Economy

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in March. Investors have been waiting to see whether the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates for the first time since 2006.

The Downside Of Keeping Interest Rates So Low For So Long

11:56am September 16, 2015

by Marilyn Geewax

Some economists say the Federal Reserve should leave rates alone, but many say super-low rates have big risks, too. They argue that the central bank needs to push rates back up to historic norms.

Federal Reserve Faces Fork In The Road Over Interest Rates

5:47am September 16, 2015

by Chris Arnold

This week, the Fed may raise a key interest rate for the first time since 2006. By keeping interest rates near zero for so long, the Fed may have prevented the ultimate financial catastrophe.

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Economy

FDA Orders Ban On Four R.J. Reynolds Cigarette Brands

7:04pm September 15, 2015

by Michael Burke

The Food and Drug Administration is stopping sales of four cigarette brands from R.J. Reynolds.

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Illinois Lottery Suspends Payouts Until State Lawmakers Settle Budget Stalemate

7:03pm September 15, 2015

by Cheryl Corley

People who have hopes of winning a big lottery prize will have to put their dreams on hold in Illinois. The Governor and Illinois lawmakers can't come to terms over a state budget and until they do, lottery prizes over $25,000 will be delayed. Lottery winners aren't too happy, and some have filed a class action lawsuit against the state.

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What To Do With Railroad Tank Cars That Are No Longer Safe Or Economical?

6:56pm September 15, 2015

by Brian Mann

New safety regulations and a slump in oil prices means tens of thousands of railroad tank cars are being taken out of service. Railroads are scrambling to find space to store unwanted oil trains.

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Small Changes By Employers Can Raise Workers' Health Costs

1:04pm September 15, 2015

by Michelle Andrews

As the enrollment window opens for employer-provided health insurance, workers may see changes for wellness programs, dependents' coverage and specialty drugs that could be costly.

Do You Use Money? If So, You'll Want To Read This By Thursday

12:51pm September 15, 2015

by Marilyn Geewax

This week, the Federal Reserve will be making decisions that could affect your ability to borrow. Because it works behind closed doors, it can seem mysterious. Here's what the Fed is and does.

Jeff Bezos says the launch pads at Cape Canaveral have been dormant for "too long — we can't wait to fix that."

Amazon's Bezos Plans To Build, Launch Rockets From Florida

11:42am September 15, 2015

by Bill Chappell

In announcing a new expansion of commercial efforts to launch earthlings into space, Amazon.com founder and CEO Jeff Bezos says the launch pads at Cape Canaveral have been dormant for too long.

Why China's Official Economic Numbers Shouldn't Be Trusted

1:30pm September 12, 2015

by David Kestenbaum

Economic news coming out of China often rattles or rallies global markets. But how reliable is that news? It turns out basic measures like Gross National Product may be far from accurate.

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Why Influx Of Migrants Could Be A Good Thing For Europe

2:30pm September 11, 2015

One argument holds that migrants arriving in Europe is good for countries with an aging labor force and vast government debt. Steve Inskeep talks to Oliver August of The Economist about this idea.

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