Stacey Vanek Smith

Kids are exposed to more junk food ads on TV than they were five years ago, exacerbating the issue of child obesity. L.A. Times columnist David Lazarus offers a solution.

NASA's top space contractor will be shedding around 1,400 space shuttle workers -- about 15 percent of its workforce.

The U.S. Postal Service meets today to discuss going forward with a rate increase and the elimination of Saturday deliveries.

Starting today for new account holders, and next month for everybody else, if you try to buy something with your debit card and don't have enough money in your checking account to cover it, your card will be rejected. No more $35 overdraft fee -- unless you opt-in to overdraft protection. Stacey Vanek-Smith reports.

Congressmen negotiated a financial reform bill that both members of the House and the Senate could agree on, but will it keep our economy safe from future financial fall outs? Marketplace's Jeremy Hobson looks at how reform will affect the financial sector and Stacey Vanek Smith looks at how it'll affect the everyday consumer.

The Treasury Department's latest report says the Home Affordable Modification Program has only helped about 340,000 people get their loan payments reduced. And more than a third of the borrowers enrolled in the program have dropped out. Stacey Vanek-Smith reports.

Starting next week, people who open a bank account will have to opt-in to overdraft protection, effectively ending the surprise $40 cup of coffee.

This summer, movies playing at your local theater may include "Toy Story, 3" "Shrek 4," and "Sex & the City 2." Notice a trend here? Stacey Vanek-Smith reports on why the line-up at your theater is looking like one big movie flashback.

New credit card reforms have cut into everything from overdraft charges to credit card fees. So now many banks reportedly have plans to scrap free checking as they look for ways to make up for fees lost elsewhere. Stacey Vanek-Smith checks it out.

A new survey finds that consumer sentiment -- that's how optimistic we feel about the economy -- was up more than economists expected, near a 2.5 year high. But the Commerce Department says retail sales fell a percent in May. What gives? Stacey Vanek-Smith reports.