Reverbiage: Stories from NPR tagged 'economy'

Obama's Remarks On Stimulating The U.S. Economy

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:52:00 EST

President-elect Barack Obama laid out his vision for an economic stimulus plan Thursday at George Mason University. Read his prepared remarks.

Obama To Deliver Major Economic Address

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 06:00:00 EST

President-elect Obama suggests his economic stimulus package would add up to about $775 billion over two years, but not the trillion dollar estimate that some economists have called for. Obama delivers a major speech on the economy Thursday. He's expected to make the case for urgent action on his stimulus package — a plan aimed at creating millions of jobs.

Can 'Green Jobs' Stimulate The Economy...

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:59:00 EST

Congress has begun work on an economic stimulus package that could cost as much as $1 trillion and will likely include tax incentives to encourage investment in green technologies. Many people think "green jobs" are a key part of rebuilding the economy, but not everyone is convinced.

Tracing The Highs And Lows Of The Bush Presidency

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:40:00 EST

Two weeks from now, President Bush will be former President Bush, and what was once his agenda will become his record. The president suggests that history will judge him better than the current analysis — given the ailing economy and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. So what will be his legacy? What will he be remembered for?

Infomercials Thrive Amid Downturn

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:43:00 EST

A downturn in the economy has provided a boom for infomercials. With the cost of ad time down, and more people watching television, pitches for products such as PedEgg, ShamWow and Snuggie have viewers picking up the phone and opening their wallets. A.J. Khubani, president and CEO of the direct response company Telebrands, talks about the uptick in business.

Obama Names Chief Performance Officer

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:42:00 EST

President-elect Barack Obama named Nancy Killefer as his chief performance officer, bringing modern ideas of business efficiency to the White House. He also spoke of his plans to revive the economy without worsening the federal budget deficit.

Alcoa To Eliminate 13,500 Jobs Worldwide

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 07:09:00 EST

Aluminum producer Alcoa Inc. is cutting roughly 13 percent of its global work force by the end of the year. It is slashing costs in the face of a deteriorating world economy. Alcoa's global rivals are also cutting costs. The entire industry is being hit by falling demand and falling aluminum prices.

Rep. Obey: Cash Needs Pumped Into Economy Now

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:00:00 EST

President-elect Barack Obama and Congress are working on a stimulus plan to prop up the ailing U.S. economy. It's expected to cost about $775 billion. Rep. David Obey of Wisconsin, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, tells Ari Shapiro he worried the stimulus package won't be big enough.

Hollywood Florist Struggling Yet Again

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EST

It hasn't been a good year for Hollywood florist Corrie Levelle. Just as she was finally starting to recover from the actors' strike, the economy got bad. And now yet another actors' strike looks imminent.

U.S. Auto Sales Plummet: Where Is The Bottom...

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:38:00 EST

The auto industry continues to take a beating as U.S. sales plummeted 18 percent last year and General Motors recorded its worst year in sales in nearly 50 years. And the worst isn't over: Consulting firm IHS Global Insight predicts U.S. sales will dip further with the sagging economy.

Obama Seeks Congressional Support On Economy

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 06:00:00 EST

President-elect Barack Obama says the economy is sick and getting worse. Obama spent his first day back in Washington on Capitol Hill urging congressional leaders to work quickly on a massive economic stimulus package. He also said his administration will post the plan on the Internet.

Postal Service Sees Less Mail In Slumping Economy

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:38:00 EST

Mail volume suffers when the economy suffers, but this economic downturn is hitting the Postal Service particularly hard. The ailing housing and financial sectors, once heavy users of direct mail marketing, are cutting back. In the last fiscal year, mail carriers delivered 9.5 billion fewer letters and packages than the year before.

In Meetings, Obama Pushes Stimulus Plan

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:00:00 EST

Democrats and President-elect Barack Obama are putting together a short-term stimulus package of up to $1 trillion aiming to jolt the economy and create jobs. It includes about $300 billion in tax cuts for workers and businesses, but it probably won't be on Obama's desk when he takes office.

Russia Pushes To Grow Gazprom's Reach, Control

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 01:08:00 EST

Even as the global financial crisis pummels the economy, Moscow says it's going ahead with plans for large investments in Gazprom, the world's largest producer of natural gas. The company lies at the center of the Kremlin's strategy to boost control over global energy supplies.

U.S. Manufacturing Takes A Hit

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 10:57:00 EST

The manufacturing sector of the U.S. economy hit a new all time low on Friday. The Institute for Supply Management, a trade group for purchasing executives, reports that manufacturing activity in all industry sectors is at the lowest level in 28 years — another measure of the current recession.

Obama's Education Wish List May Have To Wait

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 00:27:00 EST

With the economy on life support and just about every state now slashing education funding, President-elect Barack Obama is likely to focus less on immediate proposals and more on building political consensus for future action.

Recession On The Rocks: Drinks For A Bad Economy

Sat, 03 Jan 2009 20:38:00 EST

Lose your shirt in the stock market? Retirement funds dwindling? Wine consultant Tom Harrow shares some recommendations for what to drink to numb the economic pain.

Hospital Industry Braces For Tough Times

Sat, 03 Jan 2009 14:31:00 EST

The health care industry has been one of the strongest engines of the economy recently, adding jobs as other industries cut them. But there's growing evidence hospitals are not so immune to the recession.

Economists Duke It Out Over Stimulus Plan

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 06:00:00 EST

Economists often disagree about ways to solve economic problems. Two economists duke it out in a boxing match of words. In one corner, a supporter of the incoming Obama administration's stimulus plan who says government spending is essential to create jobs. In the other corner, an economist who believes taxpayers — not the federal government — should decide where to spend a trillion dollars of the nation's economy.

Stock Market Outlook For 2009

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 16:00:00 EST

A government stimulus will shake the economy out of its doldrums in the new year, says Roben Farzad, senior writer for Businessweek. He tells Guy Raz that a lot of money is sitting on the sidelines right now because safety is such a high priority, but people holding that money will seek a higher return than they're getting now. When they do, Farzad says, people should be dispassionate about their investing and not jump on bandwagons.

Despite Low Oil Prices, Airlines Foresee Tough Year

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 14:20:00 EST

Although oil prices have fallen from a high of about $140 a barrel to below $40 a barrel, airlines expect the faltering economy to contribute to a tough business environment. Passengers hoping for a break from the checked-baggage fee will have to wait a while longer.

The Economy, Not Off Life-Support Yet

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 06:00:00 EST

Over the past year, the government has sent $100 billion in stimulus checks to taxpayers and bailed out Wall Street, banks and automakers. However, the economy still hasn't turned around. David Wessel, economics editor of The Wall Street Journal, talks with Steve Inskeep about why the economy isn't getting stronger.

In A Rough Year, A Raft Of Rather Fine Movies

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 00:16:00 EST

The economy may have turned sour, but with a total take of $9.5 billion at the box office, and 22 films on Bob Mondello's year-end best-movies list, Hollywood can look back at 2008 without shame.

Ohio Hit Hard By Economy

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST

More than 100,000 Ohio jobs were lost this year, a result of the nation's economic crisis and, more specifically, a suffering auto industry. Ohio's unemployment rate of 7.2 percent, one of the highest in the country, has leaders in the Midwestern state asking Washington for help. Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher explains the extent of Ohio's labor crisis.

Banks Have Money, Why Aren't They Lending...

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 06:00:00 EST

Banks have received most of the government's bailout money. The idea was to stabilize the financial system and ease tight credit markets. In turn, banks would be willing to make more loans and that would help jump start the economy. But it hasn't quite worked out that way.