Oct 15, 2008

Marketplace Report for Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Segments From this episode

Can bailouts keep panic at bay?

by Marketplace Staff

Oct 15, 2008

The bailout plans from the U.S. and other countries do seem to be calming nerves in the financial sectors at least a little bit. Kai Ryssdal asks MIT economist Simon Johnson if this is the beginning of the end.

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Fallout: The Financial Crisis

Santa could be hauling a lighter load

by Marketplace Staff

Oct 15, 2008

The economy is keeping shoppers out of stores and retail numbers prove it. They dropped to a three-year low. The downward trend is likely to keep holiday shopping lists on the small side this year. Danielle Karson has more.

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Fallout: The Financial Crisis

Now, the shipping news is bad

by Jeremy Hobson

Oct 15, 2008

The latest indication of global economic slowdown comes from something called the Baltic Dry Index. It tracks the price of hauling commodities like oil and grain. Those prices are at the lowest point in five years. Jeremy Hobson reports.

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Fallout: The Financial Crisis

Can cheap commodities be a bad thing?

by Nancy Marshall-Genzer

Oct 15, 2008

With oil prices slipping below $75, prices for corn, gold and other commodities are also down. That's good news for consumers, but what about the overall economy? Will it spark inflation? Nancy Marshall Genzer has answers.

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Fallout: The Financial Crisis

Where's this bailout cash coming from?

by Steve Henn

Oct 15, 2008

The Fed soon starts lending directly to corporations, plus it's pledged unlimited dollars to foreign central banks. So, just how much is this gonna cost, and where's the Fed getting the money? Steve Henn finds out.

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Fallout: The Financial Crisis

Tech advances fuel solar industry

by Sarah Gardner

Oct 15, 2008

The credit crisis is taking its toll on businesses, but there's optimism in the solar energy sector. Sarah Gardner reports that new technolgies and cheaper materials have improved solar's market potential.

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Letters

by Marketplace Staff

Oct 15, 2008

The Marketplace mailbox this week received not only comments, but questions -- good ones. Kai Ryssdal rounds up Senior Business Correspondent Bob Moon to answer some of them.

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Fallout: The Financial Crisis

Cities can't afford loans for basics

by Marketplace Staff

Oct 15, 2008

Local governments are feeling the pinch from the credit crisis. Water, sewer and road repairs are taking a backseat as governments try to scrounge up enough cash to keep cities running. Sylvia Maria Gross reports.