2006-01-13 On the Job, at Minimum Wage
I’m Faith Lapidus with the VOA Special English Economics Report. Minimum wage is the lowest hourly pay rate permitted by law. In the United States, the federal minimum wage is…
2006-01-06 Gold Prices Reach Their Highest Levels in Years
I’m Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Economics Report. Gold has long been valued, and not just for its beauty. The metal is also valuable for its resistance to…
2005-12-23 Giving to the Needy, and Making Sure the Money Is Well-Spent
I’m Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Economics Report. Americans gave almost two hundred fifty thousand million dollars to charity in two thousand four. It was a five percent…
2005-12-16 Owners of the New York Stock Exchange Vote for Change
I’m Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Economics Report. In April, the New York Stock Exchange proposed to join with Archipelago Holdings. On December sixth, members of the exchange…
2005-12-09 Deep in the Heart of Texas, a Labor Union Expands
I’m Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Economics Report. Labor unions in the United States have been losing members for years. Not all are shrinking, however. The nation’s fastest-growing…
2005-12-02 Holiday Shopping on the Job? Call It ‘Cyber Monday’
I’m Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Economics Report. For Americans, the traditional season to buy winter holiday gifts begins on the last Friday in November. “Black Friday” is…
2005-11-25 Peter Drucker, 1909-2005: A Thinker for Business Leaders
I’m Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Economics Report. Peter Drucker was a voice for change and new ways of thinking about social and business relations. He died in…
2005-11-18 U.S. Central Banker Alan Greenspan Prepares to Retire
I’m Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Economics Report. The chairman of the United States central bank, Alan Greenspan, plans to retire at the end of January. Mister Greenspan…
2005-11-11 Using the ‘Wisdom of Crowds’ to Tell the Future
I’m Doug Johnson with the VOA Special English Economics Report. Intrade is a trading exchange for politics, current events and all sorts of other future happenings. It is similar in…
2005-11-04 Intrade: a Market That Trades on Future Events
I’m Faith Lapidus with the VOA Special English Economics Report. Intrade is a kind of exchange where people trade, not in stock, but in political, financial and current events. It…
2005-10-28 Bush Nominates Ben Bernanke as Federal Reserve Chairman
I’m Faith Lapidus with the VOA Special English Economics Report. President Bush this week nominated economist Ben Bernanke to become the next chairman of the Federal Reserve. The Senate is…
2005-10-21 U.S. Supermarkets Face Growing Competition
I’m Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Economics Report. Supermarkets are big stores that provide a wide choice of foods and other products. In the United States, traditional supermarkets…
2005-10-14 Work on ‘Game Theory’ Wins Nobel Prize for Two Economists
I’m Bob Doughty with the VOA Special English Economics Report. Thomas Schelling and Robert Aumann will share the Nobel Prize in economics this year. The two men are being honored…
2005-10-07 Allowance Helps Teach Children Early About Money
I’m Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Economics Report. Many children first learn the value of money by receiving an allowance. Parents often give their children an amount of…
2005-09-30 Farm Workers Union Celebrates 40th Anniversary of Grape Strike
I’m Jim Tedder with the VOA Special English Economics Report. The United Farm Workers of America union recently observed the fortieth anniversary of a historic strike. About five hundred people…