High oil costs trickle down the pipeline

With oil pushing $100 a barrel, the impact is felt more places than the gas pump. Lisa Napoli takes a look at the less obvious ways the high cost of energy squeezes consumers.

All that glitters...
With the stock market off to an unimpressive start and economic fears at fever pitch, investors are touting the safety of gold. Tess turns to Peter Morici for a fact-check on all the hype.

"Tenancy in common" opening doors
Housing meltdown or not, home prices are still out of reach in many cities. Rachel Dornhelm reports how friends, and sometimes strangers, are teaming up to buy together.

What bank mergers mean for you
Wall Street breathes a sigh of relief as a buyout spares Countrywide from bankruptcy, but what about its customers? Tess asks Jane D'Arista what a bank merger means for you.

Work Life: A little bit of everything
Can't decide what to do with your work life? Who says you have to? We meet Sean Aiken, who is trying 52 jobs in 52 weeks. This week: stock picker.

Minorities in the middle
For some, the American dream keeps inching farther away. Stacey Vanek Smith looks at the challenges many minority citizens face as they attempt to join the ranks of the middle class.

From Wall Street to the Great Wall
Interested in getting in on all the financial action across the Pacific? Tess learns the best ways to add China to your portfolio from Burton Malkiel.

ALL MARKETPLACE MONEY STORIES

CONSUMER CONSEQUENCES
How many p***ts would it take to sustain humanity if everyone lived like you? Play our "Consumer Consequences" game and find out.