Oct 11, 2012

Marketplace Morning Report for Thursday, October 11, 2012

Macy's is opening its doors to Toys 'R' Us -- the toy retailer will set up shop in two dozen stores for the holiday season. The Agriculture Department is scheduled to release its latest estimates for this year’s corn and soybean crops this morning and is forecasting the smallest corn and soybean harvest since 2004. We have reached debate night number two of the presidential race, and there's a good bet the strength or weakness of our economic recovery is going to play a starring role. How does today's economic recovery stack up to those in the past?

Segments From this episode

Drought severely diminished U.S. crop supply

by Nancy Marshall-Genzer

Oct 10, 2012

After this summer's drought, nobody expected good news from this morning's USDA crop report.

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Macy's opens its doors to Toys R Us

by Dan Gorenstein

Oct 10, 2012

The toy retailers will set up shop in two dozen stores for the holiday season.

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How does today's economic recovery stack up?

by Chris Farrell

Oct 11, 2012

Republicans have been calling it the weakest recovery in U.S. history, but comparing recessions and recoveries has become incredibly controversial because, as in the case of much of economics, it all depends.

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Is the IMF going soft on austerity?

by Stephen Beard

Oct 11, 2012

The head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, wants countries to stop cutting and start spending. In Tokyo today, the leader warned that austerity is making the global economy worse.

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Attitude Check

Voters pessimistic about Medicare's future

by Marketplace Contributor

Oct 11, 2012

Vice President Joe Biden will face Congressman Paul Ryan on the debate stage tonight, and Paul Ryan's Medicare plan is sure to be a hot topic. Polling shows most Americans are against Ryan's voucher proposal, but do recognize the need for system reforms.

Could Lance Armstrong's brand be tainted by doping scandal?

by Mitchell Hartman

Oct 11, 2012

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency has released a report on alleged doping by retired cyclist and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong. But support for Armstrong's charitable organization Livestrong may be immune.

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Weekly unemployment claims fall to four year low

by Jeff Horwich

Oct 11, 2012

New weekly claims for unemployment fell last week to the lowest level in four and a half years. Elsewhere around the world, the S&P has downgraded the soveign debt of Spain.

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Attitude Check

Debate: Drawing a town hall audience

by Marketplace Contributor

Oct 11, 2012

The next presidential debate is on Tuesday, October 16th, and this one is a town hall with 84 people in the audience. The participants will get to quiz the candidates -- but how are they selected?

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Border town business grapples with Mexican gang violence

by Jeff Horwich

Oct 11, 2012

This week Mexican marines took out the leader of one of Mexico's most powerful drug gangs, the Zetas. There's some hope this might disrupt their reign of terror there and open up cross-border business and trade.

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Mid-day Update

PODCAST: Meet Mitnik, Jobless claims kick it

by Jeff Horwich

Oct 11, 2012

The head of the International Monetary Fund today sends a conflicting message to spend and stop cutting. New weekly claims for unemployment fell last week to the lowest level in four and a half years. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency has released a report on alleged doping by retired cyclist and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong, but support for Armstrong's charitable organization Livestrong may be immune.

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Job market improving as jobless claims drop

by Mitchell Hartman

Oct 11, 2012

New weekly claims for unemployment fell last week to the lowest level in four and a half years. Combined with last week's employment report, the claims data provides evidence of a slowly improving job market.

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Macy’s is opening its doors to Toys ‘R’ Us — the toy retailer will set up shop in two dozen stores for the holiday season. The Agriculture Department is scheduled to release its latest estimates for this year’s corn and soybean crops this morning and is forecasting the smallest corn and soybean harvest since 2004. We have reached debate night number two of the presidential race, and there’s a good bet the strength or weakness of our economic recovery is going to play a starring role. How does today’s economic recovery stack up to those in the past?