Business and Economic News

Anti-Muslim slur has state keeping close tabs on license plates
Minnesota doesn't maintain a list of banned words, but state law does require that personalized plates avoid indecency, obscenity and immorality.
What's next in the battle between Apple and the FBI?
Law professor Bill McGeveran spoke with Kerri Miller about what makes the fight between Apple and the FBI so important.
St. Paul riverfront development costs more than expected
The plan to tear down St. Paul's long-vacant riverfront and reshape the downtown landscape is going to cost a lot more than anyone thought.
Women in America earn only 78 percent of that what their male counterparts make, according to government data. The pay divide is even deeper for women of color. MPR News host Kerri Miller spoke with two guests about why the wage gap persists and what is being done to reduce it.
Farmers feel thrown under the bus as Big Food changes
Some farmers are chafing at the extent to which big food companies and retailers are catering to consumer demands, which they sometimes view as faddish.
Best Buy 4Q revenue slips; outlook muted
Best Buy's fourth-quarter revenue slipped in a holiday shopping season that has been rugged for almost all retailers and it offered a conservative outlook to start the year.
Head-scratcher alert: Jet fuel prices are falling but airfares are rising
Airlines have been paying the lowest prices in years for jet fuel. Nevertheless, fares are rising and many fuel surcharge fees remain. Traveler advocates are angry but airlines say labor costs are up.
Mayor, team unveil design for Major League Soccer stadium in St. Paul
The soon-to-be MLS franchise released renderings of its plans Wednesday. The centerpiece: a stadium wrapped in translucent polymer that will hold more than 23,000 fans.
Can money buy you happiness?
Social scientist Michael Norton researches how money can buy happiness -- when you don't spend it on yourself.