Business

Mississippi River Level Disrupts Supply Chain

6:26am January 09, 2013

by Clay Masters

The Mississippi River is at historically low levels. The Army Corps of Engineers says the river will likely be able to stay open through the month, but soon it may be too shallow in parts for barge traffic. There have been calls for the corps to release water from reservoirs along the Mississippi.

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The Nekoosa Paper Mill was established in 1883. Its mill in Nekoosa, Wis., sits on the banks of the Wisconsin River, and is now owned by a Canadian paper company.

iPads, China: Twin Threats To Wisconsin's Paper Industry

8:11pm January 08, 2013

by NPR Staff

The paper industry once employed thousands of people across the state. Now, mills are closing. John Schmid of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported on the state of the industry in Wisconsin as well as in China. He explains how the state is losing a publishing-grade paper mill each year.

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After The 'Fiscal Cliff,' Businesses Say Some Uncertainty Remains

7:23pm January 08, 2013

by John Ydstie

Even after Congress' action to avert part of the "fiscal cliff," business owners remain cautious about hiring and expanding. Those that are growing cite the underlying economy, but others say uncertainty about government spending is keeping them wary.

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2013 CES: Lenovo Unveils Tabletop Tablet

9:23am January 08, 2013

At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Lenovo showed off its IdeaCenter Horizon PC. It's a 27 inch touch-screen computer that is so big it can double as a game board.

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Drilling Rig's Thick Hull Helps Prevent Oil Spill

6:06am January 08, 2013

by Richard Harris

A Shell Oil drilling rig has been pulled of the rocks, where it washed up a week ago during a storm. It has been towed to a bay where divers will inspect it for damage. The incident raises questions about the oil company's controversial plans to continue exploring for oil in the Arctic Ocean this summer.

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Economy

Settlements Underscore Damage Done In Housing Crash

6:06am January 08, 2013

by Jim Zarroli

Some of the biggest banks in the country have agreed to pay more than $18 billion to settle allegations of wrongdoing in their mortgage lending. And in a separate settlement, 10 banks agreed to pay more than $8 billion to settle claims they made errors in foreclosing on people's homes.

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Arts

Starbucks Joins Designer Trend With Rodarte Collaboration

9:06am January 07, 2013

by Kaomi Goetz

The coffee giant recently partnered with the Rodarte fashion house to offer a holiday collection. It's the latest example of high-end designers teaming up with mass-market retailers to make money while showing their work to a broader audience.

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Katia Abreu, a senator and landholder who heads the powerful landowners bloc in Brazil's legislature, takes a look at the new plantations on her 12,000-acre farm.

A Strong Voice For Brazil's Powerful Farmers

7:56am January 07, 2013

by Juan Forero

Brazil is now a world power when it comes to food production. And a leading symbol of that might is Katia Abreu, a senator, landowner and head of the country's most powerful Big Agro association. But environmentalists say limits need to be placed on the farming industry in order to protect the forests of the Amazon.

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Berlin's Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood, like many others across the city, is experiencing a real estate boom. Housing prices have risen by as much as 20 percent in the past year in some German cities.

Germany's Housing Market Is Hot. Is It Overheating?

9:59am January 05, 2013

by Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson

Buyers are snapping up property in Germany, leaving some analysts worried that it's a bubble in the making. But others say the conservative approach to home ownership, including a tradition of large down payments, will protect the market from a U.S.-style crash.

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Foreign buyers are pushing the prices of prime London real estate through the roof. Neighborhoods such as West London, Kensington and Chelsea are particularly popular.

London Real Estate, A Magnet For Mega-Rich From Around The Globe

9:59am January 05, 2013

by Vicki Barker

In most of Britain, property prices are slumping amid a weak economy. But mega-rich foreigners see London's upscale neighborhoods as a safe place to invest, and they are snapping up properties and pushing up prices even though many don't plan to use these homes as a primary residence.

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