Thursday, August 02, 2007
In this show. . .
Peace propels property values in N. Ireland
After decades of violence, Northern Ireland's Catholic and Protestant parties finally signed a peace deal in 1998. The changes since haven't been just political. The region is also experiencing an unprecedented housing boom. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.
Put away your China-made toys
Mattel's Fisher-Price is recalling some $30 million worth of toys made in China because the paint used on them may contain too much lead. Geoff Dyer explains why this particular case is an unusually worrying one.
Mouse + Penguin = cash cow
Sales of TV ads and theme park tickets helped boost earnings at Disney in the last quarter, but the Mouse House is already wooing tomorrow's customers. Yesterday it announced it's buying popular social networking site Club Penguin. Lisa Napoli reports.
Pros, cons of protecting against Yuan
China has been accused of keeping the value of its currency low to bolster exports. Cheap goods help U.S. retailers but can hurt manufacturers. Jill Barshay reports on the battle in Congress over protectionist measures.
Another foul for student loans
The student loan industry is already in big trouble. Now there are implications that athletics departments at 40 universities have been playing along with some ethically questionable marketing tactics. Jeremy Hobson explains.
Why so bullish for Blackstone?
Questions about possible conflicts of interest involving stock analysts have surfaced again. Like how reliable are their recommendations, especially when they have vested ties to the stocks they're pushing? Bob Moon reports.
Mexico bordering on a new philosophy
While the U.S. wrestles over illegal immigration, a similar debate is occurring in Mexico over its southern border with Guatemala. But instead of building fences, Mexico's Congress may decriminalize the act and just send offenders home. Dan Grech reports.
Is StubHub's MLB catch good for fans?
The eBay ticket-trading service gets an exclusive deal with baseball to re-sell tickets on team Websites. But critics complain about the markup, and the move could block cheaper competitors. Steve Henn reports.
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Music From This Show
Marketplace Confessional
"I disagree with Diana Nyad, who told Bob Moon today that Americans are not interested in Wimbledon because there are so few Americans playing. I love watching tennis, no matter who is playing. I have watched tennis for years, but the networks toy with us, creating drama rather than showing the match. Oftentimes, televised matches end precisely when the allotted time expires, even if they have to cut and splice. When they don't, as happened in a Nadal match last weekend, we were left hanging at the end of two sets, as NBC switched to women's golf. I don't have cable TV, so I couldn't switch to MSNBC as was suggested. It's enough to make me turn off the TV and read about the matches online."
Your Host
By age 14, Scott Jagow had no doubt what he would do with his life. He would be a lumberjack. I mean, an astronaut. A seismologist. No, make that a journalist … Full bio
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