Apr 29 What Are Quants? Question: What are ‘quants’? Paul Solman: Quantitative experts, or if you prefer, “number jocks” or “math whizzes” who have gone to “Wall St.” (ie, the world of finance). They construct formulas for investing and packaging investments. Take their… Continue reading
Apr 29 Economy Shrank by 6.1% in First Quarter By Admin, PBS News Hour The Commerce Department released numbers Wednesday estimating the economy contracted during the first three months of the year at nearly the same rate as the final quarter of 2008, marking the third straight quarter of decline since the late 1950s. Continue reading
Apr 29 Reader Responses: In St. Louis, Comparing the Stimulus to the New Deal On Monday, Paul’s segment comparing the New Deal and the stimulus in St. Louis aired (you can watch it below), and as usual, a number of viewers wrote in. The topics ranged from okapi to jaywalking. Here are a few. Continue reading
Apr 28 Watch Chrysler Deadline Nears as GM Looks to Downsize After General Motors announced plans to cut another 21,000 jobs and Chrysler reached a deal with United Auto Workers that may help the automaker avoid bankruptcy, a New York Times reporter provides an update on Detroit automakers' latest efforts to… Continue watching
Apr 27 Watch In St. Louis, Unemployment Hits All Sectors As part of a series of reports from St. Louis on President Obama's first 100 days, Gwen Ifill examines the unemployment picture in St. Louis and talks to local residents about their thoughts on the economy. Continue watching
Apr 27 Watch In St. Louis, Comparing Stimulus Funds to the New Deal In the first in a series of reports from St. Louis on the Obama administration's first 100 days, Paul Solman tracks where federal stimulus money has been spent and compares today's projects with those funded by the New Deal during… Continue watching
Apr 27 Watch Other News: General Motors to Cut 21,000 Jobs In other news, General Motors announced plans to cut another 21,000 jobs and Chrysler reached a deal with United Auto Workers that may help the automaker avoid bankruptcy. Continue watching
Apr 27 St. Louis Arts Help Anchor Neighborhoods Once upon a time, St. Louis's Delmar Loop used to be a fashionable shopping boulevard accessible by trolley car. But like many other great urban areas in the 1960s, white flight took a heavy toll on many St. Louis neighborhoods:… Continue reading
Apr 27 When Will Any Housing Recovery Reach Small Businesses and Contractors? Question: The housing downturn has affected not only large builders, but also small businesses and contractors that support and supply them. How long will any recovery take for these sort of businesses? Paul Solman: I’m sort of a broken CD… Continue reading
Apr 27 How Does InBev's Purchase of Anheuser-Busch Affect St. Louis? Question: For nearly 150 years, Anheuser-Busch was locally owned here in St. Louis. Now, it’s owned by someone in Belgium. Does this really mean anything for St. Louis beyond those who work for Anheuser-Busch/InBev? Paul Solman: It certainly might. A… Continue reading