For retailers, it was a holiday season after all

Despite the usual concerns about consumer spending voiced before the holidays, the Commerce Department reported today that retail sales rose in December — to the highest level in five months. Alisa Roth has more.

Feds still tied to last year's budgets

Last year Congress didn't pass spending bills for most of the government, so most of the bureaucracy is working from last year's budgets and people are feeling the pinch. John Dimsdale reports.

AT&T to drop Cingular brand

Forget that brand known as Cingular. Everything's just plain AT&T from now on. Lisa Napoli asked the experts just how smart a move this might be.

Making green from green

San Francisco's New Resource Bank calls itself the country's first commercial bank aimed at "green business." Its backers include people who made money off the tech boom a decade ago. Sarah Gardner reports.

Week on Wall Street

Stockbroker and business analyst David Johnson discusses with host Kai Ryssdal what happened on Wall Street this week and what may lie ahead.

Mexico's tortilla prices rise on corn costs

Higher demand for corn-based ethanol is raising the price of corn. In Mexico, that means one of the country's staples, the tortilla, is getting more expensive. Jeff Tyler reports.

If you can't rent legally . . . buy

Cities in Texas, New Jersey, Missouri and Pennsylvania have passed laws that bar illegal immigrants from renting apartments. So, illegal immigrants are taking ownership of the problem. Joy Diaz reports.

Crossing the line to bigger profits

Stephanie Capparell's new book — "The Real Pepsi Challenge: The Inspirational Story of Breaking the Color Barrier" — tells how Pepsi grew by marketing to blacks. She talks with Kai Ryssdal.