Index
APM: MarketplaceCash, dough, loot, moolah, bread, bank, bucks. Whatever you call it, money is important to us. Very important. For better or for worse, it's a factor in every major decision we make. American Public Media's Marketplace looks at major national and international stories that impact the average listener's wallet. It's "the money show for the rest of us."
Facebook shares fell again today. But how does all this actually affect Facebook -- the company? President Obama travels to the Silicon Valley tomorrow to raise money for his reelection campaign. Google Chrome surpassed Internet Explorer last week as the world's most used web browser. Funding to study the solar system will be cut by 20 percent, and that could affect U.S. missions to Mars. Kai Ryssdal talks to former president of ABC News, David Westin, about how the business of TV news has changed in the last two decades, and to Outside magazine's Nick Heil about the dangers of climbing Mount Everest.
Facebook stock is slumping, as is everything else on the NASDAQ. Were the naysayers right? There's been a lot of talk of the potential losers from JPMorgan, but there are winners as well. A Chinese company is paying $2.5 billion for the U.S. cinema chain, AMC. Commentator Dave Lauer talks about how high-frequency trading unsettled markets and his conscience. Universities continue to open new pharmacy schools, even though fewer jobs are available. And Kai Ryssdal talks to Ralph Eubanks, director of publishing at the Library of Congress, about how these campaign posters reflect the economic issues central to different elections.
So what happened in the first day of trading of Facebook's stocks? We cover the details in this week's Weekly Wrap. Meanwhile, Hewlett-Packard is laying off 30,000 of its employees, and Walmart shares are on the rise. Kai Ryssdal talks to millionaire venture capitalist Nick Hanauer about his TED talk on wealth inequality. And reporter Krissy Clark looks into whether private companies are well-suited to providing public aid.
According to the latest Gallup polls, one presidential candidate has a nine-point edge in American opinion of who would best fix the U.S. economy. Meanwhile, it looks like JPMorgan's recent bad bet could be costing the company more than just $2 billion. Pinterest has become the latest social company to get a billion-dollar valuation. The U.S. Census made it official today: minority families are having more children than whites -- and businesses are getting ready. We also hear about the booming economy in Mongolia, how a band is fighting back against Ticketmaster's steep fees and the Euro Challenge competition.
Hundreds of millions of dollars in the housing settlement meant to provide relief to struggling homeowners is being used to plug state budget gaps. Commentator Robert Reich says forget the Volcker rule -- let's bring back Glass-Steagall instead. The number of older Americans who are long-term unemployed has more than doubled since the recession. And in the U.S. economy recovery, it looks that the wealthy are recovering more of their money than the poor. Kai Ryssdal talks to a Greek resident about the reported 'bank runs' happening there today. And in the latest installment of Freakonomics, Stephen Dubner talks about the unintended consequences of retirement.
After JPMorgan's $2 billion trading loss, it's possible the bank may try to recover salary and bonuses paid to those responsible. Can France's new president Francois Hollande and the German chancellor Angela Merkel find a way forward on the growth and austerity debate in Europe? Despite it probably being the biggest IPO ever, some investors just aren't playing into the whole Facebook hype. A new study says many low- and middle-income families used equity loans during the housing bubble to send their kids to better colleges than they could otherwise afford. And Kai Ryssdal talks to author John Fox about his new book "The Ball," which looks at the games we play and why we play them.
It's been a few days since JPMorgan's $2 billion loss was announced, but New York bureau chief Heidi Moore tells us why it's a warning we shouldn't soon forget. We take a look at the housing market in three different cities across the U.S. Will President Obama's support of same-sex marriage lead to a windfall of campaign contributions from the gay community? There's more turmoil in Europe at the hands of Greece. And John Hoffman, executive producer of the HBO documentary "The Weight of the Nation," discusses America's obesity epidemic.
The Facebook "highlight" feature will allow users to pay a couple of bucks to promote their status updates in their friends' timelines. This week's Weekly Wrap focuses on the news from JPMorgan about its $2 billion loss. A new obesity drug is in line for approval by the FDA and many say that's key for health care cost savings. Saudi Arabia, the world's largest exporter of crude oil, wants to become the leader in renewable energy. Kai Ryssdal talks to Andrew Wallenstein from Variety magazine about the upfronts and the television ad industry. And it's the 100th birthday of the Beverly Hills Hotel.
So how do Americans really feel about the rich? Gallup reveals the latest data from its polling. JPMorgan Chase announced after the closing bell today that it had lost $2 billion on, essentially, bad bets. Apple has agreed to help pay for improvements to Foxconn factories in China. Meanwhile, New York City is now the fastest growing area for tech companies. Kai Ryssdal talks to Andrew Liveris, CEO of Dow Chemical, about getting U.S. manufacturing back on track. And reporter Amy Scott continues her series on poverty and education, visiting a Cincinnati school that also provides basic health care for its students.
The hoodie has gone from just being an article of clothing to a statement. We look at the evolution of the hoodie. The Postal Service will abandon a plan to close up to 3,600 post offices in response to an outcry by customers. Author Daniel Gross says the U.S. says that pessimism about the U.S. economy is unfounded, and that the rise of China and the developing world doesn't harm the U.S., but helps us. Commentator Robert Samuelson argues that it's not the rich who control Washington. And reporter Amy Scott begins a two-part series on poverty and education.
China's government has forced popular news channel Al Jazeera English to close its only bureau in the country. London is preparing for the Olympic Games this summer by launching a series of exercises to test its readiness. Natural gas consumption in the U.S. is on the rise as energy producers are beginning to favor natural gas plants over coal. In the San Francisco Bay area, the small community of Hercules avoided bankruptcy by cutting its budget and staff nearly in half. And we hear about the economics of an autism diagnosis, and the natural history of breasts.
Based on results out of some key elections in Europe, it seems like voters have said no to austerity. A new study looks at how the immigrant workforce in Napa County in California contributes to the economy there. Tesla and Toyota are teaming up to try to make the electric vehicle more mainstream. Kai Ryssdal talks to economists Justin Wolfers and Betsy Stevenson about their "job share" idea. And in our series Food for 9 Billion, the story of how one man in India is preparing for his country's inevitable water crisis.
Unemployment fell slightly last month, but the numbers don't tell the whole story. Not counted: the number of people who have given up looking for work. The Labor Department's report also noted which job fields are hot, and not. Meanwhile, Wall Street is getting Facebook fever ahead of the company's highly anticipated IPO. The government has released new rules on fracking. And filmmaker Jessica Yu talks about her new documentary, which discusses the scarcity of water and how it could reshape economies.
The White House and carmakers have agreed to higher fuel efficiency standards for cars -- and it could still lead to higher gas prices. The average compensation for CEOs rose more than 10 percent last year, according to a report out today. Chesapeake Energy is one of the stars of the North American oil and gas boom, but its stock has dropped 25 percent this month. Unpaid interns increasingly say they're being exploited. And Politico's John Bresnahan talks about the high rate of return Rep. Brad Sherman has on invested campaign money.
Online networks like Hulu are trying to compete with traditional networks for advertising. Europe's austerity economics is plunging the continent into recession, and commentator Robert Reich says the U.S. isn't far behind. Mastercard reported a 25 percent increase in first quarter profits. Kai Ryssdal talks to Marketo CEO Phil Fernandez about Facebook's upcoming road show and about to "sell" a company ahead of an IPO. And on the latest installment of Freakonomics radio, the hidden side of flowers as gifts.
President Barack Obama arrived in Afghanistan today to sign an agreement to chart future relations with the country. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is in Beijing, prepping for talks of economics and security on Thursday. A British parliamentary committee says Rupert Murdoch is "not fit to run a major company." Delta Air Lines is buying an oil refinery to make its own fuel. Sound is the latest frontier for brand marketing. And Frontline's Martin Smith reports on the fall of MF Global.
Microsoft is investing $300 million in Barnes & Noble's e-book and college textbook business. Spain sank into recession in the first quarter, while Japan's economy has not grown for the last 20 years. In Oakland, Calif., a handful of 'popup' stores decided to open all at one time, and they have no plans to close. "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark," once the laughing stock of the theatre world, may pick up a few Tony Award nominations. And Kai Ryssdal talks to Yancey Strickler, co-founder of the crowdfunding website Kickstarter.com.
Host Kai Ryssdal talks to U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner about the country's economic recovery, the European debt crisis, the legacy of his tenure in the White House and more. Meanwhile, the Obama administration is targeting for-profit schools that falsely market to veterans. Commentator Rex Huppke offers up a few solutions to drive down gas prices. And we meet a rickshaw driver in India and hear how globalization has changed his work.
Twenty years after the L.A. riots, economic mobility is still hard to come by for low-income black and Latinos. Mitchell Hartman reports on how neighborhoods affected by the unrest have recovered. Chrysler had its best quarter since emerging from bankruptcy, while Nintendo posted its first-ever loss. For the first time under the Affordable Care Act, some health insurers are paying back part of consumer premiums. And we have our latest Attitude Check with Gallup.
The Trouble Asset Relief Program, or TARP, is currently running a $60 billion loss, according to a report out today. The USDA has identified one case of Mad Cow disease in a California dairy cow, but the cattle industry is staying relatively calm. A university is offering full scholarships to students who successfully pitch business plans -- and are ready to give the school a 10 percent stake. There's now an SEC inquiry into Hollywood executives paying for movies to play in China. And despite corporate incentives and serving as a setting for HBO's "Game of Thrones," Northern Ireland hasn't escaped the economic stagnation borne out of conflict.
