ECONOMY

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday, in New York City.

Wilted Reputations Left By Shutdown And Default Threat

5:35pm October 18, 2013

by John Ydstie

There was a sense of relief Thursday as the U.S. government went back to work and once again skipped past default. But around the world, many investors wonder whether the U.S. is going to be in fiscal crisis mode for some time to come, and how the country's currency and creditworthiness will be viewed by others.

Queue Listen Now

Economy

I Lent $999.78 To The Federal Government*

1:29pm October 18, 2013

by David Kestenbaum

I bought a Treasury bill on Tuesday, before Congress made the debt-ceiling deal. It was unclear whether I would get paid back on time.

Queue Listen Now

Declining Gas Prices Pump Up A Shaky Economy

12:34pm October 18, 2013

by Marilyn Geewax

The federal shutdown had economists worried, but consumers have had something to smile about. Gasoline prices are the lowest in three years — under $3 a gallon in some places. Analysts credit greater supplies, lower demand, the easing of Middle East tensions and even a slow hurricane season.

Queue Listen Now

After Shutdown Dust Clears, Where Does Boehner Stand?

12:23pm October 18, 2013

Weeks after vowing that House Republicans would not capitulate to President Obama's demands for "clean" bills reopening the government and raising the debt ceiling, Speaker John Boehner led his caucus in doing exactly that. Only about a third of Republicans voted "yes" on the bill with Boehner, but Boehner's standing among Tea Party conservatives in his caucus may have actually improved.

Queue Listen Now

Alan Greenspan served as chairman of the Federal Reserve from 1987 to 2006, the second-longest tenure as chairman in the Fed's history.

Greenspan: 'I Probably Could Have Caught' Economic Crises

12:23pm October 18, 2013

by NPR Staff

Alan Greenspan was often celebrated during his long chairmanship of the Federal Reserve. But Greenspan's policies have been blamed by some for the Great Recession. In an interview with NPR about his new book, The Map and the Territory: Risk, Human Nature, and the Future of Forecasting, Greenspan discusses difficulties in predicting economic calamity.

Queue Listen Now

Gary Robins sits in the chair of his Supercuts salon in Media, Pa., one of 41 he owns throughout Philadelphia and Delaware.

The Roots Of Franchising Took Hold In A Hair Salon Chain

10:23am October 17, 2013

by Uri Berliner

Franchising is commonplace throughout the retail and service economy, whose pioneers included a former servant turned hair salon owner in the late 19th century. Such businesses are not for everyone, but Gary Robins, who owns dozens of Supercuts, says the setup has allowed him to grow more quickly than if he were on his own.

Queue Listen Now

Budget Process Isn't Over. Are More Shutdowns Ahead?

10:23am October 17, 2013

by David Welna

By wide margins in both the House and the Senate, Congress voted Wednesday night to end a 16-day partial government shutdown. The measure also delays the debt ceiling deadline until early February. House and Senate Budget committees have until Dec. 13 to reconcile competing budgets.

Queue Listen Now

Government Workers Must Get The Wheel Turning Again

10:23am October 17, 2013

by Brian Naylor

President Obama has signed legislation that ends the partial government shutdown and raises the U.S. debt ceiling. The Office of Management and Budget says federal employees should report to work Thursday. But it will take some time until all the agencies are back up to speed.

Queue Listen Now

Workers stand inside the gold mine in Greenland's Nulanaq mountain in 2009. The Danish territory's underground wealth was at the forefront of elections in March. Now, Greenland faces another dilemma: whether to end a zero-tolerance policy on uranium extra

As Greenland Seeks Economic Development, Is Uranium The Way?

6:39pm October 16, 2013

by Sidsel Overgaard

The debate over lifting a ban on uranium extraction pits the Danish territory's lawmakers against environmentalists. It would be a controversial move and one with consequences for Greenland's economic development as well as its political status.

Queue Listen Now

How The Debt Limit Became 'A Nuclear-Tipped Leverage Point'

6:14pm October 16, 2013

by David Welna

Since Congress first passed a law that set a cap on how much debt the Treasury could accrue, it has had to raise that limit more than 100 times. And 40 of those times, lawmakers have tried to tie strings to the vote. But veterans of past fights say they have gotten more intense in recent years.

Queue Listen Now