BC-US--Money & Markets Extra Digest, US

Money & Markets Extra

For the week ending Saturday, April 16

MONEY MATTERS_YOUR MONEY FOR A PRICE

Traditional banks are rolling out a service long dominated by local check-cashing stores, allowing customers to cash a check before it clears_for a fee, of course. Banks had avoided the service that is usually aimed at people with low income.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

U.S. counts 85 million unrecalled Takata inflators; Peabody declares bankruptcy; Hormel to tweak Spam

QUICK FIX

What you need to know about financial aid offers before you say yes to your college.

WIRELESS & CASHLESS

Startup Atom Tickets aims to simplify rallying your friends for a night at the movies by making it easier to send invites, pay, and even order popcorn and snacks.

SMALL BUSINESS MONITOR

Hurricane season doesn't start till June 1 but the time to protect your business may be now, according to a warning from the Insurance Information Institute.

CENTERPIECE

As growth in employer-sponsored health plans slows, and aging baby boomers swell enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans, health insurers are scrambling to expand their government-funded coverage.

MARKET PULSE

Wind, hail and other weather-related phenomena are the most frequent cause of homeowners' insurance claims; Retailers struggled in March; Five of the nation's largest banks failed a crucial regulatory test.

OF MUTUAL INTEREST-BORING BEAUTIFUL MUNIS

The tax-free bond market is boring again, and investors wouldn't have it any other way. Returns are steady for municipal-bond funds, and money is pouring in, a turnaround from previous years when panic periodically had investors fleeing.

INSIDER Q&A-MOLINA HEALTHCARE

J. Mario Molina, chief executive of Molina Healthcare, discusses the Affordable Care Act, public insurance exchanges, and running a health insurer founded by his father.

$1,000 DERBY

If you invested $1,000 at the start of this year in various types of stocks, bonds and commodities, how much would you have now?

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