been turning over healthy sales for dealers. Kai Ryssdal follows up with art advistor Richard Polsky, who had a painting this week in a Sotheby's auction.

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Government wants credit limit raise

by Steve Henn

Nov 13, 2009

The current U.S. credit limit is set at $12.1 trillion, and Congress will soon have to raise the legal limit on how much money the government can borrow. As Steve Henn reports, the administration is aiming for over $13 trillion.

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Goolsbee: Hurry the financial fixes

by Alisa Roth

Nov 13, 2009

Austan Goolsbee, one of the president's economic advisors, weighed in on the subject of "too big to fail," saying we might be losing our big chance to change the way the financial system works. Alisa Roth reports.