Business and Financial News : NPR

Environment

New EPA Review Prompts Anxiety Over Mining Jobs

March 31, 2009 • The Environmental Protection Agency's stepped up scrutiny of coal permits has people in Appalachia worried bout the economic consequences. At issue is a mining process where the tops of mountains are blown off to reveal coal — with the resulting debris dumped in streams.

New EPA Review Prompts Anxiety Over Mining Jobs

Listen · 4:01 4:01

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/102572761/102573158" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

National

Commerce Secretary Sounds Off On Trade, Census

March 31, 2009 • Gary Locke, who was sworn in last week, tells NPR that the Obama administration will be consistent with Bush administration policies on the issue of unfair competition from a host of countries, including China. Locke also says he has been assured that the census director will report to him.

Commerce Secretary Sounds Off On Trade, Census

Listen · 4:59 4:59

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/102572731/102572713" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Who Owns Which Of The Big Three Brands?

March 31, 2009 • One of the problems with the Big Three U.S. automakers: They have too many brands. Who makes what? Almost no one can keep them straight. Melissa Block and Michele Norris run down the various brand names Ford, Chrysler and GM use to market their cars, and offer a bonus look at brands owned by the Italian carmaker Fiat.

Who Owns Which Of The Big Three Brands?

Listen · 1:49 1:49

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/102572725/102572711" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Economy

Auto Analyst: Ford's Finances Precarious

March 31, 2009 • Ford Motor Co. has managed to not take any federal loans and is in a dramatically different financial position than either GM or Chrysler. Maryann Keller, an independent auto analyst, says Ford may not be asking the government for bailout funds, but it is still in a precarious financial position.

Auto Analyst: Ford's Finances Precarious

Listen · 4:00 4:00

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/102572722/102572710" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Economy

Congress Divided Over Courts Fixing Foreclosures

March 31, 2009 • Democrats in Washington want to use the bankruptcy courts to try to help a lot of those homeowners on the verge of foreclosure. Republicans, however, oppose allowing bankruptcy judges to set new loan terms.

Congress Divided Over Courts Fixing Foreclosures

Listen · 4:46 4:46

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/102572166/102572717" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Economy

Dealer, Customers Ponder Future Of GM

March 31, 2009 • John Medved feels a direct connection to what happens to General Motors — eight of his Colorado dealerships sell GM products. Meanwhile, customers shopping for cars have mixed feelings about the administration's role in deciding the future of the auto industry.

Dealer, Customers Ponder Future Of GM

Listen · 4:15 4:15

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/102568777/102572709" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Technology

Conficker Computer Worm Activates April 1

March 31, 2009 • Estimates of the number of computers infected with the Conficker worm run from 1 milllion to 12 million. The malware's deadline is April 1, 2009, but no one really knows what will actually happen to the infected computers.

Conficker Computer Worm Activates April 1

Listen · 13:21 13:21

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/102565937/102565924" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Economy

As U.S. Lends Billions, Is Spending Sustainable?

March 31, 2009 • In recent months, the U.S. government provided $17 billion to the country's ailing automobile industry, and $700 billion to bailed-out banks and insurance companies. Congress passed a $789 billion economic stimulus plan, and they're debating a $3.6 trillion budget.

As U.S. Lends Billions, Is Spending Sustainable?

Listen · 30:20 30:20

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/102565926/102565921" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

World

For G-20 Leaders, 1933 Summit Holds Lessons

March 31, 2009 • In 1933, representatives from nearly every nation gathered in London for an economic conference aimed at rolling back a developing crisis. The meeting collapsed in failure. Leaders of the G-20 countries will aim to heed the lessons of that experience as they gather this week.

For G-20 Leaders, 1933 Summit Holds Lessons

Listen · 5:10 5:10

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/102562499/102572714" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Economy

Experts Discuss How To 'Prepare' For A Layoff

March 31, 2009 • Looking for a job is not easy in the current economic climate. Unemployment numbers are at their highest in decades. Money coach Alvin Hall is joined by columnist and human resource specialist Lily Garcia to discuss the best ways to prepare for a job transition, even if you're already employed.

Experts Discuss How To 'Prepare' For A Layoff

Listen · 14:03 14:03

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/102553553/102553545" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

National

Youth Job Seekers Also Hungry For Work

March 31, 2009 • Last week, hundreds of young people from the Washington, D.C., area were on foot at the the 2009 Summer Youth Job Expo. Youth, ages 14 to 21, came with resumes in hand hoping to earn money and gain work experience in industries ranging from health care and the arts, to media and construction trades. Participants share their ambitions.

Youth Job Seekers Also Hungry For Work

Listen · 3:04 3:04

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/102553550/102553544" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

President Ousts GM CEO In Effort To Restructure Motor City

March 31, 2009 • President Obama expanded the government's role yesterday when his administration asked General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner to step down. Obama has rejected GM's and Chrysler's restructuring plans. The president has also suggested the prospect of a "prepackaged bankruptcy" for the car companies. Host Michel Martin unpacks Obama's recent efforts to aid the Detroit car companies with Tom Walsh, a business columnist for the Detroit Free Press, and Warren Brown, The Washington Post's cars columnist.

President Ousts GM CEO In Effort To Restructure Motor City

Listen · 11:56 11:56

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/102553547/102553543" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Economy

Home Prices Fall Anew As Consumers Stay Wary

March 31, 2009 • Prices fell an average of 19 percent in January from the same month in 2008 as consumer confidence hovers at record lows, according to two surveys released Tuesday.

Auto Industry In Turmoil

What's Next For Car Manufacturing In The U.S.

March 31, 2009 • For 23 years, starting in 1957, Jim Harbour was an executive at Chrysler. Later he founded The Harbour Report, which is closely read by the automotive industry. Harbour is also the author of the new book Factory Man. He discusses whether the lack of a long-term strategic vision has caused the domestic auto industry to be in trouble.

What's Next For Car Manufacturing In The U.S.

Listen · 4:41 4:41

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/102549495/102549462" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Romanian Man Sentenced In 'Phishing' Scam

March 31, 2009 • A federal judge in Connecticut has sentenced a 23-year-old Romanian man to four years in prison for his involvement in an international "phishing" ring. In this kind of scam, criminals send e-mails luring people to a fake Web site — one that looks similar to a bank's Web page, for example. Unsuspecting Internet users are asked to put in sensitive data — like a credit card number. This is the first foreign defendant convicted in a broad effort to steal from Internet users.

Romanian Man Sentenced In 'Phishing' Scam

Listen · 1:08 1:08

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/102549489/102549460" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript