Economy

Senate Panel Considers New Constraints On Fed's Emergency Lending

7:44am May 21, 2015

Renee Montagne talks to David Wessel about Congress, the Federal Reserve and banking regulations. Wessel is director of the Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy at the Brookings Institution.

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A view of the central area of Atlassian's office in San Francisco. The software company found that desks were used only 20 percent of the workday — half as much as conference rooms were used.

Economy

How A Bigger Lunch Table At Work Can Boost Productivity

3:09pm May 20, 2015

by Yuki Noguchi

Some firms use motion sensors and wireless tags to find out how people actually work. That can yield useful data — like which free snacks tend to attract people to break rooms more than others.

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Among the topics: Would it be better to put the natural gas money in a rainy day fund or spend it now? If you do spend it, what's the most urgent need? Roads? Schools? Clinics?

It's Not A Come-On From A Cult. It's A New Kind Of Poll!

2:46pm May 20, 2015

by Nurith Aizenman

Tanzanians were skeptical when they were invited for a free trip to the big city to discuss natural gas policy. But it's actually an innovative strategy to involve ordinary citizens in key decisions.

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'Cartel' Of 4 Big Banks To Plead Guilty To Gaming The Exchange Rate

12:09pm May 20, 2015

by Jim Zarroli

Four banks agreed to plead guilty to currency manipulation and pay over $5 billion in fines. Officials say the banks used secret codes to manipulate the exchange rate between U.S. dollars and Euros.

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Pressure To Act Unethically Looms Over Wall Street, Survey Finds

7:06pm May 19, 2015

by John Ydstie

About half of the financial professionals surveyed say their competitors have behaved unethically or illegally to gain an advantage. And many say compensation and bonuses can create bad incentives.

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Economy

Winston-Salem OK's Incentives For Herbalife

4:56pm May 19, 2015

by Neal Charnoff

The Winston-Salem City Council unanimously approved $150,000 in economic development incentives for Herbalife.

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Why Turkish Motorists Can't Get A Break On Gas Prices

2:56pm May 19, 2015

by Peter Kenyon

Inflation is coming down and the foreign trade deficit is shrinking but Turks aren't seeing any relief at the pumps. Lower fuel costs have been undermined by the country's declining currency.

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Graduates of a training program pose for a portrait after a completion ceremony at the Center for Urban Families.

Group Makes Character Key Part Of Reducing Baltimore Unemployment

9:12pm May 18, 2015

by Jennifer Ludden

For years now, the Center for Urban Families has provided training in the city's poorest neighborhood. People don't just work on their resumes, but also attitude and life skills.

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Daniel Craig as James Bond in Skyfall. Chinese censors cut a scene from the movie that they thought made China look weak. Because China is such a huge market, some U.S. moviemakers may choose to avoid portraying China in negative terms.

How China's Censors Influence Hollywood

7:58pm May 18, 2015

by Frank Langfitt

Huge box office numbers underscore how essential the Chinese market has become to Hollywood's bottom line. Money is power — meaning the Communist Party has increasing influence over big U.S. movies.

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Supreme Court Calls Maryland Income Tax Law 'A Tariff'

3:40pm May 18, 2015

by Bill Chappell

The court says Maryland unconstitutionally raised the cost of doing business in more than one state, by letting local governments tax money that was earned — and taxed — in other states.