Posted by Katharine Crnko
For Marketplace Morning Report, Friday January 14, 2011
It’s been 25 years since the last overhaul of the U.S. code. But some think the economy and the politics are finally aligned for another overhaul.
The government is offering Americans who earn less than $36,000 to get their tax refund on a prepaid card. It’ll be useful for customers without checking accounts, but as David Gura reports, it’s also mostly at the benefit of the government itself.
Tourism along Mexico’s coast is expected to grow in 2011. It’s helping the country’s suffering economy, but continued development may also be hurting the area’s main attraction: the coral reef and beaches. Eve Troeh reports on how the government is trying to respond.
In the North African Mediterranean country, Tunisia there is a general strike following a month of deadly violence. Protesters have taken to the streets, protesting food prices, unemployment, the lack of civil liberties and the President.
Food prices are climbing higher and higher. Adriene Hill explains what’s going on to Steve Chiotakis, and talks about who might be profiting from the price spike.
The accounting giant KPMG has launched a new scheme: offer British high school graduates free college tuition, accommodations and a yearly salary of $30,000. The catch? The degree program is in accounting.
Back in November, the Treasury Department sold almost half of its shares in General Motors for about $33 apiece. Today, shares of GM are going for $38. Senator Ted Kaufman explains.
As banks start to report their earnings for the year, some analysts may warn that the numbers a bit inflated because the banks are counting the reserves they set aside before the meltdown.
The Commerce Department reports retail sales were up six-tenths of a percent for the month.
Here are the songs we played:
- For a Few Dollars More — Will T. BearBuy
- Disco China — GoblinBuy
- Hurricane Jane — Black KidsBuy
- Junior Kickstart — The Go! TeamBuy
- Breathe — Taylor Swift Buy
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