Posted by Ryan Faughnder

For Marketplace Morning Report, Fri., Aug. 12, 2011

France, Italy, Spain and Belgium have banned short-selling temporarily in order to let the markets cool down. Meanwhile, in other countries, short-sellers are making a lot of money. Why do some countries feel the ban is necessary, and what does it say about the differences between European and U.S. attitudes? We look at how the economic swings are affecting retail. Following the Iowa Republican debate Thursday night, the New Yorker’s Ryan Lizza explains the economic views of presidential candidate and Minnesota congresswoman Michele Bachmann. The world-wide currency war spells trouble for Switzerland and Japan as investors flee the U.S. dollar and the euro. MoneyWatch’s Jill Schlesinger says the current fiscal crisis can be compared to 2008 with Greece, Italy and Spain replacing Lehman Brothers and Bear Sterns.

Here are the songs we played today:

• Milton Road – Mice ParadeBuy

• Sweet Nothing Serenade – Ben HarperBuy

• Woman Driving, Man Sleeping – EelsBuy

• African Velvet – AirBuy

• Here I Dreamt I Was an Architect – The DecemberistsBuy