National Columnist: Investment Choices Are Personal September 29, 2006 • Debra Neiman, the personal finance columnist for Entrepreneur.com, talks about how the average investor should approach the ups and downs of the Dow industrials. She tells Steve Inskeep that investors should always base decisions on their own goals.
Economy Dip in Gas Prices Helps Consumers, Hurts Investors September 27, 2006 • Gasoline prices have fallen more than 20 percent. And natural gas is selling for less than half what it cost a year ago. But that doesn't mean everyone is benefitting equally from the abrupt reversal.
Opinion Analysis Economist Warns of Housing Market Decline September 27, 2006 • Recent federal reports have shown that existing home sales -- the figure that economists say most closely influences pricing -- are in a general decline. Analysts say that could be trouble, despite today's report that sales of new houses rebounded in August from a dip in July. Hear Michele Norris and economics professor William Wheaton.
Economy Slump Has Homebuilders Offering Buyers Incentives September 27, 2006 • New home-sales figures released today are causing some analysts to say the housing market is stablizing, which may help homebuilders -- who are trying to entice buyers with incentives.
Business The 100 Best Companies for Working Moms September 27, 2006 • Abbott Labs, FannieMae, IBM and Bristol-Myers Squibb are high on the list of the 100 best companies for working mothers, according to Working Mother magazine. Carol Evans of Working Mother Media, the magazine's parent company, offers details on the report.
Gas Prices Fell 50 Cents; Consumers Heartened September 26, 2006 • Lower prices at the pump have helped boost consumer sentiment, economists say. Over the past month, the retail price of gasoline plunged by 50 cents, or 17 percent, to an average of $2.38 a gallon nationwide, according to Energy Department statistics.
The Color of Money Dealing with Not-So-Happy Return Policies September 26, 2006 • Many retailers are getting tougher on customers who want to return items. Day to Day personal finance contributor Michelle Singletary talks with Madeleine Brand about why stores have changed their return policies, and how consumers can fight back.
Opinion My House, My Greed: A Market Fable September 22, 2006 • Commentator and Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez bought a house in 2001. He watched it rise in value with excitement and glee. Unfortunately, all his big plans regarding his newly acquired equity have plummeted -- along with the Los Angeles housing market.
Speed of Housing Downturn Surprises Homeowners September 22, 2006 • The real estate market has made a surprisingly quick downturn in some parts of the country. The change in direction has left many homeowners holding property they can't sell at the price they would like, or need, to get.
U.S. Oil Consumption Continues to Rise September 20, 2006 • According to the Energy Information Agency, a division of the Department of Energy, U.S. consumption of oil will grow nearly 2 percent in 2007. That's another 400,000 barrels per day.
More Homeowners Praying for a Buyer September 19, 2006 • Stores that stock religious goods report that they're selling more statues of St. Joseph. It's good for stores, but maybe not the larger economy, because St. Joseph is, in effect, the patron saint of real estate. His likeness is much in demand when people have trouble selling their houses. Faithful sellers bury the statues close to the "For Sale" sign, and then pray for a buyer.
Economy Oil and Gasoline Prices Drop Quickly, Quietly September 18, 2006 • Gasoline prices have fallen more than 40 cents over the past two months. But that sharp decline hasn't received nearly as much attention as the big run-up in gas prices earlier in the year. The slide has everyone asking if it's a long-term trend, or just a brief respite from higher prices.
Katrina & Beyond Post-Katrina Market Offers Shot at Upward Mobility September 17, 2006 • The real estate market in the "new" New Orleans is offering some families the opportunity to buy their dream house. They're moving into neighborhoods that they never thought they could afford.
Business Buyouts Likely to Weaken UAW Further September 15, 2006 • The UAW faces further weakening with the announcement by Ford that it will offer buyouts to all North American hourly workers in an effort to slash its payroll. The move will eventually drain thousands of workers from the UAW's active rolls.
National Chicago Politicians Clash on Minimum Wage September 14, 2006 • Chicago Mayor Richard Daley recently vetoed an ordinance that would have required big-box retailers to provide workers with a higher minimum wage. On Wednesday, the city council tried, but failed, to override his veto.