NPR Topics: Business http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1006&ft=1&f=1006 Find the latest business news with reports on Wall Street, interest rates, banking, companies, and U.S. and world financial markets. Subscribe to the Business Story of the Day podcast. en Copyright 2010 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.93 Fri, 10 Sep 2010 12:45:00 -0400 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Business http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1006&ft=1&f=1006 Obama: Economic Progress Has Been 'Painfully Slow' In his first formal news conference since May, the president said the nation's economy is showing improvement from the deepest recession in decades but said he understands that many voters in November's elections may blame the weak recovery on him. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 12:45:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129773604&ft=1&f=1006 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129773604&ft=1&f=1006 In his first formal news conference since May, the president said the nation's economy is showing improvement from the deepest recession in decades but said he understands that many voters in November's elections may blame the weak recovery on him.

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]]> Feds To Insurers: Quit It With The Misinformation And Big Rate Hikes With some health insurers saying health overhaul is leading to higher premiums, the administration accused them of misinforming Americans and falsely pinning blame on the new health law. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 12:07:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2010/09/10/129773142/feds-to-insurers-quit-it-with-the-misinformation-and-big-rate-hikes?ft=1&f=1006 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2010/09/10/129773142/feds-to-insurers-quit-it-with-the-misinformation-and-big-rate-hikes?ft=1&f=1006 With some health insurers saying health overhaul is leading to higher premiums, the administration accused them of misinforming Americans and falsely pinning blame on the new health law.

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]]> Wholesale Inventories, Sales Up More Than Expected Inventories held by wholesalers surged in July by the largest amount in two years while sales rebounded after two straight declines. Inventories rose 1.3 percent in July, the best performance since July 2008 and triple the increase economists had expected. Sales at the wholesale level increased 0.6 percent. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 10:04:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129773408&ft=1&f=1006 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129773408&ft=1&f=1006 Inventories held by wholesalers surged in July by the largest amount in two years while sales rebounded after two straight declines. Inventories rose 1.3 percent in July, the best performance since July 2008 and triple the increase economists had expected. Sales at the wholesale level increased 0.6 percent.

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]]> The Nation: The Time For Bold Measures Is Now President Obama's $50 billion infrastructure proposal was met with howls of dismay from Republicans. But the Editors of <em>The Nation</em> argue that Obama cannot let the minority party dictate the conversation on economic issues. Only if he adopts clear and forceful plans to deal with unemployment will he win the debate. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 08:45:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129770990&ft=1&f=1006 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129770990&ft=1&f=1006 President Obama's $50 billion infrastructure proposal was met with howls of dismay from Republicans. But the Editors of The Nation argue that Obama cannot let the minority party dictate the conversation on economic issues. Only if he adopts clear and forceful plans to deal with unemployment will he win the debate.

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]]> EPA Wants To Know Chemicals Used In Gas Drilling The Environmental Protection Agency asked nine natural gas companies to voluntarily disclose the chemical components used in a drilling technique called hydraulic fracturing. The agency said the information is important to its study of the controversial drilling practice, also known as "fracking." Fri, 10 Sep 2010 07:15:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129771879&ft=1&f=1006 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129771879&ft=1&f=1006 The Environmental Protection Agency asked nine natural gas companies to voluntarily disclose the chemical components used in a drilling technique called hydraulic fracturing. The agency said the information is important to its study of the controversial drilling practice, also known as "fracking."

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]]> Obama News Conference: Economy A Hot Topic For the third time in a week, President Obama spoke about the economy, announcing a new head of the Council of Economic advisers Friday in a nationally televised news conference at the White House. He also continued to press his case that Republicans are responsible for the bad economy and are presenting no new ideas about how to fix it. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 11:53:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129775114&ft=1&f=1006 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129775114&ft=1&f=1006 For the third time in a week, President Obama spoke about the economy, announcing a new head of the Council of Economic advisers Friday in a nationally televised news conference at the White House. He also continued to press his case that Republicans are responsible for the bad economy and are presenting no new ideas about how to fix it.

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]]> Pop Quiz: How Do You Stop Sea Captains From Killing Their Passengers? A story about 17th century sea voyages gets at the heart of economics: Get the incentives right, and you can do anything. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 08:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2010/09/09/129757852/pop-quiz-how-do-you-stop-sea-captains-from-killing-their-passengers?ft=1&f=1006 http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2010/09/09/129757852/pop-quiz-how-do-you-stop-sea-captains-from-killing-their-passengers?ft=1&f=1006 A story about 17th century sea voyages gets at the heart of economics: Get the incentives right, and you can do anything.

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]]> Apple Reveals Guidelines For App Approval Apple is relaxing its rules for app developers. The changes allow programmers to use Flash to develop mobile applications for the popular iPhone and iPad. But Apple will still not allow its mobile products to access Flash-based websites. Critics have said for years the company's software development rules are too strict. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 04:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129768329&ft=1&f=1006 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129768329&ft=1&f=1006 Apple is relaxing its rules for app developers. The changes allow programmers to use Flash to develop mobile applications for the popular iPhone and iPad. But Apple will still not allow its mobile products to access Flash-based websites. Critics have said for years the company's software development rules are too strict.

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]]> Ruminants Make Excellent Weed Whackers Tammy Dunakin owns Rent-a-Ruminant LLC. She takes her herd of about 120 goats to sites in the Seattle area, fences them in and lets them munch on unwanted brush. Dunakin says they're great for steep areas that mowing equipment can't handle. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 04:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129768333&ft=1&f=1006 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129768333&ft=1&f=1006 Tammy Dunakin owns Rent-a-Ruminant LLC. She takes her herd of about 120 goats to sites in the Seattle area, fences them in and lets them munch on unwanted brush. Dunakin says they're great for steep areas that mowing equipment can't handle.

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]]> Politicians Disagree Over Economic Fix Heading into the midterm elections, the economy continues to be the big political issue. President Obama and House Republican Leader John Boehner have offered dueling remedies. David Wessel of <em>The Wall Street Journal</em> talks to Steve Inskeep about the plans to get the economy moving again. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 04:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129768337&ft=1&f=1006 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129768337&ft=1&f=1006 Heading into the midterm elections, the economy continues to be the big political issue. President Obama and House Republican Leader John Boehner have offered dueling remedies. David Wessel of The Wall Street Journal talks to Steve Inskeep about the plans to get the economy moving again.

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]]> Optimistic Small Businesses Brave Uncertain Economy Confidence among American small business owners has never been so low for so long, an industry study says. But some entrepreneurs in Arizona are risking their savings, determined to beat the odds. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 00:01:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129734692&ft=1&f=1006 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129734692&ft=1&f=1006 Confidence among American small business owners has never been so low for so long, an industry study says. But some entrepreneurs in Arizona are risking their savings, determined to beat the odds.

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]]> How To Sell A Book? Good Old Word Of Mouth In autumn, the publishing industry kicks into high gear, rolling out "big books" -- the titles that publishers hope readers will buy through the all-important holiday season. NPR's Lynn Neary follows the path of Emma Donoghue's novel, <em>Room,</em> a book that has generated some serious buzz. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 00:01:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129757766&ft=1&f=1006 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129757766&ft=1&f=1006 In autumn, the publishing industry kicks into high gear, rolling out "big books" -- the titles that publishers hope readers will buy through the all-important holiday season. NPR's Lynn Neary follows the path of Emma Donoghue's novel, Room, a book that has generated some serious buzz.

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]]> Bipartisan Tax Overhaul Faces Uphill Battle A Republican and a Democrat have teamed up to push a proposal for saving time, sweat and paper: a one-page tax return. But is there any way to streamline the tax breaks in the 3.7 million-word tax code? Each complication has its constituency and interest group lobbyists. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 00:01:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129750529&ft=1&f=1006 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129750529&ft=1&f=1006 A Republican and a Democrat have teamed up to push a proposal for saving time, sweat and paper: a one-page tax return. But is there any way to streamline the tax breaks in the 3.7 million-word tax code? Each complication has its constituency and interest group lobbyists.

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]]> Claims Czar's Slow Pace Frustrates Gulf Businesses It's been almost three weeks since Kenneth Feinberg took over the claims payment process for the oil spill. Residents and businesses along the Gulf Coast are still waiting, in frustration and often in desperation, for claims to be paid out. Thu, 09 Sep 2010 18:06:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129758959&ft=1&f=1006 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129758959&ft=1&f=1006 It's been almost three weeks since Kenneth Feinberg took over the claims payment process for the oil spill. Residents and businesses along the Gulf Coast are still waiting, in frustration and often in desperation, for claims to be paid out.

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]]> Tax Code Overhaul As Tough As Doing Your 1040 There's broad agreement among economists that a new tax system should have few loopholes and relatively low tax rates. But that's where the consensus ends. Rewriting the tax code in Washington is tricky, and as one tax expert put it, right now there is no politically feasible fix. Thu, 09 Sep 2010 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129748978&ft=1&f=1006 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129748978&ft=1&f=1006 There's broad agreement among economists that a new tax system should have few loopholes and relatively low tax rates. But that's where the consensus ends. Rewriting the tax code in Washington is tricky, and as one tax expert put it, right now there is no politically feasible fix.

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