by Nick Hagar | Feb 29, 2016 | Business, Living
WASHINGTON — A prominent financial figure highlighted a new way of funding social programs Monday – social impact bonds, contracts that bring private money to ventures that can improve society. By bringing increased capital to social programs, social impact bonds...
by Alex Lederman | Feb 29, 2016 | Business, Politics
Matthew Petersen might have made the best financial decision of his life when he was fifteen. For $1, he bought the Star ’85 Chicago Bulls basketball card team set—a bundle that included a Michael Jordan rookie card. In 2016, that piece of cardboard is selling on eBay...
by Tyler Kendall | Feb 29, 2016 | Business
WASHINGTON—Funmi Ayeni, a junior at Morgan State University, wants to be a National Institutes of Health researcher and work on improving mental health care in underdeveloped countries in Africa. Ayeni, a psychology major, is applying to graduate school, working on...
by Tyler Kendall | Feb 23, 2016 | Business
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court on Tuesday heard arguments on whether robbing a drug dealer inherently hurts the dealer, thus violating commerce laws, or whether prosecutors must prove actual harm in a case involving the theft of a single marijuana cigarette,...
by Julia Jacobs | Feb 23, 2016 | Business, Politics
WASHINGTON — U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch said Tuesday that the federal government has an “obligation” take Apple to court to force the tech company to allow access to the phone of one of the San Bernardino, California, shooters. Speaking before a gathering of...
by Nick Hagar | Feb 22, 2016 | Business
WASHINGTON — Economic growth trended above historical levels in January, indicating a jump in production and a decreased likelihood of recession, according to a key index from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. The Chicago Fed National Activity Index, which tracks...
by Nick Hagar | Feb 17, 2016 | Business
WASHINGTON — The chairman of the House Small Business Committee Wednesday called on Congress to approve President Barack Obama’s trade deal with Asian countries, despite opposition on Capitol Hill to the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio, told an...
by Sabrina Rodriguez | Feb 17, 2016 | Business
WASHINGTON — Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker called on Cuban officials Wednesday to help create a welcoming atmosphere to aid the growth of U.S. companies opening shop on the island nation. “Without specific changes on your side, our changes will not unlock...
by Nick Hagar | Feb 15, 2016 | Business
WASHINGTON – In the digital age, direct mail marketing – the postcards and coupon sheets that have filled mailboxes for decades – seems almost quaint, outdated snail mail headed for the nearest wastebasket. But a new product called Scout hopes to...
by Sabrina Rodriguez | Feb 10, 2016 | Business
WASHINGTON – The federal government and state justice officials need to crack down on online hotel booking scams that are costing vacationers upwards of $1.3 billion a year in bogus reservations, two Florida lawmakers said Wednesday. Reps. Lois Frankel, a Democrat,...
by Mariana Alfaro | Feb 10, 2016 | Business
WASHINGTON — Having safe cities is a first step to develop a nation economically, security experts said Wednesday as the Brookings Institution and JPMorgan Chase announced a joint project that aims to help cities improve safety. The project aims to “help cities...
by Shane McKeon | Feb 10, 2016 | Business, Politics
WASHINGTON — China’s slowing economy and ailing commodity markets are the biggest threats to an otherwise healthy U.S. economy, Former Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said Wednesday. He also pushed back against a movement to “audit” the Fed. Bernanke,...