NPR People: Adam Davidson

With the spotlight on post-earthquake Haiti, the nation's clothing manufacturers hope to win a better trade deal with the U.S. But even now, they face an uphill battle.

Two weeks ago, it was reported that Japan had supplanted China as the top U.S. creditor, sending ripples across the financial world. The Treasury Department has now revised its data, and it turns out the U.S. government still owes more money to China than any other country.

This week has been a crucial one for the U.S. economy. Chairman Ben Bernanke testified before Congress on the Federal Reserve's exit-strategy. That is: How will officials turn the life support system off for the U.S. financial sector without destroying the system? After one of Bernanke's sentences, the Dow gained nearly 1 percentage point in a few minutes.

In Haiti, Yvrose operates a tiny wholesale business selling chicken necks and other odds and ends to her even poorer neighbors. It turns out that this one-woman microbusiness is far more financially sophisticated than it might appear. She borrows money from local lenders, understands interest rates, rotating capital and maintains long-term relationships with lots of different market players.

In recent months, China has cut back on its stockpile of U.S. government debt. China is now the second-largest holder of U.S. Treasuries, behind Japan.

Haiti and the Dominican Republic make up the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. The two countries have very different economies, but the question is why? The answer lies in the dreams of two men who make T-shirts for a living — one in Haiti, the other in the Dominican Republic.

Haiti barely had a functioning economy even before last month's deadly earthquake. Almost entirely dependent on a small textile industry and remittances from Haitian exiles, it was also captive to the often-clashing interests of multinational development banks and aid agencies.

The Dark Ages have long been seen as a period of cultural, social and economic stagnation, but new research indicates there was actually lots of economic growth and change during that period. In fact, we have the Dark Ages to thank for the modern European economic system.

The economic forecasts are in for 2010, and there are mixed views about whether the economy will turn the corner this year. The consensus among leading economists is for 2.7 percent growth this year. A lot goes in to forecasting the economy and getting the math right is only one of them.

This year might go down in the history books as the year of mind-numbing business jargon. Terms like "seizing up of credit markets" and "we can't roll our commercial paper" were common. Understand it or not, that jargon had an impact on the lives of everyday Americans. Translation: It's hard to get a loan.

You would think that specialty businesses would prefer to have blocks or neighborhoods to themselves, but in many places the same kinds of businesses are clustered together. In New York, for example, diamond dealers, florists and even chess shops are clumped together on the same block. It all makes sense economically.

Large banks are repaying the bailout money they received much faster than expected. The administration says the cost of the TARP program will be about $200 billion less than estimated. Big financial firms are making profits again because the government has driven down borrowing costs for banks and safeguarded their debts.

On Capitol Hill Thursday, senators questioned Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke at his confirmation hearing. President Obama has nominated Bernanke for a second term. The hearing was heated, humorous and at times dull. But the underlying pretense was who can we blame for the financial crisis?

Troubles in the emirate of Dubai are making investors nervous around the world. A government-run financial conglomerate wants a time-out on debt payments, stirring fears of another bubble tied to risky bets on real estate. Dubai has invested in huge luxury projects at home and abroad.

Hunts Point in Bronx, N.Y., is the largest wholesale food market in the country. The action there happens late at night. The ebb and flow at the market, who's buying when, and at what price, are a real-life economics lesson compressed into a single night.