May 19 Credit Card Regulations Easily Clear Senate Vote By PBS News Hour Senators voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to stop credit card companies from arbitrarily raising cardholder interest rates and charging unexpected fees that have become customary -- and crippling - for cash-strapped consumers during this recession. Continue reading
May 19 Why Are Credit Card Companies Raising Rates on Good Borrowers? Question: My wife’s credit card has been paid off in full, every month, for at least 10 years running (since we have been married). In fact, there usually is a 2-3 dollar “credit” balance every month. (I always round up… Continue reading
May 19 Obama Unveils Tougher Emissions Standards Plan By Admin, PBS News Hour President Barack Obama outlined plans Tuesday for the nation's first wide-ranging effort to curb vehicle emissions while cutting U.S. dependence on foreign oil, calling the plan an historic turning point toward a "clean-energy economy."… Continue reading
May 18 Curtain Call for the Amato Opera For 61 seasons, singers have taken to the tiny stage at the Amato Opera Company in Lower Manhattan, delighting audiences with a surprisingly big sound and an even bigger passion for music. But all of that is about to come… Continue reading
May 18 How Does Cutting Dealers Save the Automakers Money? Question: I keep hearing that GM has to shed brands and cut dealerships, but I don’t understand it. Is the logic simply that GM makes too many distinct carlines to be profitable given its total sales volume? Economies of… Continue reading
May 15 Watch Other News: Markets Fall on Auto Dealership Closings In other news, the markets fell on news of auto dealership closings, and consumer prices were unchanged in April. Continue watching
May 15 Watch Auto Dealership Closings Reverberate Across Economy General Motors and Chrysler announced the closings of hundreds of dealerships in an effort to bring the companies back from the brink of bankruptcy. Analysts examine the impact of the moves. Continue watching
May 15 GM Plans 18 Percent Reduction in Dealer Network By PBS News Hour A day after Chrysler unveiled plans to close a quarter of its dealerships, General Motors followed suit Friday by telling about a fifth of its dealers their franchises will be terminated by late next year. Continue reading
May 15 How Does Executive Pay Compare Around the World? Question: How does U.S. executive compensation compare to their counterparts around the world, such as Japan, Europe, Russia, Turkey? Paul Solman: I don’t know what constitutes executive compensation in Russia, but compared to Japan, Europe, Turkey (Turkey?) and pretty much… Continue reading
May 14 Watch Analysts Mull Treasury's Calls for Derivatives Regulation The Obama administration has called for Congress to tighten regulation on risky trade derivatives, the kind of complicated financial instrument that brought down insurer AIG. Analysts examine what the move means for financial markets. Continue watching