By Maxine Shapiro, KERA 90.1 business commentator

Dallas, TX – Plano and Frisco shake hands. There shouldn't have been a rivalry to begin with. I'm Maxine Shapiro with KERA Marketplace Midday.

By Maxine Shapiro, KERA 90.1 business commentator

Dallas, TX – The New York Stock Exchange began trading in 1792. Now, in what year did the first woman become a member of the exchange? 1892, 1920 or 1967? I'm Maxine Shapiro with KERA Marketplace Midday.

That's right - it wasn't until 1967 when Muriel Siebert became the first woman to hold a seat on the New York Stock Exchange. Sadly, for ten years Ms. Siebert held the title as the only woman member on the NYSE.

By Maxine Shapiro, KERA 90.1 Commentator

Dallas, TX – One day into the holiday trading season, and the stock market decided to wait before any real gift is given. Some negative economic news put a little uncertainty back in the mind of the investor. I'm Maxine Shapiro with KERA Marketplace Midday.

By Maxine Shapiro, KERA 90.1 business commentator

Dallas, TX – What a weekend, huh? Lots of food, lots of shopping, record day on Friday for the number one retailer in the world, AND the State of Texas Settles with Farmers Insurance. I'm Maxine Shapiro with KERA Marketplace Midday.

By Bill Zeeble, KERA 90.1 reporter

Dallas, TX – Gary Kelly, Southwest Airlines Chief Financial Officer: I don't think anyone uses stock options with their contract employees the way we do.

By Maxine Shapiro, KERA 90.1 business commentator

Dallas, TX – Thanksgiving is a day we tend to look at the more favorable side of life. For a day, we get to acknowledge and be grateful for what we've got. And for the economy, it's more than just words this week. Powerful data has come to support our optimism. I'm Maxine Shapiro with KERA Marketplace Midday.

By Suzanne Sprague, KERA 90.1 reporter

Dallas, TX – Suzanne Sprague, Reporter: One hundred miles south of the Canadian border, in a small lake country town, Vern Barsness was having trouble hiring a business development specialist.

Vern Barsness, Economic Development Director, Minnesota Chippewa Tribe: In the end we ended up interviewing six people, which is the total amount that we had apply for the position and out of those not one of them had a business degree.

By Maxine Shapiro, KERA 90.1 business commentator

Dallas, TX – The partnership between the cinema and corporate marketing has been a long-standing one, predominantly in children's or sci-fi films. Now 007 wants to cash in with adult audiences. It's working. I'm Maxine Shapiro with KERA Marketplace Middays.

By Maxine Shapiro, KERA 90.1 business commentator

Dallas, TX – Over the last two years, there wasn't a big business who didn't feel the pains of the economic downturn. But how battered were the small businesses? I'm Maxine Shapiro with KERA Marketplace Middays.

By Suzanne Sprague, KERA 90.1 reporter

Dallas, TX – Suzanne Sprague, Reporter: It's a cold Saturday morning outside the Ol' Pancake House in Fort Worth's university district. Two female volunteers, bundled in hats, mittens and scarves and armed only with ball-point pens and clipboards, cheerfully try to latch on to nearly every customer leaving the restaurant.

Woman: Are y'all residents of Fort Worth? Are you aware of city council's plans to build a hotel with our tax dollars?