- Friday, May 8, 2009
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Why the pace of layoffs has slowed
Last month's unemployment numbers are out, and they're not as bad as some experts expected. But half a million layoffs is still a whole lot of people. John Dimsdale reports on why the pace of layoffs has slowed. More»
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Mandatory composting may come to SF
San Francisco wants to boost its high recycling rate, so it may become the first city to make composting mandatory. Caitlan Carroll reports. More»
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Idle mill puts Alabama workers in limbo
The American steel industry announced 5,000 layoffs, including suspending production at a mill in Alabama. Tanya Ott reports. More»
Podcast, get your podcast here
On Marketplace After the Bell, I look back on the week in business and economy and try to make sense of it. Sometimes, trying to make sense of it is like trying to do a Rubik’s Cube with one hand. But by golly, I did it. My theme this week is poker, baby, poker. In the high-stakes game of the economy, this week was definitely the flop. You can get the podcast here. Thanks to producer Phyllis Owens, associate producer Fiona Ng and engineer Stephen Colon. Have a great weekend.
- May 8, 2009 1:47 PM PT — Scott Jagow
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Ships going nowhere
This falls into the picture-says-a-thousand-words category. The International Economy magazine features a Google Earth photo that makes the coastline of one of the world’s busiest ports look like a parking lot. It’s not a good sign for world trade.
Continue reading Ships going nowhere
- May 8, 2009 12:09 PM PT — Scott Jagow
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Chrysler creditors call it quits
The Chrysler lenders who were putting up such a fight over the bankruptcy and Fiat deal have decided to throw in the towel. The creditors withdrew their protest today after a couple of the big players in the group abandoned the fight because the “financial and political costs were too high.”
Continue reading Chrysler creditors call it quits
- May 8, 2009 12:08 PM PT — Scott Jagow
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The banks move fast
A couple of the stress test banks that need to raise capital have already done so. Wells Fargo sold $7.5 billion in stock. Morgan Stanley raised the same amount selling stocks and bonds. What’s really interesting here is that all the banks think the government is way underestimating the banks’ future profits.
Continue reading The banks move fast
- May 8, 2009 11:31 AM PT — Scott Jagow
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Companies looking like boobs
Two PR blunders worth mentioning, and they both involve breasts. KFC has reneged on a coupon for a free grilled chicken meal because hordes of people were beating down KFC’s doors to cash it. Marks and Spencer is reversing its new bra pricing policy because hordes of big-breasted women were threatening to storm the British retailer.
Continue reading Companies looking like boobs
- May 8, 2009 8:18 AM PT — Scott Jagow
- 2 Comments
Morning Reading
Good news, bad news on the job front this morning. The economy lost 539,000 jobs last month . That’s the lowest monthly total since October. But the unemployment rate shot up to 8.9%, which is the highest rate since September 1983. The reason? Job numbers for February and March were revised upward. Other things to read:
Continue reading Morning Reading
- May 8, 2009 7:32 AM PT — Scott Jagow
- 1 Comments
Trading Floor
Question of the day:
Laid off? Door #1: Burn bridge. Door #2: Stay in touch. Which do you choose?
- Podcast »
After the Bell
Scott Jagow makes sense of the week in business and the economy. Subscribe now.
- Special Reports and Series
The Big Shift »
How the recession is changing our lives. Get more.
The Borrowers »
A series of reports on Americans' changing relationship with credit. Get more.
- The Whiteboard »
Capital structure
In stories about the auto companies and the banks, we've been hearing about debt-to-equity swaps and exchanging preferred shares for common stock. To understand how those work, you need to understand a company's capital structure. Senior Editor Paddy Hirsch explains. Watch the video.
- Getting Personal »
Q: Take on graduate student loans
My son graduated in December in one of the worst economic times... His goal was always to go onto graduate school... The bottom line: $91,000 for a 4 year doctorate program... When do you decide to take on this much debt?... Leslee, Boulder, CO Read Chris Farrell's answer »
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