The Business Desk

Art Collection Could Prove Shrewd Investment for Lehman Brothers

Two years to the month after the titan of Wall Street declared bankruptcy, Lehman Brothers’ extensive and diverse art collection is headed to the titans of the auction block: Sotheby’s of New York and Christie’s of London. The art was…

Why Not Look to the Small Stuff as Indicators the Economy is Turning Around?

Question: In trying to understand how to read the signs that we might be in a more robust recovery I hear a lot about business expansion, hiring, product development and other growth oriented factors that would serve as key indicators.

Why Can’t New Jobs Be Created Immediately?

Question: First of all, thank you for the articles on the 99ers. We need all the attention we can get. My question is this: Why can’t U.S. business leaders take IMMEDIATE action, perhaps…

Paul Solman Chats With Hari Sreenivasan

Hari Sreenivasan recently talked with Paul Solman about the emotional responses people have had when interviewed about losing their homes, their jobs or both in the economic downturn. Also, ‘The Hat’ makes a special appearance. ]>…

Sizing Up Wall Street Critic Elizabeth Warren as Your Consumer Advocate

Paul Solman: Today, Elizabeth Warren was put into de facto control of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau she helped conceive. Opposition from America’s banks was the widely reported reason she wasn’t formally nominated to run it. One might wonder that…

Flamboyant Executive of Possibly Defective Military Body Armor Convicted of Fraud

Paul Solman: Another day, another update to follow the Mott’s applesauce strike. This, an update to one of our rare NewsHour investigative reports — on arguably deficient body armor for our troops, and corruption in the contracting process.

Update | Mott’s Strike Settled: Workers Returning to Apple Sauce Factory

Paul Solman: There was considerable viewer interest in last week's story on increased U.S. productivity being caused by a reservoir of unemployed workers, allowing firms to pressure workers to toil longer and harder for the same or lower wages.

Can We Both Feed the World in a Sustainable Way and Feed it Quality Food?

Question: As a society, we in America seem proud of our desire to help others, and that is of course laudable. In recent years, there is a movement toward more environmentally-friendly food for a number of reasons, nutritional and otherwise.

What Would Increased Interest Rates Do to the Economy?

Question: If the Federal Reserve raises interest rates by the end of 2010, what effect would this have on the overall economy? Let’s assume the economy is “recovering” at the rate Ben Bernanke states it is, as of today. People…

How Safe is the Municipal Bond Market?

Question: When states like California are struggling with their fiscal budgets, how safe is the municipal bond market? Paul Solman: Not as safe as it used to be. Not nearly. You can see that reflected, to some extent, in the…