Business

Gauging Impact of Federal Rate Hike

June 30, 2004 • NPR's Robert Siegel talks with Cary Leahey, senior economist at Deutsche Bank Securities, about the implications of the Federal Reserve's Open Market Committee recommendation about raising interest rates.

Fed Lifts Interest Rate, Ending Four Years of Drops

June 30, 2004 • Federal Reserve policymakers lift a key short-term interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point, to 1.25 percent. It's the first time in four years the Fed has raised its target for short-term interest rates. Members of the Fed's Open Market Committee issued a statement saying it believes future rate increases can be made "at a pace that is likely to be measured." NPR's Jim Zarroli reports.

Economy

U.S. Economy Forecast

June 30, 2004 • The economic playing field is changing. The Federal Reserve is expected to start raising interest rates, putting an end to cheap money. The pressure to raise rates, and what that means to the money you borrow, and what you already owe.

Guests:

Mike Santoli
*Senior editor at Barron's Magazine

Bill Cheney
*Chief economist for John Hancock Financial Services in Boston

Lynn Franco
*Director of The Conference Board's Consumer Research Center

Slate's Ad Report Card

Slate's Ad Report Card: Ball Park Franks, Frankly

June 30, 2004 • Ball Park Franks have a new television ad campaign -- one that Slate ad critic Seth Stevenson finds downright indecent. (Warning: This report contains the word "penis" and has other sexual references.)

Health

The Marketplace Report: 20 Million Can't Pay Med Bills

June 30, 2004 • NPR's Alex Chadwick talks to Tess Vigeland of Marketplace about a new study that says one in seven American families can't pay their medical bills -- that's about 20 million families.

Opinion

Thulani Davis on Martha Stewart and Minorities

June 30, 2004 • Author and journalist Thulani Davis questions the true intentions behind Martha Stewart's offer to teach low-income women how to be entrepreneurs.

Economy

Handover in Iraq Fueling Slide in Oil Prices

June 30, 2004 • The early transfer of power in Iraq this week has accelerated a downward trend in oil prices. Crude oil prices fell below $36 a barrel Tuesday. That's more than 15 percent off the peak price early this month. NPR's Scott Horsley reports.

Economy

Looming Interest Rate Hike Spurs Higher House Prices

June 30, 2004 • With the Federal Reserve expected to start the first of several interest-rate hikes Wednesday, the housing market is already preparing for the impact. As the era of historically cheap mortgages closes, the prospect of higher interest rates is creating a sense of urgency among would-be buyers. Hear NPR's Jack Speer.

Health Care

Study: Companies Hiked Drug Prices Before Reform

June 30, 2004 • A new study finds that pharmaceutical companies boosted prices significantly in the months before the new Medicare drug benefit became law. The study, from the American Association of Retired Persons, used data provided by drug companies. Drug makers say that other studies, based on government data, are more accurate. NPR's Joanne Silberner reports.

Media

Neo-Radio Succeeds by Cutting the Noise

June 30, 2004 • A new style of commercial FM radio station -- based on eclectic music and informed commentary -- represents a backlash against the rest of the industry's consolidation, narrow playlists, and copycat sounds. Stations that have tried the new format have shot up the charts. NPR's Wade Goodwyn reports.

Your Money

Rise in Federal Rate Ends Era of Cheap Money

June 30, 2004 • Federal Reserve plans for a small increase in short-term interest rates mean an end to the four-year period of falling interest rates. With the economy heating up, the Fed wants to keep inflation in hand. If the Fed raises the interest rate from 1 percent to 1.25 percent, it is expected to be the beginning of the end of a period of historically low interest rates. NPR's Jim Zarroli reports.

All Things Considered: Fed Raises Rate

Audio for this story is unavailable.

Religion

When Faith Clashes with Corporate Policy

June 30, 2004 • For years, courts have refereed disputes over accommodating religion in the workplace. But what happens when an employee's religious beliefs collide with the company's secular vision? NPR's Barbara Bradley Hagerty reports in the conclusion to a three-part series on religion in the workplace.

Pop Culture

McDonald's Happy Meal Turns 25

June 29, 2004 • The McDonald's Happy Meal turned 25 this month. First launched in June 1979, the meal has started a movement among collectors who are after what kids often find the best part of the meal -- the toys. NPR's Renee Montagne reports.

Politics

Schwarzenegger Seeks Deal with Prison Guard Union

June 29, 2004 • California's prison guard union has long wielded political clout in the Golden State. Now Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is seeking concessions in the guard union's contract in the face of a budget crisis and prison scandal. John Myers of member station KQED reports.

Fed Watchers Wait for Interest Rate Hike

June 29, 2004 • Members of the Federal Reserve's Open Market committee begin a two-day meeting in Washington. Analysts predict the Fed will raise a key interest rate, as a report finding strong consumer spending raises fears about inflation. Hear NPR's Renee Montagne and David Wessel of The Wall Street Journal.