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Jim Zarroli Jim Zarroli is a business reporter for NPR News, based at NPR's New York bureau.
Jim Zarroli 2010
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Jim Zarroli

Economy

Surge Sends Dow Past 13,000 Mark

The Dow Jones industrial average shot up more than 100 points Wednesday to close above 13,000 for the first time. The markets seem to be reacting to unusually strong earnings reports from major companies and better-than-expected news on sales of durable goods.

Surge Sends Dow Past 13,000 Mark

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Business

Toyota Moves Past GM in First-Quarter Sales

Toyota surpassed GM in car sales in the first quarter of 2007, even as both companies posted record sales numbers. It's the first time that has happened, and it gives Toyota a legitimate claim on the title "World's Largest Automaker." GM has held that claim for more than 75 years.

Toyota Moves Past GM in First-Quarter Sales

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Business

Flood of E-Filers Prompts IRS Extension

The Internal Revenue Service has extended last night's deadline for taxpayers who couldn't get their returns filed electronically. Last night, a surge of returns overwhelmed Intuit company computers. Intuit owns the popular TurboTax software. Internet message boards were full of complaints.

Flood of E-Filers Prompts IRS Extension

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Economy

Kerkorian Chases Chrysler with Low Bid

Billionaire Kirk Kerkorian got rich in the casino and airline businesses, but he's always had a hankering to own a major auto company. Now 89, he is making another bid to acquire Chrysler from Daimler-Benz. It's not clear he can succeed — he is bidding less than $5 billion.

Kerkorian Chases Chrysler with Low Bid

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Business

Sallie Mae Sold to Private Group for $25 Billion

Sallie Mae, the nation's largest student-loan company, is being sold to a group of private investors led by private-equity firm J.C. Flowers & Co. The deal, worth $25 billion, comes as the college loan industry faces increased scrutiny from regulators.

Sallie Mae Sold to Private Group for $25 Billion

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Business

Sallie Mae Agrees to $25 Billion Buyout

Sallie Mae, the largest U.S. student-loan company, has agreed to a $25 billion buyout involving a pair of private-investment funds, JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America. In the past several weeks, the entire student-loan industry has been under fire for improper relationships with college financial-aid offices.

Sallie Mae Agrees to $25 Billion Buyout

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Business

Citigroup Cuts Include 6 Percent of New York Staff

Citigroup announces a sweeping overhaul of its operations as it tries to reduce costs under pressure from investors. The financial-services giant, which employs more than 325,000 people around the world, is cutting around 16,000 jobs. Some cuts will likely come from attrition, and some jobs may be shifted overseas.

Citigroup Cuts Include 6 Percent of New York Staff

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Business

Citigroup Job Cuts Aimed at Pleasing Shareholders

Citigroup, the world's largest financial services company, says it will eliminate about 5 percent of its work force. It's part of an effort to increase profits and appease shareholders, who have been unhappy about the company's financial performance.

Citigroup Job Cuts Aimed at Pleasing Shareholders

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Media

XM and Sirius Press Merger Plan

The satellite radio companies XM and Sirius face one big obstacle to their proposed merger: they're the only two players in the field. The companies say the notion of what constitutes the satellite market needs to be reconsidered.

XM and Sirius Press Merger Plan

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Economy

Rise and Fall of Subprime Lenders Began on Wall St.

It all started last November, when a relatively small lender, Own-It Mortgage Solutions, defaulted on its loans to JP Morgan Chase. Since then, more than 24 subprime lenders have folded, victims of rising default rates — but also of rising suspicions that the entire subprime market is teetering.

Rise and Fall of Subprime Lenders Began on Wall St.

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National

Pet Food Company Expands Recall

Scientists say they have found rat poison in samples of pet food blamed in the deaths of at least 15 cats and one dog. Producer Menu Foods has broadened a recall to all 95 brands of the "cuts and gravy" style food.

Pet Food Company Expands Recall

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Media

'Consumer Reports' Alters Testing Policies

In January, Consumer Reports announced it was withdrawing the results of a test on the safety of infant car seats because of questions about the reliability of its data. The magazine says it will change the way it tests new products.

'Consumer Reports' Alters Testing Policies

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Technology

Solar-Energy Company Faces Skepticism

A company called Citizenre says it can bring affordable solar energy to the mass market by year's end. It wants to build solar-energy systems on a large scale and lease them to customers. Industry insiders question the company's financial model.

Solar-Energy Company Faces Skepticism

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Economy

Urban Poor Cope with Help from Informal Economy

A Columbia University sociologist gives an inside view of informal economies which are central to life in the inner city. It's not just drug dealing and loan sharking that's off the books — it's child care, hair braiding, oil changes and house cleaning.

Urban Poor Cope with Help from Informal Economy

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Technology

Retailing Giant Wal-Mart Lends a Hand to HD Radio

Wal-Mart announced it's selling digital radio receivers for under $200. The move could boost the fortunes of HD radio, a new technology that broadcasters hope can compete with satellite radio.

Retailing Giant Wal-Mart Lends a Hand to HD Radio

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