Business & Economy 2004 Archive | PBS NewsHour

ABOUT US \| LOCAL TV LISTINGS EMAIL PRINT

BUSINESS & ECONOMY


	2004 DECEMBER Dec. 31, 2004 Cambodia's Garment Industry Fred de Sam Lazaro of Twin Cities Public Television in Minnesota reports on how Cambodia is trying to prepare for major changes in global trade.

	Dec. 23, 2004 Corporate Social Responsibility Can Help Bottom Line At the annual Business for Social Responsibility conference, corporations explore ways to give back to the community and look at the effect good deeds have on the bottom line.

	Dec. 23, 2004 Russian State-Owned Oil Company Buys Private Firm Yukos Russian oil company Yukos lost its most valuable oil production subsidiary to a state-owned firm. Jeffrey Brown looks at the re-nationalization of the company with Marshall Goldman, associate director of the Davis Center for Russian studies at Harvard University, and J. Robinson West, founder of PFC Energy, a consulting group.

	Dec. 22, 2004 Fannie Mae's Financial Troubles The mortgage-finance company, Fannie Mae, is under investigation for accounting violations. Yesterday two top officials of the housing finance giant stepped down. Business Week's Washington Bureau deputy chief, Mike McNamee, discusses the financial troubles of Fannie Mae.

	Dec. 22, 2004 Financing Stadiums Faces Political Hurdles On Tuesday, Washington D.C. passed a financing plan to pay for a new baseball stadium. Two economists explore the debate over public and private funding for sports arenas.

	Dec. 20, 2004 Changes to Federal Investment Program Could Affect Low-Income Communities Correspondent Tom Bearden reports on possible changes to a federal investment program that could affect low-income communities.

	Dec. 20, 2004 Questions Loom about Iraq's Economic Stability Ray Suarez speaks with Iraqi interim Finance Minister Adil Abd al-Mahdi about the economic stability of the country.

	Dec. 15, 2004 Experts Discuss President Bush's Fiscal Vision At an economic conference Wednesday, President Bush pledged to reduce the growing deficit to help boost the dollar abroad. Two economists discuss the president's fiscal plans for the country.

	Dec. 15, 2004 Nextel and Sprint Announce Plans to Merge Ray Suarez leads a discussion on the Nextel-Sprint merger with a wireless and media analyst and a consumer expert.

	Dec. 14, 2004 Commerce Department Announces New Record Trade Deficit Gwen Ifill speaks with an economic analyst about America's growing trade deficit.

	Dec. 14, 2004 Google Announces Plans to Allow Users to Access Libraries Library and technology experts join Ray Suarez for a look at Google's plans to make reference libraries searchable online.

	Dec. 10, 2004 Shiny Apple Correspondent Spencer Michels looks at how Apple's iPods have rejuvenated Apple Computer.

	Dec. 9, 2004 IBM Sells PC Business to Chinese Company Margaret Warner discusses IBM's sale of its personal computer business to one of China's top PC makers with a technology expert and a China analyst.

	Dec. 7, 2004 Wine Shipments Correspondent Elizabeth Brackett of WTTW-Chicago reports on the case currently before the Supreme Court regarding states' importation of wine. Then, Jan Crawford Greenburg of the Chicago Tribune joins correspondent Jeffrey Brown to discuss the arguments.

	Dec. 2, 2004 Reasons for the Dollar Decline and the Effect on the Global Economy Two economists discuss the dropping value of the dollar and the impact it could have on the global economy.



	NOVEMBER Nov. 26, 2004 Holiday Shopping Season Begins Jeffrey Brown discusses the beginning of the holiday shopping season with two experts.

	Nov. 22, 2004 Congress Passes Federal Spending Bill and Raises Debt Ceiling Jeffrey Brown speaks with a congressional scholar about the recently passed federal spending bill and raised debt ceiling.

	Nov. 17, 2004 Kmart and Sears Announce Merger That Will Create Third Largest Retailer Ray Suarez talks with a retail analyst about the Kmart and Sears merger.



	OCTOBER Oct. 28, 2004 Economic, Social Issues Play Part in Voters' Decisions A look at which issues are most important to voters, and if those issues are in voters' economic interest.

	Oct. 15, 2004 Jobs & the Swing States Jobs have become a major issue in presidential swing states like Ohio. Representatives from Ohio's business and labor sectors discuss the job situation in the Buckeye state and efforts of the presidential candidates to boost job growth.

	Oct. 11, 2004 Senate Passes Corporate Tax Bill The Senate passed a massive corporate tax bill Monday that gives businesses a $136 million tax break. An expert discusses the congressional overhaul of corporate tax law.

	Oct. 6, 2004 Fannie Mae's Financial Crisis Jeffrey Brown gives an update on the legal and financial troubles of mortgage giant Fannie Mae.



	SEPTEMBER Sept. 28, 2004 Fannie Mae Agrees to Change Accounting, Management Practices Fannie Mae, the financial giant of the American housing market, finds itself under fire for its accounting and management practices.

	Sept. 23, 2004 Congress, Presidential Candidates Debate Tax Cuts The congressional proposal over whether to make middle-class tax cuts permanent ties into a larger debate between the two presidential candidates over tax cuts. Kwame Holman explores what Congress is saying about the tax cuts.

	Sept. 23, 2004 Candidates Debate Tax Cut Plans As Congress considers making current middle-class tax cuts permanent, the presidential nominees are involved in a larger debate over taxes. Representatives of the two campaigns debate their plans.

	Sept. 22, 2004 The Candidates Address Social Security Social Security is one of the issues the presidential candidates are discussing this election year. Ray Suarez explores the Social Security savings issue with John Kerry's advisor on economic policy and a South Carolina senator.

	Sept. 14, 2004 Two Experts Discuss Differences in Presidential Candidates' Economic Policies The issue of the economy is traditionally the trump topic for voters in presidential campaigns. Two experts discuss the differences in the two presidential candidates' economic policies.

	Sept. 13, 2004 U.S. Airways Files for Bankruptcy for Second Time in Two Years U.S. Airways Sunday filed for bankruptcy for the second time in two years. Delta Airlines announced plans last week to eliminate 10 percent of its workforce, and United Airlines is still struggling to recover from two years of bankruptcy proceedings.

	Sept. 9, 2004 Candidates Address Trade, Health Care Rather Than CBS Documents President Bush promoted his economic agenda at a rally in Colmar, Pa., today. Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., spoke about health care reform at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa. Kwame Holman reports.

	Sept. 7, 2004 Economists Discuss Differing Views on American Economy and Workforce Jeffrey Brown discusses the presidential candidates' differing viewpoints of the American economy and workforce with two political economists.



	AUGUST Aug. 31, 2004 Republican Leaders Give Their Opinions on President Bush's Economic Policies Gwen Ifill talks with Gov. Linda Lingle, R-Hawaii, Gov. Mike Huckabee, R-Ark., and Rep. Phil English, R-Pa., about how President Bush's economic policies are having positive effects on their states.

	Aug. 31, 2004 Public Opinion on the Economy A recent poll indicates that voters are largely dissatisfied with economic conditions, despite new figures showing improved growth. The majority fault President Bush's stewardship of the economy, according to the Pew Research Center survey released this month. Terence Smith examines the political implications of the study.

	Aug. 31, 2004 Republican Delegates Give Their Views on the U.S. Economy The state of the American economy is slated to remain the main domestic issue in the presidential campaign. Ray Suarez gets perspectives from some Republican delegates about their opinions on the president's economic policies.

	Aug. 30, 2004 Bush Economics Paul Solman speaks with Glenn Hubbard, dean of Columbia University Business School and former chairman of the president's Council of Economic Advisers, about President Bush's economic policy.

	Aug. 23, 2004 Critics Decry Effect of Wal-Mart's Low Prices Paul Solman reports on the policies and practices of retail giant Wal-Mart and its critics' claims that the company's low-priced products have an often-unseen cost for overseas workers as well as American consumers.

	Aug. 20, 2004 Wal-Mart the Global Giant Paul Solman examines Wal-Mart's distribution system and its productivity. Current employees explain how Wal-Mart operates, while some former associates share their discontent with the United States' largest private employer.

	Aug. 19, 2004 Google Trades Publicly on NASDAQ Stock Market The Internet search engine Google earned just over $100 per share as it traded publicly on the NASDAQ stock market for the first time Thursday. An Internet stock analyst discusses the highly anticipated initial public offering.

	Aug. 18, 2004 President Bush and Senator Kerry Raise Defense and Economy Issues President Bush and Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., addressed the issues of defense and the economy, respectively, in speeches Wednesday. Kerry spoke at the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Cincinnati, and President Bush appeared at a container company in Chippewa Falls, Wis.

	Aug. 17, 2004 St. Louis School Experiments with Allowing Private Firm to Help Run Schools The St. Louis School District turned to a New York firm for help after an audit revealed it was spending around 40 percent more than the national average per pupil and only 5 percent of its high-school juniors could read at a proficient level. John Merrow examines the experiment to allow a private firm to run its public schools.

	Aug. 16, 2004 Techonology May Play Role in U.S. Job Development Many investors and economists remain unsure about the role of new technology in the development of new jobs and the outsourcing of old ones. Some experts talk about what changes they expect in the U.S. labor market.

	Aug. 11, 2004 Oil Prices Ease Slightly After Hitting Record Highs Oil prices eased slightly lower Wednesday after hitting a new high Tuesday of $45.04 per barrel. Jeffrey Brown discusses the recent rise in oil prices and the factors that impact those prices with Robert Leiber, a professor of government and foreign service at Georgetown University.

	Aug. 6, 2004 Political Wrap The New York Times' David Brooks and Boston Globe columnist Tom Oliphant assess the political ramifications of the latest unemployment numbers as well as this week's terror alert.

	Aug. 6, 2004 Job Numbers Spark Questions of Economic Growth The latest employment numbers indicated that job growth continues to trail behind the growth of the overall economy. These statistics have caused some to question the strength of the economic recovery. Two economists assess the situation.

	Aug. 2, 2004 Specific U.S. Financial Institutions May Be Terrorist Targets The U.S. government disclosed intelligence Monday that suggests specific financial institutions may be the targets of planned al-Qaida attacks. Monday's warning is the first intelligence on specific targets the U.S. government has released to the public since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

	Aug. 2, 2004 Implications Of An Attack On a Major U.S. Financial Institution Ray Suarez discusses the possible implications of an attack on an American financial institution with Blake Coppotelli, managing director at the risk consulting firm Kroll, and Jim Browning, a columnist for the Wall Street Journal.



	JULY July 27, 2004 Democrats Focus on the Economy Although Democrats are stressing their unity during this week's convention, wings of the party have vastly different plans for how to improve the economy, expand access to health care and create higher-paying jobs.

	July 26, 2004 Correspondent Paul Solman Explores the Kerry Economic Plan Economics correspondent Paul Solman takes a tour of Boston with Kerry economic adviser Laura Tyson to explore the practical impact of the Democratic nominee's plan.

	July 21, 2004 Microsoft to Return $75 Billion to Shareholders Microsoft announced it would return up to $75 billion to its shareholders in what may be the largest cash disbursement in corporate history. The software giant said the payout would come in a combination of dividends and stock buybacks. Jeffrey Brown and experts discuss Microsoft's announcement.

	July 21, 2004 Insurance Scams Target Some Military Enlistees Away from combat zones, some U.S. military enlistees have become targets of schemes to sell them expensive life-insurance policies. A discussion with New York Times reporter Diana Henriques about her two-part series investigating the scams.

	July 16, 2004 Martha Stewart Sentenced A federal judge sentenced home design guru Martha Stewart on Friday to five months in prison and two years probation after a jury convicted the former CEO of conspiracy, obstruction of justice and lying to federal investigators about a stock deal. Ray Suarez discusses the decision.

	July 8, 2004 Kenneth Lay's Indictmnet Former Enron head Kenneth Lay surrendered to the FBI Thursday and pleaded not guilty to 11 federal criminal counts stemming from the 2001 collapse of the once giant energy trading company.

	July 5, 2004 Wal-Mart Sex Discrimination Lawsuit Paul Solman reports on the Wal-Mart sex discrimination lawsuit, the largest employment discrimination case to head to court.



	JUNE June 30, 2004 The Federal Reserve Raises Interest Rates The Federal Reserve boosted a key short-term interest rate to 1.25 percent from 1 percent Wednesday. The widely expected move is the first rate increase in four years.

	June 29, 2004 Inside North Korea Special Correspondent Martin Himel offers a rare look at daily life inside the highly secretive communist nation North Korea, where leaders are experimenting with ways to improve the economy.

	June 23, 2004 Contractors in Iraq U.S. companies continue to vie for reconstruction contracts in Iraq, despite dangerous conditions and the upcoming handover of power to the Iraqi interim government on June 30.

	June 15, 2004 Eye on Inflation At the Senate Banking Committee hearing to approve Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan for a fifth term, senators also sought to confirm whether a recent rise in retail inflation would lead the Fed to increase interest rates. Ray Suarez discusses the renewed interest in interest rates with Jeff Faux and David Jones.

	June 15, 2004 Political Wrap President Bush and Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry also used economic indicators to argue for their economic plans in separate speeches. Terence Smith looks at the time both candidates have invested in addressing concerns about the economy.

	June 10, 2004 Reagan's Economic Legacy In the more than 15 years since the late President Ronald Reagan left office, experts have continued to debate the merits of his policies. His economic agenda -- known as Reaganomics -- was characterized by tax cuts, deficit spending and lower inflation.

	June 10, 2004 United Airlines' Struggle After years of labor struggles, United Airlines says it is on track to avoid bankruptcy this summer. Elizabeth Brackett looks at United's turbulent flight back to friendly skies.

	June 4, 2004 Jobs U.S. employers added nearly a quarter of a million jobs in the month of May, the ninth straight month of growth, while the unemployment rate held steady at 5.6 percent. Correspondent Jeffrey Brown looks at the current job picture and its effect on new graduates with experts.

	June 4, 2004 Taxes at the Top Business correspondent Paul Solman reports on legal tax shelters and the backlash against them.



	MAY May 24, 2004 The Presumed Alliance with Author Nicholas Vaca The author of "The Presumed Alliance: The Unspoken Conflict Between Latinos and Blacks and What It Means for America," examines the economic, social and political realities that create tension between these two groups.

	May 24, 2004 Taxing Issues in Oregon Oregon voters have not approved a hike of the state income tax in 75 years, but with fewer people on payrolls, local schools are feeling the squeeze from decreased state revenue. Lee Hochberg looks at tax and spend politics in Oregon.

	May 14, 2004 Shields and Brooks Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks discuss Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's visit to Iraq, the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal and its impact on the presidential election.

	May 14, 2004 Interest Rates on the Rise? The Federal Reserve reported gains in industrial output in April, but the consumer-price core index, a lead indicator of inflation, also rose. Correspondent Paul Solman speaks with economists Nick Perna and Paul Samuelson about the Federal Reserve's role in managing interest rates and inflation.

	May 14, 2004 Price Surge: High Oil Prices Oil prices reached their highest level in 21 years, as Americans are paying more for gasoline than at any other time. Margaret Warner discusses energy prices with Yasser Elguindi, director of oil and energy at Medley Global Advisors, and Robert Lieber, professor of government and foreign service at Georgetown University.

	May 4, 2004 Pain at the Pump American motorists are paying an average of $1.84 for a gallon for regular gasoline, the highest rate in history. Elizabeth Brackett looks at how high fuel prices are affecting Chicago.

	May 4, 2004 Former Banker Convicted A New York jury convicted former Credit Suisse First Boston banker Frank Quattrone of obstructing a 2000 government investigation into how initial public offerings were allocated. Ray Suarez discusses the case and its outcome with New York Times business reporter Andrew Ross Sorkin and former federal prosecutor Zachary Carter.



	APRIL April 30, 2004 Going Public Google, the Web search engine so popular its name became a verb, announced an Initial Public Offering and said it would sell its stock through an innovative Internet auction. Spencer Michels looks at this latest move. Ray Suarez follows up with Charlene Li, a technology and media marketing analyst for Forrester Research.

	April 29, 2004 Economic Picture The Commerce Department reported today that American gross domestic product grew by an annual percentage rate of 4.2 in the first quarter of this year. Ray Suarez gets regional perspectives.

	April 26, 2004 On the Issues President Bush and Democratic presidential contender Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts spoke of jobs and the economy today.

	April 22, 2004 Going Public? From Silicon Valley to Wall Street, the buzz is that Internet search engine Google is soon to issue stock and go public. Spencer Michels reports.

	April 19, 2004 Falling Dollar Leaders of the industrial world met in Florida earlier this year to discuss international finances and exchange rates. Paul Solman reports from New York on the effects of the fall of the U.S. dollar against other currencies, the biggest currency trend of the past year.

	April 15, 2004 Taxing the Poor Paul Solman looks at how the tax system impacts low-income Americans.

	April 2, 2004 U.S. Jobs Jump The Labor Department reported Friday that employers added 308,000 new jobs in nearly all major categories last month, causing the fastest rate of U.S. job creation since April 2000. Two economics experts take a closer look at the numbers and discuss what they may indicate for future job growth.



	MARCH March 31, 2004 Over a Barrel? OPEC announced a 4 percent cut in production, a move that is expected to drive up U.S. prices for gasoline. Oil industry experts discuss how OPEC's decision will impact the U.S. economy and world markets.

	March 29, 2004 Tyco Trial A New York judge rejected a defense motion for mistrial today in the corporate corruption case of former Tyco executives Dennis Kozlowski and Mark Swartz. Gwen Ifill discusses the case and continuing deliberations with New York Times business reporter Andrew Ross Sorkin.

	March 26, 2004 Money and Politics in 2004 Recent campaign finance reforms have made it harder for political parties to spend soft money. Margaret Warner looks at the political committees called 527s, which have become popular conduits for campaign cash.

	March 12, 2004 Gas Price Spike This week, the national average for a gallon of unleaded gas climbed to $1.73, forcing many drivers to shell out $20, $30, or more to fill up. Ray Suarez discusses why prices at the pump continue to climb with Severin Borenstein, director of the University of California Energy Institute.

	March 11, 2004 Jobs Moving Overseas Margaret Warner explores the growing debate over "outsourcing" and U.S. jobs going overseas with Jagdish Bhagwati, professor of international trade at Columbia University, and Harley Shaiken, professor of labor and the global economy at the University of California, Berkeley.

	March 9, 2004 Tom's Journal: American Jobs in India Terence Smith talks with New York Times columnist Tom Friedman about his latest trip to Bangalore, India, where he examined the politics of outsourcing American jobs overseas.

	March 8, 2004 Corporate Executives Face New Scrutiny Martha Stewart was convicted for lying to prosecutors over a personal stock trade. Other CEOs are facing criminal prosecution for defrauding their companies or increased public scrutiny of their management techniques. Margaret Warner gets perspectives from three business experts.

	March 5, 2004 Unemployment Woes The Labor Department released a report Friday showing that job growth all but stalled in February. The nation's payrolls grew by just 21,000, falling more than 100,000 jobs short of the figure originally anticipated. Economists assess what the latest numbers suggest about the state of the nation's economic health.

	March 3, 2004 Walt Disney Shareholders Meet Walt Disney Company shareholders cast the future of its longtime chief executive, Michael Eisner, into some doubt on Wednesday when more than 40 percent voted against his re-election to the company's board. After a background report, Terence Smith discusses Disney's investor revolt with media analyst Tom Wolzien.

	March 2, 2004 Called to Account A federal grand jury indicted former WorldCom CEO Bernard Ebbers this week in a multibillion dollar corporate accounting scandal. Gwen Ifill discusses the case with FBI Assistant Director Pasquale D'Amuro and Deborah Solomon of the Wall Street Journal.

	March 1, 2004 Bitter Bargain The United Food and Commercial Workers' Union in California approved a new contract Saturday, ending a grocery workers' strike and lockout that lasted nearly five months. Jeffrey Kaye reports on the reasons behind the dispute and its national implications.



	FEBRUARY Feb. 19, 2004 Called to Account Former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling pleaded not guilty to 40 federal counts of fraud, conspiracy and insider trading today in Houston. Spencer Michels offers an update on the continued fallout from the Enron collapse.

	Feb. 19, 2004 Called to Account Former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling pleaded not guilty to 40 federal counts of fraud, conspiracy and insider trading Thursday in Houston. Margaret Warner and legal experts discuss the former executive's role in the historic accounting scandal.

	Feb. 19, 2004 Red Ink Federal budget time has arrived again, and the United States is running more than $500 billion in the red. Paul Solman looks at the growing budget deficit and why people are worried about it.

	Feb. 17, 2004 Wireless Revolution The proposed merger between Cingular and AT&T Wireless may reshape the fiercely competitive cell phone market. Ray Suarez discusses the proposed union between the second and third largest U.S. wireless carriers with industry analyst Charles Golvin of Forrester Research.

	Feb. 12, 2004 Media Battle Comcast Corp., the nation's largest cable operator, launched an unsolicited bid to merge with Walt Disney. Jim Lehrer and media experts discuss the implications of a Comcast-Disney union for consumers and whether the federal government should try to intercept a merger between cable operators and content providers.

	Feb. 10, 2004 New Battleground Essayist Anne Taylor Fleming considers the grocery workers strike in Southern California.

	Feb. 9, 2004 Big Enough Bounce? As President Bush touts positive economic indicators as part of his successful economic policy and Democrats warn of a jobless recovery, economists discuss the political implications of the state of the U.S. economy.

	Feb. 4, 2004 Immigration Reform The guest worker program President Bush recently proposed has sparked heated debate in California. Some labor groups in the state oppose the plan, but most businesses support it.

	Feb. 2, 2004 Budget Blueprint President Bush proposed a $2.4 trillion 2005 budget Monday, which includes increases in defense and homeland security spending and budget reductions for the Department of Agriculture and Environmental Protection Agency. Members of Congress debate the budget's potential effect on the federal deficit.

	Feb. 1, 2004 Extended Interview With Hanan Ashraw Palestinian legislator Hanan Ashrawi explains why she is opposed to the security barrier and tells Elizabeth Farnsworth that it is bring with it "tremendous economic and daily living hardships" for the Palestinians.



	JANUARY Jan. 29, 2004 Mad Cow The price of American beef plummeted at home and abroad after a slaughtered Washington state Holstein cow was found infected with mad cow disease in December. Tom Bearden reviews the reforms the U.S. Department of Agriculture implemented to ensure meat safety and their effect on the industry.

	Jan. 26, 2004 In The Red The Congressional Budget Office released a report today that said the federal budget deficit is expected to climb to $477 billion this year and rise as high as $2.4 trillion over the next ten years. Margaret Warner crunches these numbers with Douglas Holtz-Eakin, director of the Congressional Budget Office.

	Jan. 15, 2004 The Price of Loyalty The descriptions of the Bush White House in "The Price of Loyalty," a new book about Paul O'Neill's rocky tenure as Treasury secretary, have been contested by many loyal to the president. Ray Suarez speaks with the author, journalist Ron Suskind, about his book and then gets additional perspective from Mitch Daniels.

	Jan. 14, 2004 Fastows Reach Plea Deal in Enron Case Former Enron Chief Financial Officer Andrew Fastow pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy Wednesday in connection with the collapse of that energy company in 2001. Jim Lehrer discusses the case with New York Times correspondent Kurt Eichenwald and former assistant U.S. attorney Robert Mintz.

	Jan. 7, 2004 Parmalat Probe An Italian journalist discusses the investigation into the collapse of Italian food conglomerate Parmalat, which is facing an investigation into whether its founder Calisto Tanzi invented paper assets, funneled money to family companies and used extensive fraud to disguise growing losses.

	Jan. 2, 2004 Holiday Shopping The winter shopping season was merry for upscale stores but disappointing for discount retailers like Wal-Mart. Jeffrey Brown explores the trends behind the statistics with online retail analyst Patti Freeman and Evans Kurt Barnard of Barnard's Retail Trend Report.