Podcast: Extreme weather, much ado about mutton, and more shopping madness

Dec 26, 2011
An increase in extreme weather in 2011 has lead to one of the most expensive years for insurance claims. It's also turning out to be a record year for sheep rustlers on the lamb in the English countryside, where a record number of sheep have gone missing this year. Plus, China and Japan make a currency deal, Detroit girds for possible state takeover, and more top headlines from around the globe on this day after Christmas.

What makes us open our wallets

Dec 23, 2011
What is it about consumers that drives us to want so much stuff? You could blame Madison Avenue, but marketers alone can't make us open up our wallets to spend. Tess talks with author James Roberts about why we buy.
Consumer spending is up, but we can't just shop our way to a recovery.
Michael Nagle/Getty Images

Mid-day Extra: Is vanity good for a city's economy?

Dec 20, 2011
A recent poll has found Miami to be the vainest city in the U.S., but could that be a good thing?

Marketplace Goes Shopping: A Special Report

Dec 16, 2011
Kai and crew broadcast live from the Citadel Outlets in sunny Commerce, Calif., to find out how shoppers are spending and how retailers are selling during this most-important holiday shopping season.

Mid-day Extra: Do malls still matter?

Dec 5, 2011
The list of the top five malls in America was recently released. But with booming online shopping sales, are malls still relevant?

Mobile apps increasingly replacing cash registers

Nov 25, 2011
The ability to conduct purchases on mobile devices is growing as apps develop, but traditional cash register companies are still making up the majority of the market.

For public good, not for profit.

The 10 Most Shopaholic Cities

Nov 7, 2011
With signs consumer spending is making a bit of a rebound, the website called Bundle did a little analysis. Which U.S. cities are the biggest fo...

PayPal says check it out

Sep 15, 2011
PayPal showed off its new payment system yesterday to a select group of retailers.. The company is betting that merchants will be more likely to...