NPR Topics: Business

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• Obama Admits Economic Recovery 'Not There Yet'
  

  Posted: 57 minutes ago

  In his first news conference since May, the president accused Republicans of "playing games" with measures designed to strengthen small businesses and create jobs. On the eve of the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, he also said the nation needs to remain vigilant against al-Qaida while stressing the need for tolerance of Islam.

• Feds To Insurers: Quit It With The Misinformation And Big Rate Hikes
  

  Posted: 1 hour ago

  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.

• Obama News Conference: Economy A Hot Topic
  

  Posted: 1 hour ago

  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.

• Wholesale Inventories, Sales Up More Than Expected
  

  Posted: 3 hours ago

  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.

• The Nation: The Time For Bold Measures Is Now
  

  Posted: 4 hours ago

  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.

• Pop Quiz: How Do You Stop Sea Captains From Killing Their Passengers?
  

  Posted: 5 hours ago

  A story about 17th century sea voyages gets at the heart of economics: Get the incentives right, and you can do anything.

• EPA Wants To Know Chemicals Used In Gas Drilling
  

  Posted: 6 hours ago

  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."

• Politicians Disagree Over Economic Fix
  

  Posted: 9 hours ago

  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.

• Ruminants Make Excellent Weed Whackers
  

  Posted: 9 hours ago

  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.

• Apple Reveals Guidelines For App Approval
  

  Posted: 9 hours ago

  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.

• Optimistic Small Businesses Brave Uncertain Economy
  

  Posted: 13 hours ago

  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.

• Bipartisan Tax Overhaul Faces Uphill Battle
  

  Posted: 13 hours ago

  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.

• How To Sell A Book? Good Old Word Of Mouth
  

  Posted: 13 hours ago

  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.

• Claims Czar's Slow Pace Frustrates Gulf Businesses
  

  Posted: 19 hours ago

  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.

• Tax Code Overhaul As Tough As Doing Your 1040
  

  Posted: 21 hours ago

  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.