Stocks: 5 things to know before the open

Click chart for in-depth premarket data.

LONDON (CNNMoney)

Here are the five things you need to know before the opening bell rings in New York:

1. It's all about Japan: The Bank of Japan has shocked global markets by boosting its aggressive stimulus program in an effort to keep the country's economic revival on track.

Japan's Nikkei index surged by nearly 5% to hit a seven-year high and stock markets around the world are rallying.

Asian markets closed with significant gains and European markets have jumped by at least 1% in early trading.

U.S. stock futures were also surging by more than 1%.

"The move by the Bank of Japan was not only unexpected, but shows the divergence between the major central banks around the globe as the Federal Reserve has just ended monetary stimulus and the Bank of Japan is speeding up the printing presses," said Angus Campbell, a senior market analyst at FxPro.

Related: Stocks give investors a big October treat

2. Stock market movers -- Starbucks, GoPro, Citigroup: Shares in Starbucks (SBUX) are taking a tumble -- down by about 3% premarket -- after the company said it expects profits will fall short of expectations during the next three months.

Shares in GoPro (GPRO) are surging by about 15% after the company reported a better-than-expected third quarter and issued an upbeat forecast for its business.

Meanwhile, Citigroup (C) shares are off by about 1.5% premarket after the company said it had to revise its third quarter earnings. The bank said profit was $600 million lower than previously stated due to higher-than-expected legal costs.

Related: CNNMoney's Tech30

3. Earnings: There are plenty of earnings to watch Friday. Anheuser-Busch InBev (AHBIF), Chevron (CVX), Clorox (CLX), and Exxon Mobil (XOM) will report earnings before the opening bell.

Overnight, Sony (SNE) reported a second quarter net loss of $1.2 billion, and the company confirmed it's on track to lose a staggering $2.1 billion this fiscal year. Shares edged higher, but missed the rally that other Japanese stocks enjoyed.

4. Economics: The Bureau of Economic Analysis will post monthly personal income and spending numbers at 8:30 a.m. ET.

The University of Michigan will report the final version of its monthly consumer sentiment index at 9:55 a.m. ET.

5. Thursday market recap: U.S. stocks closed higher Thursday. The Dow gained 221 points. The S&P 500 closed 0.6% higher and the Nasdaq moved up by 0.4%.

First Published: October 31, 2014: 6:08 AM ET

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This 3-D scanner-printer is a flop. But the future is promising

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Too bad it's a flop.

The all-in-one scanner and printer, made by XYZprinting, lets you 3-D print objects without knowing how to design anything. There's no complicated software involved. You can just put an object inside, and a couple hours later, you'll have a plastic replica of that object. It's like copy and print.

In theory, anyway.

In reality, the Da Vinci AiO totally failed when we tried to scan a Matchbox car. It also couldn't master a stress ball. We finally got it to work by scanning a cube-shaped foam die.

Related: The UPS Store will 3-D print stuff for you

So even though it's just $800, (insanely cheap for this kind of technology), you might not want to rush out to buy the Da Vinci AiO.

But the technology is promising.

If 3-D scanning and printing technology improves, you could envision a day where you could make spare parts, plastic silverware and cups without going to the store.

Did you break a window latch? Just copy one from another window. Missing that sixth screw from your Ikea furniture? Throw one of the screws into the scanner.

One day... but not quite yet.

First Published: October 31, 2014: 7:28 AM ET

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Apple says it may lose Irish tax break

Apple warned investors it could be hit by higher taxes due to changes in Irish law

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

In June, the European Commission started investigating whether Apple's 1991 tax deal with Ireland violated European Union laws prohibiting state aid to companies. In September it ruled against the tax deal. Ireland and Apple are fighting the decision.

In the company's annual financial report, released this week, Apple warned investors that "If the Company's effective tax rates were to increase, particularly in the U.S. or Ireland...the company's operating results, cash flows and financial condition could be adversely affected."

Related: How Apple socres its lower tax bill

Apple (AAPL, Tech30) has paid as little as 2% on profits attributed to its subsidiaries in Ireland, well below the 35% top rate in the United States and even well below Ireland's 12.5% rate. That has prompted complaints by both European and U.S. lawmakers. CEO Tim Cook was even called to testify on Apple's tax deal before a Senate committee.

Ireland announced earlier this month that it would end a key tax break for tech companies by 2020

But some experts say the change is more of a public relations move than a step that will significantly increase the taxes those companies have to pay.

Related: Is Apple the perfect stock?

First Published: October 31, 2014: 7:40 AM ET

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These countries are getting killed by cheap oil

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Oil is selling for roughly $83 a barrel on the global market. That's bad news for Iran, Nigeria, Venezuela, Russia, and Saudi Arabia, among others. They need the black stuff to trade at far loftier levels in order to balance their budgets.

Iran's budget, for example, is built on oil at $135 dollars per barrel, according to data from Deutsche Bank and Thomson Reuters compiled by DoubleLine Capital.

Russia has oil budgeted at $100, while Saudi Arabia will break even at $95 per barrel.

"All the oil producers are feeling it. Now the question is who can withstand it the most," said Phil Flynn, an energy analyst at the Price Futures Group.

Related: Oil will tumble to $70 says new 'bond king'

Drill or die: Flynn claims that energy producing nations will continue to pump up production because they don't want to risk losing market share.

"It's like a starring contest of who can last the longest selling oil below their budget point. Whoever can hold out longest is going to win," he said. "They're eating at each other."

In the past, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) would have likely stepped in by this point to urge its members to cut production, but the oil cartel has been dogged by internal diplomatic disputes and shifting political allegiances.

Geopolitical fallout: The persistently low oil prices could change the geopolitical calculations for some nations that are already dealing with sanctions over their confrontations with the West.

Branko Terzic, an energy consultant who used to serve as the commissioner of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), thinks the depressed prices might bring Russia to the negotiating table over its actions in Ukraine.

He's less optimistic about Iran, even though the country's economy has been crippled by sanctions over its nuclear program.

"In the past they've put ideology over economics, and it's not clear if that will change," he said.

There's speculation that Saudi Arabia is refusing to cut supply in order to squeeze Iran. The two countries from opposing Islamic denominations are vying aggressively for dominance in the Middle East.

Related: Saudi Arabia: The next big emerging market?

Budget squeeze: Low oil prices may force some governments to make tough cuts. Venezuela heavily subsidizes the cost of gasoline. A gallon usually costs drivers around seven cents, Terzic noted.

Already facing declining oil production, skyrocketing inflation, and dwindling foreign exchange reserves, the nation's socialist government may be forced to look at its budget to see what it can cut without roiling the public.

In Russia, finance minister Anton Siluanov is already talking about the need to cut spending by 10%. "The budget can not constantly have expenses that were made at different economic reality," he recently told the Russian parliament.

Related: Russia is living in an 'alternative economic reality'

Buying time: But Russia, like some other nations, is still sitting on a healthy chunk of foreign exchange reserves, which it can dip into to help buy time as oil remains low. At oil's current level, Russia can cover its budget for four years, Terzic estimated. Saudi Arabia has about eight years.

Nigeria, on the other hand, isn't as fortunate. The country can only sustain the current situation for a few months.

American energy game changer: The biggest shift in global energy markets is that the U.S. is producing an unprecedented amount of oil now. Even though America has a ban on exporting crude, the fact that it's importing less has led to a flood of foreign oil on the global market, according to Terzic.

Related: Is the U.S. holding too much oil in reserve?

"It reduces our reliance on the production in unstable areas. It's minimizing the impact that these Middle Eastern countries are having on global affairs," he said. "This is good news for all of us."

First Published: October 30, 2014: 7:12 AM ET

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Why are America's biggest businesses struggling?

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Investors were having panic attacks mid-month. Nearly all the gains for the year were wiped out. Now the Nasdaq and S&P 500 are both positive for October and way up for the year. The Nasdaq is up 1.2% this month alone.

But a funny thing happened during this big rebound: The Dow Jones Industrial Average -- the index representing 30 of America's largest and most well-known companies -- got left behind.

The Dow is still negative for the month.

What happened to these supposed "Blue Chip" companies?

1. Bigger isn't always better. Normally investors think of the Blue Chip names as solid, stable companies. The Dow has household brands like Visa (V), AT&T (T, Tech30) and McDonald's (MCD) that are known around the world. But lately, Blue Chip has been a bit of a euphemism for "stale."

Almost half of the companies in the Dow -- 11 of 30 -- are down more than 1% for October.

McDonald's can't quite find its place as people want healthier options. Coke (KO) is in a similar position. While rival Pepsi (PEP) (not a Dow member) has been able to leverage its snack food business as soda revenue declines, Coke hasn't figured out a new formula.

Related: McDonald's gets burned in Asia

"Businesses are competing with nimble, newer and faster companies," says Tim Anderson, Managing Director at MND Partners.

IBM (IBM, Tech30) was an especially large blow in October. It announced the sale of its chip unit for a nearly $5 billion loss and followed that up with lackluster quarterly results and little optimism about the coming months. The company cited "the unprecedented pace of change in our industry." The stock tanked and is still down about 14% for the month.

There's an identity crisis going on among several of America's large companies. Even GE (GE) is negative for the year and facing pressure to break itself up and restructure.

Despite the fact that the U.S. economy is improving, investors aren't certain that these specific brands in the Dow are going to benefit until they get their big picture strategies sorted out.

Related: How much should a young worker save for retirement?

2. The Dow is just odd. There's a reason a lot more people invest in funds that mimic or track the S&P 500 than the Dow. The Dow started in 1896. While America's economy grew, it still has a mere 30 firms in the index (compared to the 500 in the S&P or the nearly 3,000 in the Nasdaq).

And while other indexes typically weight the companies equally, the Dow is price weighted. So companies with larger share prices have more sway. That's especially problematic when IBM -- the third biggest weight in the Dow -- goes down.

"The Dow is just a very narrow index," says Russ Koesterich, BlackRock's Chief Investment Strategist. "If you look at a broader measure like the S&P 500, large cap companies are doing better than small cap during the sell-off, but the Dow is very idiosyncratic."

Koesterich thinks large company stocks actually offer some of the better bargains in the market at the moment, just not necessarily the ones in the Dow.

Related: CNNMoney's Fear & Greed Index indicates 'fear'

Some go as far as saying the Dow isn't representative of American business anymore.

CNNMoney's Paul La Monica has often asked a simple question: Why the heck isn't Apple in the Dow? It's arguably the most valuable brand in the world and its stock trades right around $100, yet it's not in "the club," while Cisco (CSCO, Tech30) and Caterpillar (CAT) are.

3. Blame the hedge fund types. The final factor at work in the Dow's lagging October performance might be traders and hedge funds.

After the big dip, many investment professionals did whatever they could to pare their losses. They looked for stocks likely to go up quickly. Those are momentum stocks -- typically tech and bio tech and smaller companies -- not the big, slow Blue Chips.

"Hedge funds, momentum funds and funds that are subject to withdrawals every six months have a real problem holding dead money stocks," said Anderson.

First Published: October 30, 2014: 7:56 AM ET

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Apple CEO Tim Cook comes out: 'I'm proud to be gay'

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

"Let me be clear: I'm proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me," he wrote in a column in Bloomberg Businessweek.

In his column, the Apple (AAPL, Tech30) chief said that he had tried to maintain "a basic level of privacy." But he said he decided that desire for privacy was stopping him from working for the benefit of others.

"I don't consider myself an activist, but I realize how much I've benefited from the sacrifice of others," he said. "So if hearing that the CEO of Apple is gay can help someone struggling to come to terms with who he or she is, or bring comfort to anyone who feels alone, or inspire people to insist on their equality, then it's worth the trade-off with my own privacy."

Cook, who grew up in Alabama, said he has long been open about his sexual orientation, but had just not previously discussed it publicly.

"Plenty of colleagues at Apple know I'm gay, and it doesn't seem to make a difference in the way they treat me," he wrote. "Of course, I've had the good fortune to work at a company that loves creativity and innovation and knows it can only flourish when you embrace people's differences. Not everyone is so lucky."

There have been some rumors and speculation that Cook is gay. Out magazine had previously named him as the most powerful gay person on its Power 50 list.

But there are no other publicly gay CEO's at the 700 largest corporations. John Browne served as CEO of BP (BP) from 1995 to 2007, and acknowledged he was gay after he was forced to leave office. He resigned when an former boyfriend outed him. He has since written a book "The Glass Closet: Why Coming Out is Good Business."

A year ago, Cook announced support for a federal law which would have protected workers from facing discrimination based on their sexual orientation.

"For too long, too many people have had to hide that part of their identity in the workplace," he wrote at the time.

And in December at an event organized by his alma mater Auburn University, he spoke of dealing with discrimination in his life.

"I have seen and have experienced many types of discrimination, and all of them were rooted in the fear of people that were different than the majority," he said in that speech.

Related: Same sex marriage: 1 year later

First Published: October 30, 2014: 7:20 AM ET

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Millionaire tax on the ballot in Illinois

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, a Democrat, is running for re-election and backs a non-binding ballot measure that would impose a millionaire tax to help support schools.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Prairie State voters next Tuesday will be asked whether they think the state's constitution should be changed to impose an additional 3% tax on income over $1 million. Revenue from the ballot measure would help fund schools.

The vote is non-binding. It's simply a measure of public support for the idea. So even if it passes, it's unlikely that the state's millionaires will be shelling out more anytime soon.

Some observers call the measure catnip to entice Democrats to vote in the midterm elections.

But Illinois' finances are also in bad shape.

And its fiscal woes could worsen in January, when the state's single 5% individual income tax rate is scheduled to drop to 3.75% and the corporate income tax rate is set to fall as well.

"Either we'll need to raise more revenue or cut spending," said David Merriman, a professor of public policy at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Other states, of course, considered or enacted higher taxes on millionaires in the past decade.

California in 2012 approved a 3% additional tax on income over $1 million that will be in effect through 2018. Revenue raised is going largely to schools.

In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, Connecticut, New Jersey and Maryland temporarily imposed a higher rate on high-income households -- both above the $1 million threshold and below.

Related: Voters to decide on raising the minimum wage

In 2010, Bill Gates Sr. backed a ballot measure that would have required Washington state, which has no individual income tax, to tax adjusted gross income over $400,000 for couples ($200,000 for singles) at 5% and income over $1 million at 9%.

Revenue from the Washington measure would have paid for middle class tax relief as well as education and health services. But it was defeated at the polls.

Some New Jersey Democrats, meanwhile, have also tried and failed to raise the tax rate on those making millions -- sometimes to offer property tax relief and other times to help the state make its pension payments. This year they proposed a 10.75% rate on income over $1 million, which is what the rate was in 2009. The top rate currently is 8.97% on income over $500,000.

At the federal level, Democrats have repeatedly floated different types of millionaire taxes.

One that's gotten the most attention is President Obama's proposed "Buffett Rule" or "Fair Share Tax." That proposal called for those making more than $1 million to pay at least 30% of their income, after charitable contributions, in federal taxes.

The most recent incarnation of that idea came from Senator Elizabeth Warren, who proposed that the 30% minimum be imposed and used to pay for a program to help student loan borrowers buried in debt.

First Published: October 29, 2014: 6:23 AM ET

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Stocks: 6 things to know before the open

Click chart for in-depth premarket data.

LONDON (CNNMoney)

Here are the six things you need to know before the opening bell rings in New York:

1. The end of stimulus: The Fed is expected to announce the conclusion of its massive stimulus program this afternoon. The quantitative easing program, which lasted for six years, is widely credited with supporting the economy and driving investors back into stocks in the aftermath of the financial crisis.

In addition to the expected stimulus announcement, the Fed is also set to give more details about plans for interest rates at 2 p.m. ET. Most investors believe the first rate hike won't occur before June 2015, and many are betting it won't happen until the end of next year or later.

Any surprise announcements could have a big impact on trading.

U.S. stock futures were relatively flat ahead of the major Fed announcements.

2. Facebook flop: Shares in Facebook (FB, Tech30) are off by about 7% premarket after executives revealed plans to ramp up spending next year. Expenses in 2015 are expected to rise by as much as 75% versus the current year, which is irking investors.

Premarket data shows Facebook's fall is dragging down the Nasdaq.

Related: Fear & Greed Index

3. Earnings: Hershey (HSY), Hyatt Hotels (H) and SodaStream (SODA) are among the key companies reporting quarterly results before the opening bell.

Visa (V), Baidu (BIDU, Tech30), Weight Watchers (WTW) and Kraft Foods (KRFT) will report after the close.

4. Russia-Ukraine gas talks: Investors are keeping a close eye on Russia-Ukraine energy negotiations. Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak and Ukrainian Energy Minister Yurii Prodan will attempt to hash out a temporary contract for Russia to deliver gas to Ukraine over the winter. This is a contentious matter since Russia completely cut off gas supplies to Ukraine a few months ago.

Related: Oil trading around $80, but Russia budgeting for $100

5. International markets overview: Major European markets are edging up in early trading.

Shares in the healthcare firm Sanofi (SNY) were dropping by about 4% in Paris after the company announced it was booting out its CEO, Christopher Viehbacher.

Asian markets mostly ended with gains. The Shanghai Composite index led the pack with a 1.5% jump.

6. Tuesday market recap: U.S. stocks closed higher at the close of the previous trading session. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 188 points, nearly erasing its October losses. The S&P 500 closed 1.2% higher and the Nasdaq was up 1.8%.

First Published: October 29, 2014: 5:55 AM ET

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382,000 Ram pickups recalled for fire risk

The recall covers Dodge Ram truck models 2500, 3500, 4500 and 5500, Chrysler said.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Fiat Chrysler (FCAU) issued the recall Wednesday morning, and said the fuel heater assembly used in certain 2010-2014 model year diesel trucks can overheat. That can lead to fuel leaking and potentially a fire.

The company said there have been two reports of overheating, but is aware of no fires, injuries or accidents.

The recall covers Ram models 2500, 3500, 4500 and 5500. Most of the vehicles are in the U.S.

Chrysler said it would upgrade wiring harness terminals and, if necessary, the housing for the fuel heater.

This has been an epic year for recalls. Automakers have recalled a record 52 million vehicles, including 30 million recalled by General Motors (GM).

Related: Exploding airbag recall could expand

First Published: October 29, 2014: 8:09 AM ET

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Tim Cook: Apple Pay signup is 'fantastic'

Laguna Beach, Calif. (CNNMoney)

More than 1 million credit cards were activated to work with Apple Pay in the 72 hours following its debut, and the service is already the industry leader in contactless payments, Tim Cook said Monday during an interview at a Wall Street Journal tech conference in Laguna Beach, Calif.

"And we've got the whole rest of the world," the Apple CEO said. "We're only in the U.S. right now ... but the early ramp looks fantastic. It's sort of that 'ahh' moment. You use the phone and that's all you have to do."

Cook's optimism comes amid news that CVS and Rite Aid have both stopped accepting Apple Pay. One of the reasons? They want to keep collecting data on shoppers.

Cook drew a clear line on Apple's privacy policies.

Related: Google: Tim Cook is wrong about us

"We believe that your data is yours," said Cook. "We're not about collecting every detail about you and knowing what time you go to bed and where you spend your money, what things you searched on, none of that. We don't read your email, your iMessages. If somebody tries to get your FaceTime records, we can't supply it."

Cook acknowledged, however, some pushback from law enforcement agencies on recent iOS 8 updates (which have added further measures to encrypt data).

"I look at that and say: If law enforcement wants something, they should go to the user and get it. It's not for me to do that," Cook said.

Related: Is Apple the perfect stock?

Cook also revealed some details about the Apple Watch, including his expectation that frequent use will require the devices to be charged daily. The new watches are slated to come out early next year.

First Published: October 28, 2014: 3:24 AM ET

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Stocks: 5 things to know before the open

Click chart for in-depth premarket data.

LONDON (CNNMoney)

Here are the five things you need to know before the opening bell rings in New York:

1. Twitter trouble: Shares in Twitter (TWTR, Tech30) are taking a nose-dive -- down by about 11% premarket -- after the company forecast its revenue in the final quarter of the year could come in below market expectations. Meanwhile, results from the latest quarter were in-line with expectations, and Twitter's user base continues to expand, but at a modest pace.

2. More earnings: Investors will have plenty of quarterly reports to digest Tuesday morning from companies including Pfizer (PFE), DuPont (DD), 1-800-Flowers (FLWS) and Coach (COH).

Facebook (FB, Tech30), Electronic Arts (EA, Tech30) and Marriott (MAR) are among the firms reporting after the close.

Related: Fear & Greed Index

3. Market moves: U.S. stock futures are perky as investors wait for the latest Federal Reserve meeting to get underway Tuesday.

On Wednesday, the Fed is widely expected to announce the conclusion of its massive stimulus program. Known as quantitative easing, the program is credited for driving investors back into stocks in the aftermath of the financial crisis.

The CNNMoney Fear & Greed index shows investors still feel very fearful, but fear levels aren't quite as extreme as they were earlier in October when markets were highly volatile.

U.S. stocks closed mixed Monday. The Dow Jones industrial average finished 12 points higher, the S&P 500 was down 0.2%, and the Nasdaq barely budged.

Related: U.S. is 65th in world on gender pay gap

4. International markets overview: European markets are all rising in early trading. The Dax in Germany has been a stand-out performer after posting a 1.3% jump.

However, shares in two major U.K. banks are extremely weak. Standard Chartered (SCBFF) shares are falling by about 8% after the bank posted earnings that disappointed investors. Lloyds Banking Group (LYG) stock was off by about 2.5% after confirming that it was cutting 9,000 jobs.

Shares in BP (BP) were relatively flat after the oil giant reported third quarter earnings.

Asian stock markets ended with mixed results. The main indexes in China both jumped by about 2%, but markets in India were weak.

5. Economics: The S&P/Case-Shiller home price index will come out at 9 a.m. ET. The Conference Board will publish its monthly consumer confidence report at 10 a.m. ET.

First Published: October 28, 2014: 5:53 AM ET

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Feds sue New York City for Medicaid fraud

Federal prosecutor Preet Bharara is suing New York City and Computer Sciences Corp. for Medicaid fraud.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The top federal prosecutor in Manhattan announced a lawsuit against the city and a contractor, Computer Sciences Corp. (CSC), for allegedly orchestrating a multi-million dollar billing fraud scheme that lasted about four years.

The city and the company are accused of filing tens of thousands of "false claims" to Medicaid, allowing them "improperly to obtain millions of dollars of Medicaid reimbursements."

Preet Bharara, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, is accusing the city and the company of using computer programs to automatically alter billing data for Medicaid patients.

For example, the city and the company used computer programs "to circumvent the requirement that Medicaid be billed after private insurance coverage had been exhausted." Many of these claims involved the state's early intervention program for children under the age of three with developmental delay.

Related: Jersey Shore's Situation indicted for tax fraud

But Rich Adamonis, spokesman for Computer Sciences Corp., said that his company and the city did nothing wrong.

He said the company did not submit any claims for early intervention program "for which the City of New York was not entitled to be paid" and the city was "properly reimbursed" for services in accordance with federal and state laws.

The suit didn't specify a dollar amount. It was filed under a law that can require damages to be paid back threefold.

First Published: October 28, 2014: 7:43 AM ET

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Paying thousands before health insurance even kicks in

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

That's because more employers are offering consumer-directed health plans, which usually come with high deductibles. In 2015, 81% of large employers will offer at least one of these plans, up from 63% five years earlier.

Consumer-directed plans typically carry deductibles of $1,500 for individual coverage, more than three times higher than traditional policies, according to the National Business Group on Health.

And these plans will be the only choice for a growing number of workers. The share of larger employers offering only consumer-directed policies is jumping to 32% for 2015, up from 22% this year.

Deductibles are soaring for traditional insurance policies, too.

Deductibles for individual coverage at all firms have jumped to $1,217, on average, up 47% over the past five years, according to the 2014 Kaiser Family Foundation/Health Research & Educational Trust report. In high-deductible plans, they have hit $2,215.

Employers say they want more accountability, and higher deductibles force workers to take a larger role in their own care while shifting more of the costs to them.

Share your story: Are your health care deductibles going up?

Participants in these plans often have to pay more out of pocket -- not only for deductibles, but for doctors' visits, labs and procedures too.

On the plus side, they benefit from lower monthly premiums. Also, many employers contribute to savings accounts to help workers cover these costs. Annual checkups and preventative exams, such as colorectal screenings and mammograms, are free, as mandated by Obamacare.

Wells Fargo (WFC) switched to only consumer-directed plans in 2012. This year, the bank's employees can choose between two high-deductible policies -- one at $2,000 and the other at $3,000.

Doing so helped Wells Fargo keep plans affordable and allows it to offer a broad network of doctors and hospitals, said spokeswoman Richele Messick. "It gives them greater visibility into the cost of care and how they spend their health care dollars," she said.

Related: 5 ways you pay more for health insurance

Wells Fargo contributes up to $1,000 to workers' accounts, depending on their salary and the plan they choose. Employees can also earn up to $800 by participating in corporate wellness programs, including health screenings and quizzes.

For many, however, high-deductible health plans are a burden. They are nearly twice as likely to skip going to the doctor when sick or injured as those with traditional plans, according to a recent survey by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Also, they are more likely to have difficulty paying other bills and to have decreased the amount they save.

Medical care has become more costly for the Vance family under a high-deductible plan.

Melissa Vance has had to go back to work. Her husband's employer just jacked up the family's deductible from $0 to $5,000. The Columbia, S.C., couple has four children with chronic conditions that require frequent lab work and costly medications.

Last year, Vance estimated she paid $2,000 for the family's health care. This year, the tab will likely surpass $10,000, which she said will take them years to pay off.

"I have a stack of bills I haven't even opened," said Vance, who now works part-time as an administrative assistant. "I get nauseous every time I look at them."

First Published: October 27, 2014: 6:26 AM ET

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Stocks: 4 things to know before the open

Click chart for in-depth premarket data.

LONDON (CNNMoney)

Here are the four things you need to know before the opening bell rings in New York:

1. Banking bonanza: Investors are expressing their dismay after the European Central Bank revealed that 25 financial firms failed an extensive health check. Shares in about a dozen European banks are tanking Monday morning, with Ireland's Permanent TSB bank tumbling by 24% and Italy's Banca Carige falling 18%.

However, shares in the Greek bank Eurobank are rising by about 10%, even though it also failed the tests -- investors were expecting even more dire results for this particular firm.

"[The ECB] gave the European banking system a reasonably clean bill of health," said Kit Juckes, a market strategist at Societe Generale. "The ECB [is] observing [that] only a smallish number of banks have to raise a modest amount of capital. It's either a reassuring or a naive picture of the banking system, depending on how you want to read it."

Most major European markets were declining by about 0.5% in early trading.

Part of the decline was related to a new report out of Germany showing economic conditions in the nation continued to deteriorate in October.

Related: Fear & Greed Index

2. Market moves: U.S. stock futures were barely budging from their Friday closing levels.

At the close of trading last week, the Dow Jones industrial average jumped up by 0.8%, the Nasdaq rose by 0.7% and the S&P 500 added 0.7%.

Gold prices were declining slightly and oil prices were up a touch.

Related: Fed set to finally get out of the market

3. Earnings: There will be plenty of quarterly results to sort through Monday.

Allergan (AGN), Merck (MRK) and Citizens Financial Group (CFG) will be reporting earnings before the open.

After the close, we'll hear from Twitter (TWTR, Tech30), Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD), Crocs (CROX) and Denny's (DENN).

4. Economics: At 10 a.m. ET, the government will release data on September pending home sales.

First Published: October 27, 2014: 6:03 AM ET

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Ferrari's invitation-only supercar

LONDON (CNNMoney)

The Ferrari Sergio, produced in partnership with Italian design firm Pininfarina, is a car that's so limited and unique you have to be invited by Ferrari to buy it. The automaker is creating only six Sergios and they're estimated to cost millions each.

Ferrari told CNNMoney it pre-sold all six vehicles to deep-pocketed die-hard Ferrari fans in the U.S., Europe and Asia. If you haven't received a call from Ferrari yet, you're out of luck.

Ferrari, which is owned by Fiat (FIADF), has built a world-class name for itself based on its reputation for exclusivity. It capped production at 7,000 cars per year to ensure demand consistently outstrips supply, making its cars all the more desirable.

However, after a recent management shake-up, the company said it will ramp up production by 5% this year to ensure its waiting list doesn't get out of control.

While vehicle output may be increasing, limited production cars like the Sergio help Ferrari keep its exclusive edge.

Related: Ferrari recalls 3,000 cars for entrapment danger

The automaker also offers a "one-off" program where rich car collectors can buy a completely original car that they help design themselves. Each car costs millions.

"It's as far removed from mass production as you can get," said Ferrari spokesperson Jason Harris.

Ferrari has only created about a dozen of these bespoke cars since the "one-off" program launched a few years ago, but it said the program is gaining traction, which could be helping the company's bottom line.

Ferrari reported record revenue in the first six months of this year, up nearly 15% compared to the same period in the previous year, even as it sold fewer cars. Profits for the period also rose by 10%.

Musician Eric Clapton helped design this original Ferrari. It's one of a kind and estimated to be worth millions.

Clients who signed on to buy the new Sergios have made their commitment before the road-ready car design has even been finalized. Ferrari engineers still haven't figured out how to craft a vehicle that is based on a whimsical concept car that was designed without a windshield and side mirrors.

The concept car was on show in London this month. Deliveries of the six Sergios are expected in 2015.

Related: Steve McQueen Ferrari sells for $10.2 million

Related: Lamborghini Huracan: So good, why spend more?

First Published: October 27, 2014: 4:57 AM ET

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NYC tabloids keep a straight face on Ebola

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

In the hours before Spencer was diagnosed he had gone bowling, rode the A train and stopped by a meatball shop. But there was not a single pun to be found on New York City newsstands Friday morning. No hysteria and no sensationalism.

Instead newspapers like AM New York went with just the facts. The free daily's front page simply said "Ebola in NYC" and showed a picture of Spencer in a hazmat suit while caring for victims in West Africa:

"We didn't want to be alarmists," said Pete Catapano, executive editor of AM New York. "Obviously it's a scary subject... We wanted to be very direct, very straight-forward."

Related: Syracuse University disinvites journalist over Ebola fears

The Daily News also took a tempered approach with its front page:

The New York Post (which is infamous for its outrageous covers) was a little more brash with its "Ebola Here!" headline, but did stick to just the facts:

"A subject like this... people make jokes about it. That's not our place to do that," Catapano said. "We just wanted to be very respectful, and let the story speak for itself."

Related: EU pledges 1 billion euros to fight Ebola

First Published: October 24, 2014: 5:39 PM ET

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The Ebola stocks: Effect of an outbreak

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Some people have considered canceling visits to big theme parks and have aired worries about whether airports and public areas are safe zones.

It's no wonder that investors are assessing Ebola's impact on the economy. Stocks of companies that make drugs that treat the virus have had a wild ride.

It's no small issue. Ebola has killed nearly 5,000 people, mostly in West Africa. The deadly virus has killed one person in the United States and on Friday, a doctor in New York City became the fourth person to have tested positive for Ebola in the country.

One trader, Dave Lutz of Jones Trading, has compiled a list of stocks that are either directly impacted or could be affected by the spread of Ebola.

Canadian biotech firm Tekmira Pharmaceuticals (TKMR)' stock surged in September after the FDA authorized the company's drug for patients with Ebola in the United States. Shares have since pulled back. The company has started limited production of its drug, TKM-Ebola, which will be available in early December.

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals (BCRX) is another small biotech company working on a drug that could be used to treat Ebola. Its stock has been on a roller coaster ride lately.

NewLink Genetics (NLNK) is working with the World Health Organization and other agencies on an Ebola vaccine. Its shares have surged 57% in the past month.

Companies that make protective equipment for healthcare workers or provide services to governments have also seen gains. Lakeland Industries (LAKE) said in September that it was boosting production of the protective suits in response to growing demand. It's stock has surged 76% in the last four weeks.

Alpha Pro Tech (APT) also makes protective equipment for healthcare workers. Its stock jumped 5% on Friday alone.

Some investors believe the airline industry is also vulnerable to the outbreak. Concerns about air travel rose this month after a Dallas nurse, who treated an Ebola patient, flew round trip between Dallas and Cleveland before being diagnosed with the virus.

Though airline stocks were hurt earlier in the month, they are now near all-time highs after reporting record setting profits.

Cruise ship operators have also been in focus after a healthcare worker who handled Ebola test samples was quarantined on a cruise ship earlier this month. Shares of both Carnival (CCL) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) have been under pressure recently.

Hotel chains could also be at risk if worries about Ebola cause people to curtail their vacation plans.

Hilton Worldwide (HLT) and Starwood Hotels (HOT) are on Lutz's list...

...as are amusement park operator Six Flags (SIX) and movie theater company Regal Entertainment (RGC).

First Published: October 24, 2014: 4:39 PM ET

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25 of Europe's largest banks fail stress test

Some banks are still feeling the effects of the last financial crisis.

LONDON (CNNMoney)

All told, 25 banks failed the test, although 12 have already taken steps to shore up their finances.

Officials at the European Central Bank and European Banking Authority had been poring over bank finances for a year, and testing whether the banks had the strength to withstand a nasty shock, such as a spike in loan defaults or unemployment.

The aim was to weed out the weaklings that are hobbling Europe, or that could spark a new financial crisis in the event of another long recession.

Now these sickly banks will be forced to submit remedies, including possibly raising more money from investors.

Related: 'Zombie' firms threaten China's economy

The health of the financial sector is of vital importance for the eurozone, since growth has evaporated again and the specter of deflation looms.

Most European companies rely on bank finance, unlike their U.S. peers who are more likely to issue bonds. Banks with shaky foundations are less likely to take risks with their lending, therefore potentially stifling investment and growth.

Major players such as Deutsche Bank (DB) and Santander (SAN) were among the test subjects.

The results of the health check come just weeks before the European Central Bank assumes responsibility for supervising the eurozone's biggest lenders, a move intended to reduce the risk of future bank failures.

First Published: October 26, 2014: 7:26 AM ET

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The Ebola stocks: Effect of an outbreak

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Some people have considered canceling visits to big theme parks and have aired worries about whether airports and public areas are safe zones.

It's no wonder that investors are assessing Ebola's impact on the economy. Stocks of companies that make drugs that treat the virus have had a wild ride.

It's no small issue. Ebola has killed nearly 5,000 people, mostly in West Africa. The deadly virus has killed one person in the United States and on Friday, a doctor in New York City became the fourth person to have tested positive for Ebola in the country.

One trader, Dave Lutz of Jones Trading, has compiled a list of stocks that are either directly impacted or could be affected by the spread of Ebola.

Canadian biotech firm Tekmira Pharmaceuticals (TKMR)' stock surged in September after the FDA authorized the company's drug for patients with Ebola in the United States. Shares have since pulled back. The company has started limited production of its drug, TKM-Ebola, which will be available in early December.

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals (BCRX) is another small biotech company working on a drug that could be used to treat Ebola. Its stock has been on a roller coaster ride lately.

NewLink Genetics (NLNK) is working with the World Health Organization and other agencies on an Ebola vaccine. Its shares have surged 57% in the past month.

Companies that make protective equipment for healthcare workers or provide services to governments have also seen gains. Lakeland Industries (LAKE) said in September that it was boosting production of the protective suits in response to growing demand. It's stock has surged 76% in the last four weeks.

Alpha Pro Tech (APT) also makes protective equipment for healthcare workers. Its stock jumped 5% on Friday alone.

Some investors believe the airline industry is also vulnerable to the outbreak. Concerns about air travel rose this month after a Dallas nurse, who treated an Ebola patient, flew round trip between Dallas and Cleveland before being diagnosed with the virus.

Though airline stocks were hurt earlier in the month, they are now near all-time highs after reporting record setting profits.

Cruise ship operators have also been in focus after a healthcare worker who handled Ebola test samples was quarantined on a cruise ship earlier this month. Shares of both Carnival (CCL) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) have been under pressure recently.

Hotel chains could also be at risk if worries about Ebola cause people to curtail their vacation plans.

Hilton Worldwide (HLT) and Starwood Hotels (HOT) are on Lutz's list...

...as are amusement park operator Six Flags (SIX) and movie theater company Regal Entertainment (RGC).

First Published: October 24, 2014: 4:39 PM ET

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The best time to book your holiday flight is...

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

A new survey shows the lowest prices for domestic airfares are found eight weeks before the departure date, around 19% below the average fare of $496, according to the Airlines Reporting Corporation, a travel industry research group owned by the airlines.

The report, which was based on ticket sales between January 2013 through July 2014, also found Sunday is the cheapest day to buy plane tickets. This Sunday marks nine weeks until Christmas week, so the clock is ticking.

"It's about time we stop believing in the airfare voodoo that Tuesday is the best day to get good ticket prices," said George Hobica, president of Airfarewatchdog.com. The average domestic fare paid on a Sunday is $71 cheaper than on a Monday, the most expensive day, the report showed.

Getting a deal on holiday travel is always hard, but maybe even more so this year, according to Keith Nowak from Travelocity. He said supply and demand is in full effect, giving airlines the pricing power.

Passengers are flying more this year than in the recent past, but airlines aren't adding more seats, he said. "You've got passenger loads growing faster than seats being added. It's clear given the current load factors, holiday planes are going to be full."

Related: Hottest places to travel this winter

The most recent data from the Department of Transportation showed the number of domestic fliers in July was the highest since the end of the recession. U.S. airlines carried 385 million passengers, up 2.1% from 2013.

Here are four expert tips to snag the best deals this holiday season:

Book early. Booking early doesn't always mean better prices, but you're more likely to get the flight and seat you want, especially given the expected high demand.

It's all about value, said Hobica. "You can get a good deal on an ugly, ill-fitting cashmere sweater, or you can pay a little more and get what you want. Flying out at the crack of dawn, jammed in a middle seat is the ugly sweater."

Related: How much should you really tip housekeeping? A travel tipping guide

Be flexible with dates, airports. Put in multiple nearby airports and try different arrival and departure dates when searching for flights.

"You want to open up as many fare options as possible to increase your chances of finding the best deal," said Nowak.

And it's not just about the ticket price. "Smaller airports might have significantly lower parking prices. If you're gone for a week, that can be a lot of savings," he said.

Be persistent. Travelers can hold seats for up to 24 hours without purchasing them with most airlines now, said Hobica, which can make a plane appear fuller than it is and discourage potential fliers.

"People hold seats and then release them. Keep checking the flight, you never know when something might open up."

Travel on the holiday. Flying on the actual holiday tends to bring lower prices. "If you fly late Christmas Eve, on Christmas Day or on January 1, those are always the cheapest days and times to fly," said Hobica.

Related: $134,700 one-of-a-kind trip for fashionistas

Consider Europe. If visiting grandma in the states isn't a requirement, travelers can find cheap affair to Europe right now, said Hobica.

"And if you are in the mood to splurge, business class seats are 50-60% cheaper to Europe during the holidays."

First Published: October 24, 2014: 3:01 PM ET

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Stocks: 4 things to know before the open

Click chart for in-depth premarket data.

LONDON (CNNMoney)

Shares in Amazon are set to take a dive, and the overall market looks set to drift lower.

Here are the four things you need to know before the opening bell rings in New York:

1. Amazon disappoints: Investors are getting fed up with the constant stream of losses at Amazon (AMZN, Tech30). Shares in the online retailer fell by about 10% premarket after the company reported a loss of $437 million in the last quarter, even though revenue was up 20%.

2. Market moves: U.S. stock futures were edging lower ahead of the start of trading after stock markets rallied the previous session. On Thursday, the Dow Jones industrial average jumped by 1.3%, the Nasdaq rose by 1.6% and the S&P 500 added 1.2%.

European markets were all dipping lower in early trading. Asian markets ended mixed. The standout performer was the Nikkei in Japan, which rose by 1% after a volatile week.

Related: Fear & Greed Index

3. Earnings: The flow of quarterly results continues into Friday. Ford (F), Bristol-Myers (BMY), Shire (SHPG), Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Procter & Gamble (PG) are all set to report ahead of the open.

Meanwhile, investors are pushing Microsoft (MSFT, Tech30) shares up by 3% premarket in reaction to the company's latest earnings.

4. Economics: The U.S. Census Bureau will release monthly data on new home sales for September.

In the U.K., preliminary data show the British economy slowed a bit in the third quarter compared to the second. GDP grew by 0.7%, which was roughly in line with expectations, and by 3% over the same period last year.

First Published: October 24, 2014: 5:09 AM ET

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Brits may get paid for losing weight

Research suggests cash incentives make obese people lose weight.

LONDON (CNNMoney)

The UK public health service, the NHS, wants to encourage companies to reward employees who lose excess weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Dubbed the 'pounds for pounds' program by Britain's biggest-selling newspaper The Sun, the initiative is part of a plan to tackle an NHS funding shortfall that is forecast to hit £30 billion ($48 billion) by 2020.

NHS executives plan to ask the cash-strapped government for £8 billion, but the rest will have to come from savings, including reducing spending on weight-related illness.

"Put bluntly, as the nation's waistline keeps piling on the pounds, we're piling on billions of pounds in future taxes just to pay for preventable illnesses," the NHS said.

Almost two thirds of English adults are overweight or obese, with low income groups worst affected, according to official data.

Only a handful of countries, including the U.S., Mexico and Australia have higher obesity rates.

Employees who manage to curb their unhealthy habits could be offered cash, shopping vouchers or prizes. The NHS declined to comment on the likely size of the incentives, but said some of the funding could come from taxpayers.

Employers measure workers' waistlines

Obese people are more at risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, degenerative joint diseases and some cancers, according to the World Health Organization.

The NHS proposal -- which comes about six months before the U.K. election -- follows similar efforts by companies in the U.S. to encourage their workers to get fit.

It hopes to save money and reduce the number of sick days people take. Sickness-related absence costs UK employers and taxpayers about $35 billion a year, the NHS said.

Individuals miss out on $6.4 billion a year in lost earnings.

There's evidence that dangling a juicy carrot works. A study by the Mayo Clinic, ranked the best U.S. hospital in 2014, found that 62% of obese people offered $20 a month succeeded in meeting their weight loss targets.

Just 26% of people given no financial incentive managed to hit their goals.

First Published: October 24, 2014: 7:22 AM ET

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'SNL' interns reach $6.4 million settlement with NBCUniversal

Underpaid interns (not pictured here) on Saturday Night Live (pictured here) sued NBCUniversal and settled for $6.4 million.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The settlement still has to be approved by a federal court in New York.

The lawsuit says that the interns "received no compensation or compensation at a rate less than the applicable hourly minimum wage" while working for NBCUniversal, according to court documents.

The lawsuit was filed last year by former interns Monet Eliastam, Jesse Moore, Alexander Vainer and Rheanna Behuniak against NBC Universal, which is owned by Comcast (CCV).

The interns accused NBCUniversal of illegally classifying them as interns exempt from federal and state minimum wage and spread-of-hours pay.

Related: Comcast grows revenue and customers

The net settlement amount will be divided among the unpaid interns. Court documents said the average payment will be $505.

But certain interns will be paid more. Depending on the court ruling, Eliastam could be paid up to $10,000, while Vainer and Behuniak could get paid up to $5,000. Other interns could get paid up to $2,000.

As part of the agreement, Eliastam can't apply to work for NBCUniversal for at least five years.

The document did not say how many SNL interns were participating, but capped the number at 8,975.

First Published: October 24, 2014: 8:01 AM ET

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What's keeping bond investors awake at night?

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Things would get messy pretty quickly.

That's exactly what some bond investors are worried will happen if panic strikes certain corners of the fixed-income market that lack liquidity.

Known as the lifeblood of financial markets, liquidity measures how easy it is for investors to quickly buy and sell securities. Without it, prices can quickly plunge.

Bond investors are increasingly losing sleep over liquidity concerns. It was the most frequently talked about issue among panelists at ETF.com's Fixed Income Conference this week.

"No matter how inventive we become, there's no way of outmaneuvering the lack of liquidity. We are going to start to see much gappier reactions in the market," Robert Smith, president and chief investment officer at Sage Advisory Services, said at the conference.

Related: Can you protect yourself from a market crash?

While the U.S. Treasury market is extremely deep and liquid, a number of investors expressed concern about the liquidity of the bank loan and high-yield sectors of fixed income.

These riskier areas have become popular places for investors searching for returns in today's world of zero interest rates. But what happens to these investors when they try to swim to safer waters at the first sign of higher interest rates?

"There are a lot of investors swimming out in the deep end of the credit pool without their waders on," said Smith.

The lack of liquidity is being blamed at least partially on tougher regulations that have forced banks to cut the amount of corporate bonds sitting on their balance sheets. That means banks are less able to grease the markets in times of stress.

"We have a very Volckerized Wall Street right now. It's been brought to its knees by regulation," said Smith. He was referring to the Volcker Rule, which has limited the types and amount of securities banks can hold on their books.

Concerns about low liquidity are amplified by the presence of "crowded trades" in which many investors hold the same position.

"We feel a day of reckoning is coming, where the size of the exit door will be highly incompatible with the volume of bonds looking to exit. When that occurs, prices will adjust downwards in a hurry," Nottingham Advisors wrote in a note to clients on Sept. 30.

Related: Oil will tumble to $70, says new 'bond king.'

Rick Rieder, co-head of Americas fixed income at BlackRock, said trades have become more crowded because of the deleveraging process the financial system has undergone since the Great Recession.

That process has caused a drop in the production of new debt at a time when an aging U.S. population is searching for stable income from bonds.

"There are not enough financial assets in the world," said Rieder. "Demand is much bigger than supply."

No matter the cause of low liquidity and crowded trades in the bond markets, Smith said the implications for investors are clear.

"Don't be the last guy in the canoe as it's going over the waterfall," he said.

First Published: October 23, 2014: 8:31 AM ET

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After six months of recall costs, GM making money again

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The nation's No. 1 automaker earned $1.4 billion in the third quarter, down slightly from a year earlier but better than Wall Street was forecasting. The company posted a slight gain in revenue and the number of cars sold globally.

"Strong global sales and growing margins in North America and China helped GM deliver very solid third quarter results," said GM CEO Mary Barra.

Costs associated with repairing a record number of cars recalled in the first half of the year will come to about $2.5 billion, and the company has set up a victims' compensation fund that GM says it expects will cost at least $400 million.

Those costs left GM with essentially breakeven results the first half of the year. But this quarter's results contained virtually no mention of the impact of recalls on earnings.

Shares of GM (GM) jumped about 3% in premarket trading following the results.

First Published: October 23, 2014: 7:55 AM ET

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Customers up, profit up at Comcast

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

That's significant because Comcast (CCV) is the biggest cable provider and one of the biggest entertainment producers in the United States. Its earnings are a reflection of the industry's stability -- or lack thereof.

In the third quarter, Comcast posted a 12% uptick in earnings, to 73 cents per share, once one-time tax adjustments and merger-related costs were excluded.

Overall revenue increased 4% to $16.8 billion for the quarter. On the distribution side, revenue was up 5.2% to $11 billion; on the production side, NBCUniversal, revenue climbed 1.2% to $5.9 billion.

NBC's broadcast division was the standout in the quarter, gaining ground faster than the division that includes cable channels such as USA, E! and MSNBC.

Tellingly, the cable division saw revenue from cable subscriber fees grow 5.1% while revenue from advertising dropped 4.6%, continuing a long-term trend toward subscriptions overshadowing advertising.

Ad revenue has been weak across the TV industry lately, "primarily due to a decline in ratings," as Comcast said in its third-quarter earnings statement. This has been attributed to fragmentation and online viewing options -- Americans are still hooked on TV, but they're watching in a newly wide variety of ways.

To that point, Comcast gained 315,000 new broadband Internet subscribers in the third quarter. It now has 21.6 million broadband customers and 22.4 million cable TV subscribers, most of whom receive both services.

Related: Comcast vows: we'll fix our customer service

Comcast has been fighting to hold onto those cable TV subscribers amid tough competition from DirecTV (DTV) and Verizon (VZ, Tech30) FiOS, as well as omnipresent concerns about cord-cutting.

CEO Brian Roberts said Comcast lost a smaller number of TV subscribers than it has lost in the past, just 81,000.

First Published: October 23, 2014: 8:06 AM ET

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Joseph Weisenthal leaves Business Insider to join Bloomberg

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The move is surprising considering that Weisenthal was one of the first members of Business Insider and is a prominent part of the site's newsroom and operations.

It also comes during a hiring spree and new strategy at Bloomberg, which is grabbing up high-profile talent for coverage across all platforms.

Bloomberg TV did not specify a launch date or time slot for Weisenthal's show, but afternoon is likely, given his focus on market news.

It is expected to hire roughly a dozen people to work with Weisenthal on the markets section of its web site.

In recent months, Bloomberg has hired The Verge's co-founder Joshua Topolsky. It has also upped its political coverage by bringing on journalists John Heilemann and Mark Halperin, who head up the company's digital coverage while hosting a politics show for Bloomberg TV.

Related: The Future of Media

Known on Twitter by his handle "The Stalwart," Weisenthal is well known for his prolific work ethic usually starting everyday with his signature tweet, "what'd I miss?"

"We are sad to say goodbye to Joe, but we will always encourage our colleagues to pursue great opportunities," Business Insider CEO Henry Blodget said in an e-mail to staff.

Blodget also announced the news to Business Insider's New York staff, prompting a round of applause for Weisenthal. The site has not identified a replacement for him.

A statement from Bloomberg also mentioned Weisenthal's dedication to breaking news and legendary competitiveness, which I experienced firsthand as a former employee of Business Insider.

"I had no interest in leaving Business Insider, and I'm incredibly proud of what's being built there," Weisenthal said in a statement. "But what's going on at Bloomberg is truly exciting. I couldn't pass up the opportunity."

First Published: October 21, 2014: 8:42 PM ET

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Stocks: 4 things to know before the open

Click chart for in-depth premarket data.

LONDON (CNNMoney)

Here are four things you need to know before the opening bell rings in New York:

1. Market moves: U.S. stock futures are looking soft after markets posted a sharp rally over the past four trading days.

Stocks have been extremely volatile this month as a range of concerns have shaken investor confidence. Slower economic growth and spreading Ebola are among the factors spooking investors.

Gold prices are dipping and oil prices are edging up.

The CNNMoney Fear & Greed index shows investors are still feeling extremely fearful.

Related: Fear & Greed Index

2. Yahooooo!: Shares in Yahoo (YHOO, Tech30) are set for a 3% pop after the Web giant said profit soared in the third quarter. It earned $6.3 billion from selling part of its stake in Alibaba (BABA, Tech30), the Chinese e-commerce giant. Alibaba debuted last month on the New York Stock Exchange in the largest IPO in history.

3. Earnings and economics: A slew of big companies are reporting earnings. Boeing (BA), Tupperware (TUP), Xerox (XRX), Northrop Grumman (NOC) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWH) are among the big names reporting before the open.

AT&T (T, Tech30), Yelp (YELP) and Cheesecake Factory (CAKE) are reporting after the close.

On the economic front, investors are waiting for the Bureau of Labor Statistics to release its latest monthly inflation data for September at 8:30 a.m. ET.

Related: CNNMoney's Tech30

4. International markets overview: European markets were slipping lower in early trading, while nearly all major Asian markets closed with gains. The Nikkei in Japan was a standout performer, rising by 2.6% Wednesday after dropping 2% on Tuesday.

First Published: October 22, 2014: 5:15 AM ET

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Election issue: Why people still feel the economy stinks

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Things are improving, yet Americans are still worried. The economy is voters' top concern ahead of the midterm elections next month, ranking ahead of national security, according to a recent Politico poll.

Only 42% of those surveyed by CNN late last month thought the economy was in good shape. While that's the highest share since January 2008 and an improvement from the 29% who felt this way a year ago, it's still weak overall.

Let's take a look at what's going right: The unemployment rate is below 6% for the first time since 2008. Job openings are back to 2001 levels. Consumer confidence is at its highest point since before the recession, and inflation remains a tame 1.7%.

Related: What do women want in a husband? A job!

Sounds great, but it's taken the country a long time to get to this point, said Richard Curtin, chief economist of the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan Survey of Consumers.

The recovery has also been stronger for some than others. Young adults are still having a tough time starting their careers, while older Americans are having difficulty shifting into retirement after their nest eggs were destroyed during the Great Recession.

"It's taking so long to recover and it's been so uneven," he said. "It's been more than five years since the end of the recession."

Related: Obama's midterm message: Believe me, we're better off

Although the unemployment rate has fallen rapidly in the past two years, it remains at a relatively elevated level, said Justin Wolfers, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. The average jobless rate in the decade before the Great Recession hit in December 2007 was 4.9%.

Americans also don't feel any better off. While more people may have jobs, they aren't bringing home fatter paychecks. Wages and income have remained stagnant for years, making it tough for folks even though inflation is low. Median household income, which stood at $51,939 last year, is back to 1995 levels.

Consumers expect a median income boost of 1.1% over the next year, Curtin said. But that won't keep up with their inflation expectations of 2.8%.

"American households, on average, are still struggling with their living standards slowly eroding," he said.

Not everyone, however, is suffering from flat-lining wages ... and that's also why the average American remains worried about the economy. The rich are seeing both their income and wealth rise. The wealthiest 5% of American households held 63% of all wealth in 2013, up from 54% in 1989, according to a recently released Federal Reserve survey.

"Rising inequality is why Main Street doesn't feel like it's benefiting from the full fruits of the recovery," Wolfers said.

First Published: October 22, 2014: 7:04 AM ET

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Wealth is outpacing income...and that's a scary sign

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The ratio of wealth to income has hit a recent record, according to Credit Suisse.

The last time it was this high was during the Great Depression. And it came close two other times: 1999, the year before the dotcom bubble burst, and leading up to 2007, before the housing market crash.

Wealth has skyrocketed, driven mainly by the soaring stock market, and that has mostly benefited the rich. Income for the average person, meanwhile, hasn't been growing much.

Credit Suisse analysts found that the ratio of wealth to income is 6.5. For more than 100 years, it has typically fallen between 4 and 5.

"This is a worrying signal given that abnormally high wealth income ratios have always signaled recession in the past," the Credit Suisse report said.

Wealth per adult in the U.S. has risen every year since 2008. In fact, average wealth is now 19% above the pre-crisis peak hit in 2006, the report stated. And $31.5 trillion household wealth has been added to the U.S. since 2008.

Related: Billionaires are hoarding more cash

While experts said it's normal for wealth to outpace income, especially after a recession, it becomes a problem when it rises so fast that people feel overly optimistic about their wealth.

Tim Yeager, chair of the Arkansas Bankers Association, said when wealth inequality increases, the likelihood of asset bubbles also rises.

"Stock market and financial industry wealth are always moving around looking for the highest returns and makes bubbles more likely," he said. "When the stock market gets hot, more people pour in and that amplifies the creation of a pending bubble."

Related: The richest person in all 50 states

Russell Price, senior economist at Ameriprise, is hopeful the income side of the equation will balance out soon. "The pockets of slack in the labor market are evaporating and job growth is very encouraging - both are needed to increase wages."

The fact that there's been three periods of high wealth to income ratios in 15 years has Yeager concerned. "These asset bubbles are becoming more frequent and that causes financial instability."

Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said in a speech Friday the increasing inequality could dampen the economy. "It is no secret that the past few decades of widening inequality can be summed up as significant income and wealth gains for those at the very top and stagnant living standards for the majority," she said.

First Published: October 21, 2014: 7:57 AM ET

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'Simpsons' go streaming: Al Jean talks new site

With the new "Simpsons World" streaming site you may no longer need a TV to watch Springfield's favorite family.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Now we don't even need a TV to watch.

On Tuesday, 21st Century Fox is debuting "Simpsons World," a web site that lets fans stream every single one of those episodes. "The Simpsons," which in season #25 is the longest-running sitcom of all time, is embracing a mobile and on-demand world that was scarcely imagined when the show came onto the airwaves in 1989.

All that's needed is a subscription to a participating cable or satellite provider.

Fox's cable channel FXX bought the cable and online rights to past episodes of "The Simpsons" from Fox's studio division last year. The price tag was reported to be $750 million.

First FXX held a popular "Every Simpsons Ever" marathon in August. And now it's rolling out "Simpsons World," which will exist at SimpsonsWorld.com and through FXX's app.

The new site will go beyond binge-viewing or cherry-picking of favorite episodes. It will also allow fans to interact with the show in multiple ways -- from cutting and sharing clips to getting behind the scenes information.

Ahead of the site's debut, we spoke to "Simpsons" executive producer and showrunner Al Jean about the new site, the marathon and a potential ending to the series.

So now, with "Simpsons World," will the show's famous couch gags have the Simpson family rushing home to watch shows on their computers and tablets?

I guess we'll do one. That's a good idea. [laughs]

It's so funny because, honest to god, this show predated Google. It kind of predated Word processing. The fact that now we're on this app where you can just access everything, cross-reference everything, it's boggling my mind.

Speaking of, the site goes live Tuesday.

Yeah, but we warned everybody it's not complete -- but I think it's very good. It will be updated and improved continually. It should be pretty final next year.

There are a lot of streaming TV sites now, so what makes "Simpsons World" stand out?

It offers, to my knowledge, much more than any other. Most sites will give you episodes of [a] show, and maybe some background, or additional material. This gives you everything.

The whole run of the show, the information from our various books and research that we've done. Every script page can be accessed.

When the app is fully complete there's going to be cross-referencing, so if you want to see every appearance of Moleman, you can do that. I don't think there's anything now that remotely approaches what this is going to do. I definitely think it's a window into the future.

What's your favorite aspect of the site?

It's two things. It's the ability to research. I mean, we already can do an amazing amount through YouTube or Google, but this will really be the ultimate for finding out about "The Simpsons." Then the ability to cut and paste clips I think is something. It's just so funny, we can be having a debate on did Homer straggle Bart when he was a baby? Now we can find the answer very quickly.

Also, it's a two-way experience. It gets feedback and input from the users and the whole point of it is to make this something people feel apart of.

Did you ever expect these older episode would be shown in this type of format on-demand?

Nothing I would expect ever corresponds with what happens with "The Simpsons." I hoped it would run for five years back in the early nineties [laughs].

The fact that we're on 25 years later, we just did our 25th Halloween show, we had a movie, we just did a show at the Hollywood Bowl, we had a short that was nominated for an Oscar.

The show just seems to me to be on a huge... I don't know if you'd call it a second wind? Fifth wind? Whatever. It's all amazing. Hollywood loves a comeback, especially for something that never vanished [laughs].

What does it mean to have such a popular and highly lucrative on-demand library after decades as a simply linear TV show?

Well, I can't really speak to the term "lucrative," because a lot of this has been a huge development with money they've poured into the web site.

Also, when FXX aired the marathon, they had very few commercials because they wanted to really show everybody it was on FXX.

Of course, "The Simpsons" makes money and of course "The Simpsons" originated as something that was designed to be a business as well as entertaining, but a lot of it, I swear to god, is trying to give people what they want, trying to encourage the fan-base.

FXX's "Every Simpsons Ever" marathon was very social with #EverySimpsonsEver all over Twitter. Did you feel it was the first social media event for "The Simpsons?"

Yeah, it was definitely the first time it really succeeded. If you tweet a scripted show you tend to do it with something like "Mad Men," which has revelations and hidden details which we generally don't. So, in that sense, yeah the marathon was the first thing.

I've been here 25 years, so it was literally like seeing my life flash before my eyes. It was amazing that people who hadn't worked here but just watched the show could have a similar feeling.

Since we've been looking back, let's instead look forward. Have you ever imagined an ending to the show?

Well, the first thing I should say is I think we're one of the highest-rated shows on the network, so it's not like there's an ending coming soon. [laughs]

However, there is an ending I've always had in mind, which was, I thought it would be cool if in the last episode they're getting ready to go to a Christmas pageant, and they go to the Christmas pageant that opens up the first episode, "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire," so the entire series is a loop with no end.

That would be my way of concluding the run, but nobody has asked me for it yet.

Related: New way to watch CBS shows, for $6 a month

Related: HBO to sell subscriptions via the Internet

First Published: October 21, 2014: 8:18 AM ET

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Slave labor in America today

A new study examines labor trafficking in the United States - and its victims' plight - in agriculture, construction, hotels, restaurants and domestic work.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Foreign workers, lured by false promises of good jobs in America, soon find themselves enslaved in plain sight as victims of labor trafficking, according to a new report published by the nonpartisan Urban Institute.

About half of these workers pay "recruitment" fees to traffickers -- often thousands of dollars -- that can leave them stuck in debt for years. And while some victims are smuggled here, a majority - or 71% - actually enter the United States with a visa, the report found.

The International Labour Organization estimates that there are roughly 21 million people worldwide who are victims of forced labor, but there are no official estimates of how prevalent labor trafficking is in the United States.

Urban Institute researchers found, however, that "there's a system in place to facilitate this exploitation."

In some cases, U.S. employers "turn a blind eye to how workers are recruited; in other cases they were more intimately involved in fraud and coercion during the recruitment process," the report noted.

Funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, the report details the way in which victims get ensnared by labor traffickers and how difficult it is for them break free. Here's how it can happen.

The bait: Victims often hear about a job opportunity from someone they know in their home country. They then meet with a recruiter who is often from an employment agency seeking workers for U.S. employers.

The pitch: "Employment in America would offer them a unique opportunity at a better life for both themselves and their families," the report said.

Related: The underground sex economy

In 93% of the cases that the Urban Institute reviewed, the recruiter misrepresented some key element of the job: the nature of the work, the hours, the benefits (health insurance, tuition, vacation) and the perks (e.g., free housing, or even legal permanent residence in the United States).

In terms of pay, the report found that the wages promised by recruiters are "not outlandishly high relative to the federal minimum wage." But in light of all the benefits and perks promised, they seem more generous.

The switch: Once the pitch is made, the recruiter may then pressure victims to quickly sign contracts they don't understand and pay a high recruitment fee.

Of the cases studied and the trafficking survivors interviewed, nearly half the victims paid such a fee. The average fee was $6,150, which is more than the annual per capita income in many of the countries that the victims came from. But, in some cases, the fees ran as high as $25,000.

In order to afford the fee, victims often sold family property, mortgaged their land or took out high-interest loans.

Related: CNN's Freedom Project

For the 71% of victims who came to the U.S. legally, the last step in the recruitment process was to take workers to the U.S. embassy or consulate to obtain a visa. Often, the traffickers coached them on what to say.

"Information regarding a worker's rights and numbers to call in case of an emergency were not communicated [by embassy staff,] and in some cases, workers were interviewed in the presence of traffickers or not interviewed at all," the report found.

The real nightmare: Once here, labor trafficking victims are subject to multiple forms of mental, physical or financial abuse at the hands of their employer or the subcontractor that brought them into the country.

Among the most common abuses reported: Being paid less than promised or having pay withheld; being threatened with violence or otherwise demoralized; being forced to work more hours than advertised; and having their movements to and from work controlled - that is, if they aren't forced to live at the work site.

Besides taxes, the employer or subcontractor issuing workers' paychecks may also take out money for supplies, housing, food, utilities, transportation, health insurance (never provided), plus state, paperwork or immigration-status "fees." After all the deductions, the amount of money left over is often not enough to help trafficked workers pay down their debt the way they had planned.

Related: Big business fights human trafficking

And since the workers' visas are tied to their jobs, traffickers use their debt and immigration status to force them to stay.

What should be done: While trafficking is illegal, the report found that law enforcement, embassy officials, communities and the victims themselves aren't educated enough about those laws.

Survivors who escaped were often on their own for months or years before finding help. And where law enforcement was investigating labor trafficking, it wasn't made a priority.

The authors of the report recommended, among other things:

• Better educating border officials, embassy employees, immigration attorneys, law enforcement and others to recognize the signs of trafficking;
• Raising awareness and outreach to immigrants about their rights;
• Strengthening trafficking laws, to prohibit recruitment fees and make companies ensure that neither they nor any agency they use charge them;
• Requiring companies to certify there is no slavery in their supply chains;
• Raising awareness in communities about how to help potential victims of trafficking. A good first step is to call the hotline at the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888.

First Published: October 21, 2014: 7:29 AM ET

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IBM shares down after it dumps chip unit, posts disappointing earnings

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

IBM shares were sharply lower in premarket trading after the company dumped its chip unit at a loss and said it was disappointed with its earnings.

The computing company, a component of the Dow Jones industrial average, will take a $4.7 billion charge to sell its chip unit to Globalfoundaries, which will be a supplier of chips to IBM for the next three years. The chip unit lost another $100 million in the most recent quarter, roughly the same as the loss a year earlier.

To shed the money-losing unit, IBM will continue to invest $3 billion in chip research and development over the next five years, with Globalfoundaries benefiting from the results of that research. In return for that, Globalfoundaries will pay IBM only $1.5 billion over the next three years.

Related: IBM builds a brain out of computer chips

IBM also reported lower earnings and revenue that were sharply below forecasts by Wall Street analysts. It said the poor results were due to a "marked slowdown in September" in sales and that the results "point to the unprecedented pace of change in our industry."

"We are disappointed in our performance," said CEO Ginni Rometty.

The fall in IBM (IBM, Tech30) shares took Dow futures, which had been positive earlier, into negative territory.

First Published: October 20, 2014: 7:51 AM ET

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Stocks: 4 things to know before the open

Click chart for in-depth premarket data.

LONDON (CNNMoney)

Here are the four things you need to know before the opening bell rings in New York:

1. Stock market moves: U.S. stock futures are all edging up Monday, but this follows a dramatic week where fear gripped the markets and the Dow Jones industrial average erased all its gains for the year.

Even though equities posted a big comeback on Friday, the latest reading on the CNNMoney Fear & Greed index indicates investors are feeling very fearful.

Investors are expected to be on edge as they await earnings from multinational giants this week.

Related: Nightmare on Wall Street: Is it over?

2. Earnings parade: Apple (AAPL, Tech30), IBM (IBM, Tech30) and Chipotle (CMG) will report quarterly results at the close.

IBM said that in addition to releasing results, it will also make "a major business announcement." Bloomberg reported that IBM was about to pay Abu Dhabi's GlobalFoundaries $1.5 billion to take its unprofitable chip making unit off its hands.

As for Apple, it's launching Apple Pay Monday, allowing customers to pay for items with their iPhone 6s.

Firms reporting before the markets open include toy-maker Hasbro (HAS), newspaper publisher Gannett (GCI) and drug company Valeant (VRX).

Related: CNNMoney's Tech30

3. International markets overview: European markets are all declining in early trading after a slew of major European firms reported disappointing earnings. Many of the main indexes were down by about 1%.

Adidas (ADDDF) shares jumped 5% on a Wall Street Journal report that a consortium of investors was interested in buying its Reebok unit. Lufthansa (DLAKY) fell 1.3% as it was forced to cancel 1,500 flights due to a pilots' strike.

Asian markets all closed with gains, inspired by a Friday market rally in the U.S.

Japan's Nikkei surged by nearly 4%, supported by reports saying the country's massive public pension fund would funnel more money into the domestic stock market. There were also reports that the government may postpone a second increase in sales tax.

4. Friday market recap: After a week of steep declines, the Dow rose 263 points, or 1.6% Friday. The S&P 500 was up 1.3% and the Nasdaq jumped by about 1%.

First Published: October 20, 2014: 5:08 AM ET

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