Dec 10 Watch Investors Turn to Low-risk Securities With Little Return As economic turmoil continues to rock the financial market, some investors are more willing to buy U.S. Treasury securities with low or zero yields in the short term. Analysts examine how the struggling economy is driving investors to minimal-risk investments. Continue watching
Dec 10 What is Free Trade? Question/Comment: What is free trade? I know the simple answer, no tariffs. But if a government subsidizes the production of a product or provides subsidies to farmers isn’t this interfering with the intent of the process? Paul Solman: Free trade… Continue reading
Dec 09 Watch Congress Debates Details of Automaker Rescue Plan Senate leaders continued to hammer out details of a rescue plan for U.S. automakers Tuesday, including limits on executive compensation and federal oversight of industry restructuring. Sens. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., and Richard Shelby, R-Ala., debate the plan's merits. Continue watching
Dec 09 What Are the Top U.S. Industries? Question/Comment: There’s been a lot of talk recently about saving the financial industry, the auto industry. What are the top U.S. industries, in terms of total dollar value, number of employees, etc? I tried Googling it, but did not use… Continue reading
Dec 08 Watch Auto Rescue Plan Advances as Congress, White House Near Deal Congressional leaders are hammering out a deal with the White House to offer General Motors and Chrysler $15 billion in low-interest loans. Two reporters discusses the details. Continue watching
Dec 08 If Big Companies Need Help, Then Why Do the CEO’s Still Get Huge Bonuses? Question/Comment: I am writing this with my mom’s permission. I am 12 years old and my question is if companies like Freddie and Fannie needs government help to bail them out, then how come the… Continue reading
Dec 08 Tribune Co. Files for Bankruptcy Protection By PBS News Hour Media conglomerate Tribune Co. filed for bankruptcy protection Monday, as the owner of the Chicago Tribune, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Cubs and several other newspapers and TV stations tries to restructure its debt of $13 billion. Continue reading
Dec 08 Could You Help Me Understand Credit Default Swap in Terms of Purchasing a Car? Question/Comment: The lease is up on my Lexus and I inquired about buying it. Lexus financial said that I’d have to pay the residual value from the lease. That amount is $10,000 over market value. It was later explained to… Continue reading
Dec 08 Markets See Early Lift on Infrastructure, Auto Bailout Plans By Admin, PBS News Hour U.S. stocks enjoyed an upbeat opening Monday as investors reacted to President-elect Barack Obama's plan to launch an infrastructure spending package to boost job growth and news that a deal on bailing out Detroit's Big Three automakers may be near. Continue reading
Dec 05 Watch Soaring Job Losses May Signal Deepening Recession U.S. employers cut 533,000 jobs in November, the most in 34 years, pushing the unemployment rate to 6.7 percent. Columnist Steven Pearlstein and economist Lakshman Achuthan examine what the new job figures indicate. Continue watching