ECONOMY

Economy

Who Buys Bonds With A Negative Interest Rate?

8:30am July 21, 2016

by Jacob Goldstein

Many developed countries are issuing bonds at negative interest rates. That means people are buying them expecting to get paid back less than they invested. Why then are people buying them?

Queue Listen Now

Actors Diana Sands, Ruby Dee, Claudia McNeil and Sidney Poitier appear in the 1961 film adaptation of Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun.

Arts
Economy

Hollywood And The Middle Class: Selling Dreams Of 'Somewhere That's Green'

6:00pm July 20, 2016

by Bob Mondello

We don't call Hollywood a "Dream Factory" for nothing. If you have a vision of the sort of place you'd like to live, Tinseltown can bring it to life.

United Kingdom Faces Severe Housing Shortage Amid Immigrant Influx

4:40pm July 20, 2016

by Jim Zarroli

The United Kingdom has a housing shortage. Add an influx of immigrants from other parts of European Union, and you have a market where escalating prices put home ownership out of the reach of many people.

'Ban The Box' Laws,' Do They Help Job Applicants With Criminal Histories?

7:48am July 19, 2016

by Shankar Vedantam

To help ex-felons land jobs, many states have enacted a law that prevents employers from asking applicants to check a box to reveal criminal history. But these laws may not have the intended effect.

Queue Listen Now

House Speaker Paul Ryan On Why He Wants To Customize Welfare Benefits

7:58am July 18, 2016

Paul Ryan talks to Steve Inskeep about his ideas to reshape the countries policies to address poverty in America. He wants welfare benefits to be tapered as recipients' financial situations improve.

Queue Listen Now

When the school year ends, lower-income families can't afford the costs of summer — and kids fall behind in learning.

Summer Isn't Always A Vacation For Families Who Can't Afford It

11:06am July 17, 2016

by NPR Staff

If you've got kids, the summertime costs families who have to look for creative ways to afford it — and not just financially. Research shows lower-income kids typically fall behind over the summer.

Queue Listen Now

A home is offered for sale in Chicago. Mortgage interest rates have been falling, helping potential homebuyers.

'Summer Of Love' Was More Fun, But 'Summer Of Loans' Is Good Too

9:58am July 16, 2016

by Marilyn Geewax

Lending rates have been bumping along at historic lows this summer. That has helped a lot of people, such as home and car buyers. But it has hurt some too, including retirees and bankers.

Economy

Herbalife Agrees To Pay $200 Million To Settle Complaints It Deceived Consumers

9:38pm July 15, 2016

by Jim Zarroli

The FTC has ordered the company to revamp the way it compensates distributors, but because the punishment wasn't even tougher, Herbalife's share price rises.

Illustration of a hand dropping coins into a piggy bank

That First Paycheck Is An Exciting Moment ... And A Teachable One

5:26pm July 15, 2016

by Gabrielle Emanuel

Your first job can be a critical moment that sets you on a good financial path or a bad one. One group is trying to make sure low-income young adults get off to the right start.

Federal Reserve Refuses To Budge On Interest Rates Despite Market Highs

6:53pm July 14, 2016

by Jim Zarroli

The U.S. Federal Reserve is still so concerned about the economy that it has put off even a small increase in interest rates. The decision comes at a time when the Dow Jones and the S&P have rallied to record highs.

Queue Listen Now