NPR Audio - Business

Large banks are repaying the bailout money they received much faster than expected. The administration says the cost of the TARP program will be about $200 billion less than estimated. Big financial firms are making profits again because the government has driven down borrowing costs for banks and safeguarded their debts.

The Federal Reserve report was another sign that consumer spending remains weak, making it harder for the economy to mount a sustained rebound — although the decline was less than experts had expected.

A small Nevada accounting firm and an anti-tax group brought the challenge to the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley law, arguing that the board created by the law violates the Constitution's separation of powers mandate because the president cannot appoint or remove its members.

Despite some economic improvements, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke warned it's too soon to declare that the budding recovery will last. "We still have some way to go before we can be assured that the recovery will be self sustaining," he said in remarks to the Economic Club of Washington.

The United States has all the tools it needs to replace its old coal energy economy and drastically cut greenhouse emissions. So what's missing? Political will — and money.

The Air Force has been trying to replace its aging fleet of tankers that refuel warplanes in midair for the past decade. But the bidding process has been mired in controversy and politics. Now defense contractor Northrop Grumman is threatening to pull out of the competition for the $35 billion contract.

While times are tough for many Americans, the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows increasing disparities between black and white unemployment. More than a third of young black men are unemployed, and a college education doesn't necessarily make candidates less vulnerable.

Projections of bigger savings from the financial bailout fund are setting up a fight over how to use the anticipated $200 billion windfall. The president is likely to push for a new jobs program while congressional Republicans insist the money go to cutting the budget deficit.

After delivering the news for NPR for three decades, Kasell will give his final newscast on Dec. 30. The veteran newscaster will still appear each week as official judge and scorekeeper on Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me! Neal Conan hosts a conversation with Kasell — and some of Kasell's colleagues from his 50-year radio career.

SpaceShipTwo, a privately funded commercial passenger spacecraft, is set to make its public debut in the Mojave Desert after five years of secret construction. The project is bankrolled by Virgin Galactic founder, British billionaire Sir Richard Branson.

Last year, the wealthy city-state was still flying high, spending freely to fuel its ambition of becoming a business, financial and tourist capital of the Persian Gulf. Between all the oil wealth continuing to pour in and the royal family's deep coffers, few were worried about the massive debt being used to fund the development. Today, all of that has changed.

The Supreme Court hears arguments Monday testing the constitutionality of the federal anti-fraud law that grew out of the Enron scandal. At issue is the board Congress created to oversee independent audits of publicly traded companies. The case could overhaul the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

The two telecommunications giants have been battling against each other's cell phone coverage in television commercials. AT&T and Verizon last week agreed to end lawsuits accusing each other of lying in the TV ads. With the holiday phone-buying season in full swing, the battle of the ads is expected to continue.

The Obama administration plans to cut its estimate of the projected costs of the government bailout program by more than $200 billion and is looking at using part of the savings to fund new job creation efforts. A Treasury official said Sunday that the administration now believes the cost of the financial rescue program will be at least $200 billion below the $341 billion estimate it made in August.

More Americans are riding bikes to commute. But the need to carry a child, or groceries, can make things complicated. Enter the cargo bike, a long, sturdy cycle that is gaining new popularity in bike-friendly cities like Portland, Ore.

Lala is a four-year-old service that lets users upload their music collections into the cloud and access it from anywhere on any Internet connected device. The first time I tried it, I loved it.

A recent Consumer Reports study finds that two-thirds of whole broiler chickens tested across the country harbored salmonella and/or campylobacter. Urvashi Rangan is the author of the study, and tells host Liane Hansen which chickens made the good and bad lists.

Three MIT students pondering how to make cars more efficient dreamed up the GenShock device after a ride down a bumpy road. Instead of dispersing the force of the bumps, their idea is to capture the energy and use it.

In December, many people put red and green together to make their homes look more festive. But financial advisers say that when heading to the mall, shoppers would be wise to stick with the green and stay out of the red. In other words, pay with cash, not credit.

It's been a long time since there was anything positive to say about the job market, but a report released Friday by the Labor Department contained the clearest evidence yet that the unemployment picture is finally improving. Not only did the unemployment rate not go up, it actually fell a bit in November to 10 percent.

Despite any number of ads and awareness campaigns launched by the government, advocacy groups and corporations that have turned "green" into a superlative, the number of Americans who believe climate change is a serious problem has been declining, according to a recent study by Pew Research. Host Scott Simon talks to Ed Maibach, director of George Mason University's Center for Climate Change Communication, about the challenges of launching public awareness marketing campaigns about climate change.

A new FDIC survey finds that 17 million adults don't have bank accounts at all. The FDIC wants consumers to rely more on insured banks, but many feel it's in their financial interest to stay away.

The Labor Department said Friday the number of Americans who lost their jobs in November was fewer than expected. The jobless rate fell from 10.2 percent to 10 percent, raising hopes the economy is on the mend.

As Comcast prepares to take over majority ownership of NBC Universal, it has signaled the intention to make Jeff Zucker, the president and CEO of NBC Universal, head of the new venture. Zucker has spent his entire career at NBC, and has been successful in building the audience of several NBC cable holdings such as MSNBC and Bravo.

Drug companies spent about $4.7 billion on advertisements aimed at consumers in 2008. Three-quarters of the money spent on marketing is still aimed doctors and other professionals.

The unemployment rate fell to 10 percent in November as employers cut the smallest number of jobs since the recession began. The Labor Department says the economy shed 11,000 jobs last month, an improvement from October's revised total of 111,000.

The jobless rate fell to 10 percent in November, from 10.2 percent a month earlier, and employers shed just 11,000 jobs, the fewest since December 2007. But some economists warn unemployment could still head back up.

The next time you walk into a post office, take a look around. One of the things you probably won't see are the faces of the FBI's Most Wanted Fugitives. Over the past decade, America's most notorious mug shots have been fading away from post office walls.

General Motors Co. and its main Chinese partner announced a venture Friday to sell vehicles in India, uniting in the two fastest-growing car markets in a deal that reflects GM's reduced status as a global automaker.

As the health care debate continues in Washington, some states are taking steps to limit or block changes. In Arizona, voters are being asked to ratify a legislative move that gives residents the right to opt-out of any health-care system.

The Labor Department says unemployment fell to 10 percent in November as employers cut the smallest number of jobs since the recession began. The figures show the economy lost 11,000 jobs last month which is an improvement over what economists had been expecting.

On Capitol Hill Thursday, senators questioned Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke at his confirmation hearing. President Obama has nominated Bernanke for a second term. The hearing was heated, humorous and at times dull. But the underlying pretense was who can we blame for the financial crisis?

At the Los Angeles Auto Show, Porsche showed off what its new Boxter does not have. There is no air conditioning, no radio, no cupholders and no interior door handles. The company calls it a Porsche for purists. It's for those who prefer the sound of an engine over a stereo. The new Boxster Spyder starts around $61,000.

Bookstore owners are hoping the 2009 holiday season will be a little merrier and brighter than it was in 2008. So far, so good — booksellers say highly hyped books from big name authors are bringing more customers into stores. But online purchasing and e-books are still stealing away many potential customers.

Dubai roiled credit markets when it announced that the government has no responsibility for the $26 billion debt of the quasi-governmental holding company Dubai World. That statement shattered the assumptions of many creditors and may redefine the nature of lending in the Middle East.

If you listen to Congress, you might think most people owe a lot of taxes when they die. Republicans like to call the inheritance tax the "death tax," while Democrats say it hits only the very rich. But, as is often the case, the truth is more complicated.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke faced tough questions from the Senate Banking Committee about the Fed's failures leading up to the financial crisis and the role it played in the bailout of Wall Street firms. While Bernanke is ultimately expected to be reconfirmed, the hearing may influence the Fed's future role in an overhauled financial system.

Cable giant Comcast's deal to buy NBC Universal faces a long regulatory review. It is likely to be approved only after Comcast makes some concessions. Jim Speta, professor of law at Northwestern University School of Law, discusses the antitrust implications of the deal.

With more than 15 million Americans looking for work, President Obama held a jobs summit Thursday at the White House. He brought together business leaders to talk about what can be done to boost employment.