January was a terrible month for stocks

Stocks have been having a pretty bad 2015 so far.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The Dow shed 3.7%, the S&P 500 has lost 3.1%, and the Nasdaq is over 2.1% lower.

Talk about a bad start to the year. A quick glance at the chart below shows what a whiplash ride 2015 has been so far with 7 days where the market swung up or down more than 200 points.

Related: Bears warn: A crisis could be near

There's an adage on Wall Street that the early days of the year are a good predictor of the full-year. Historically speaking, there's only about a 50-50 probability that the stock market will end the year on a positive note if January saw market declines, according to the Stock Trader's Almanac.

Dan Greenhaus, chief strategist at BTIG, points out that five of the last six down January's (2003, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2014) have not prevented the S&P 500 from finishing higher for the full year.

The one exception was 2008, but that was the year of the financial crisis.

But investors might take comfort that January of 2014 was even worse and stocks rebounded significantly to hit record highs in December.

"In an effort to note something positive we can say that while the [S&P 500] index is down [3]% or so this year, the index finished January 2014 down by 3.6%!" Greenhaus wrote in a recent research note.

This time last year the market was worried about an emerging markets meltdown and the impact of the Federal Reserve pullback on so-called quantitative easing (aka bond buying). Those fears are mostly gone. This January investors are worried about cheap oil and the global economic slowdown.

The energy and financial sectors were the biggest losers for the month. Energy is easy to understand. Oil fell below $50 for first time in early January and acted as a psychological trigger that spooked investors. This was followed up by earnings reports and announcements from Big Oil showing major cutbacks in spending and operations. There's little doubt that it will be a leaner year ahead in the energy sector.

Related: America's No. 2 oil company cuts spending

Financials were a bigger surprise. The big bank CEOs blamed Washington regulations for sluggish performance, but the reality is many bank's core investment banking and trading have been suffering.

There was one bright spot in January: Bonds.

As the stock market gyrates, investors have been fleeing to bonds. Several European nations even have negative yields on their bonds, a sign of just how much demand there is for a so-called safe asset.

In the U.S., the 10-year government bond yield is now down to 1.66%, the lowest point since the spring of 2013.

First Published: January 30, 2015: 3:54 PM ET

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Super Bowl tickets are most expensive ever

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The average ticket price so far is $3,554 -- about $1,000 more than last year, according to SeatGeek, which tracks online sales.

SeatGeek analyst Connor Gregoire said he does not expect the price for the few remaining tickets to come down before the Seahawks and Patriots face off on Sunday in front of 72,000 fans in Phoenix.

On Friday, the cheapest ticket was going for nearly $8,000 and the most expensive topped $24,000, according to SeatGeek.

And there are very few left -- only about 300 tickets on Friday. On the same day last year, there were about 4,000.

Related: Snickers cast Danny Trejo in Brady Bunch reboot

Getting a ticket to the Super Bowl is a tricky business. Only 1,000 are sold to fans at face value. The rest are divvied up among the league, which gives a lot to corporate sponsors, and the teams. Those tickets are either auctioned off to season tickets holders, or sold by brokers on the secondary market.

In the past few years, many buyers have held out until the last minute and, in fact, got a good deal as prices fell in the days leading to the game.

Game day is actually the busiest in the resale market, Gregoire said.

But this year prices have gone up. It's not entirely clear why. But there are fewer tickets than expected on the secondary market. That will leave some fans out of luck.

Related: Is a $45 million Super Bowl ad worth it?

First Published: January 30, 2015: 4:50 PM ET

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Seahawks' Paul Allen is the NFL's richest team owner

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The Seattle Seahawks owner Paul Allen is by far the richest in the league. The Microsoft (MSFT, Tech30) co-founder is worth about $17 billion, according to various estimates.

The Seahawks head to the Super Bowl for the second year in a row. This year they face off against the New England Patriots which are owned by Robert Kraft, who has a net worth of $4 billion, making him the sixth richest owner in the NFL.

The two men made their money in very different ways.

Related: NFL gets billions in subsidies from taxpayers

Allen helped Bill Gates start Microsoft when both were students at Harvard, and left the company with a chunk of its then privately-held stock in 1983 which translated in to the bulk of his wealth. Allen also made about $2 billion from the appreciation in value of the Seahawks and the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers, both of which he bought decades ago.

Bob Kraft, left, and Paul Allen, right, owners of the two Super Bowl teams, made their fortunes in very different ways.

By contrast, Patriots owner Robert Kraft made most of his $4 billion fortune in football. He bought his team for a reported $172 million in 1994, and today it's worth an estimated $2.6 billion.

Related: Seahawks vs. Patriots - How do the fans measure up?

There's only one NFL team with owners that aren't worth billions. The Green Bay Packers is actually publicly owned by its fans, who hold a special issue of stock in the team that can not be sold or traded.

Related: NFL earns record profits despite ugly image

First Published: January 30, 2015: 4:05 PM ET

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Greece: Putin's new ally in Europe?

LONDON (CNNMoney)

The countries have a long history of economic, cultural and religious ties. Both are now proving to be a big headache for the European Union.

Greece's government, led by left-wing party Syriza, has started to unpick reforms that were crucial to securing €240 billion ($272 billion) in European and IMF funds keeping the country afloat. Relations between Russia and the EU are the worst they've been since the Cold War due to the Ukraine crisis.

Congratulating Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on his victory, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was confident the two countries would "work together effectively to resolve current European and global problems."

Greece seems receptive to closer links. Tsipras reportedly met with the Russian ambassador hours after taking office, and with Russian officials last May.

Related: Europe to Russia: We won't blink over Ukraine

Syriza and its right-wing coalition partner have been supportive of Putin and deeper cooperation is likely, said Dimitris Papadimitriou, professor of politics at the University of Manchester.

The two countries have established trade ties. Almost 13% of Greek imports came from Russia in 2013, according to the IMF. Greece's share of Russian imports is much less significant. Still, the countries have agreed to make 2016 the "Year of Greece" in Russia, and the "Year of Russia" in Greece.

Against this backdrop, Greece could break ranks with its European partners over how to respond to a recent escalation of violence in Ukraine.

Officials are due to discuss the possibility of further sanctions at a meeting Thursday, after EU leaders said they had evidence of growing support by Russia for separatists in eastern Ukraine. The Greek government was angry that it had not been consulted over the EU leaders' statement.

"Greece's disagreement was that Greece had not been asked, and that its consensus was taken for granted," a government spokesperson told CNN.

"Greece has to have an equal say in all EU decisions," the spokesperson said.

The tussle raised concern that Greek foreign minister Nikos Kotzias could veto any attempt to apply more pressure on Moscow when EU officials meet Thursday.

Kotzias is said to have had close links to the Greek communist party during the Cold War. He also has a record of supporting Russia -- including under Putin -- Manchester University's Papadimitriou said.

Related: Syriza won. What's next for Greece

Some experts say Greece's new guard is simply trying to assert its authority. Expressing concern about sanctions is a far cry from jumping into Moscow's arms in the hope of finding a more sympathetic creditor.

"Greece needs fresh money and a reliable backstop," wrote Berenberg's Holger Schmieding in a note. "Flirting with Russia won't help Greece secure better terms from the only realistic lenders it has."

At the same time, Greece has good reasons to want to develop the relationship, and could do so in some areas without causing big problems for Europe.

One area of potential cooperation is energy. Russia scrapped plans to build a gas pipeline through the Black Sea to Europe last year, and is currently pursuing an alternative partnership with Turkey.

"Greece should be a partner in energy planning for Russia," Papadimitriou said.

Thanos Dokos, from the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy, said Greece could also develop trade and tourism ties with Russia.

"But if the current climate between EU and Russia continues, their options are limited," Dokos.

--CNN's Elinda Labropoulou contributed to this report.

First Published: January 29, 2015: 9:01 AM ET

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The growing poverty problem in America's schools

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The share of schoolkids who qualify for free or reduced lunches crossed the 50% threshold in 2013, according to a recent Southern Education Foundation report. That compares to fewer than 32% back in 1989.

Students eligible for subsidized school lunches come from families who are in poverty or just above it. A child living with a single parent would qualify if the family's income was less than $28,000. A family of four would receive free or reduced lunches if their income was less than $42,600.

There are three main reasons behind the increase, said Steve Suitts, the report's author.

• Though the economy is recovering, it's not producing enough good-paying jobs to lift families into better financial situations.
• The growth in immigration is bringing more low-income children into the school system.
• Higher-income families are having fewer kids.

About 90% of America's children go to public school. Test scores clearly show that low-income students are far less proficient in math and reading than their better-off peers.

The gap hasn't really budged in a decade, Suitts said.

The divide is also clear in international educational measures.

American children who go to schools with fewer than 10% of students eligible for subsidized lunch score close to the top in math tests given to 15-year-olds, just behind China, Singapore and Taiwan. But kids in schools with 25% to 50% of peers in subsidized lunch fall about 16 rungs to the lower third of developed countries.

Related: States where taxes hit the poor hardest

That doesn't bode well for America's future, especially when these kids enter the job market.

"The nation's performance as a whole will decline until we assist low-income students to perform at higher levels," Suitts said. "These poorly educated adults are going into the workforce and the economy."

While employers increasingly look for more educated workers, students are increasingly leaving school with fewer qualifications. That skills gap will deepen the shortage of qualified job candidates, and keep the next generation from finding good positions, said Anthony Carnevale, director, Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.

"It's a downward spiral of economic opportunity," he said.

First Published: January 29, 2015: 9:45 AM ET

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Nickelodeon to launch direct-to-consumer service

SpongeBob SquarePants is one of Nickelodeon's most popular shows.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Details on the new service were scarce, but Nickelodeon-parent Viacom said more information including the service's name would come at the network's meetings with advertisers in February.

Viacom (VIA) Chief Executive Philippe Dauman announced the new service on a conference call about Viacom's latest financial results.

The new Nickelodeon service will be aimed at the "fast-growing" mobile market and would be attractive for parents and children, he said.

Nickelodeon may be a network for kids, but the shift to a stand-alone service is anything but child's play.

"Kids are nearly as big a reason many people keep cable as sports," tweeted Mike Shields, a senior editor at the Wall Street Journal. "A Nickelodeon [over the top] service feels big."

Kid's programming is also pivotal to the future of streaming services like Netflix. This is why the company is following a strategy of having content for every age, especially the young.

However, it's hard to say what exactly the new Nickelodeon service will offer in terms of content.

Amazon already provides some of the network's shows like Team Umizoomi and Blue's Clues while Netflix is pumping out original content for kids at no extra cost to the consumer.

Yet, with the new service, Nickelodeon is part of a growing trend of networks -- cable and broadcast -- hedging their bets on the future of television by offering digital services along with traditional TV.

For example, HBO announced in October that it would begin selling subscriptions via the Internet sometime in 2015.

"The media business is evolving faster than ever, but our mission remains unchanged: to continually develop more and better entertainment programming," Dauman said in a letter to investors. "Viacom is financially strong and extremely well positioned for the future."

First Published: January 29, 2015: 10:16 AM ET

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African-Americans propel prime time TV hits like 'Empire'

According to Nielsen, 61% of the show's audience is African-American -- a figure that no other prime time show, new or old, even comes close to matching.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

What many of this season's biggest hits have in common is a huge following in black households. This is most pronounced with Fox's new musical drama "Empire," which has quickly become the No. 1 new series of the season in all the key demographics.

According to Nielsen, 61% of the show's audience is African-American -- a figure that no other prime time show, new or old, even comes close to matching.

"Empire," starring Terrence Howard as a hip hop mogul, is just three weeks old; its fourth episode debuts on Wednesday night. But already, like many of the gold records on its walls, it is a certified hit.

The series actually climbed the ratings charts in its second and third weeks -- an exceptionally rare feat for network TV shows.

After "Empire," the prime time network show with the second biggest following among African-Americans is ABC's "Scandal," co-created by Shonda Rhimes, 37% of its viewers are black.

Related: Fox's new show 'Empire' is a hit 3 weeks in a row

"Scandal" has been around for a few years. But the next two shows with the greatest proportion of African-American viewers are almost as new as "Empire:" "How To Get Away With Murder," debuted last fall and follows "Scandal" on Thursday nights, is third on the list, with 32% black viewers.

And a new comedy on ABC, "Black-ish," is fourth on the list, with 24%.

"Empire," "Murder" and "Black-ish" are widely regarded as 3 of the biggest successes of the 2014-2015 TV season.

In a blog post on Wednesday, New York Magazine television reporter Joe Adalian pointed out another one of their common traits: "This season's two biggest drama hits ('Empire' and 'Murder') and the only new comedy success ('Black-ish') all feature nonwhite actors in leading roles."

Adalian added, "It's hard to see how this fact doesn't further push execs and producers to diversify their casts."

All three "have African-American creators, co-creators or executive producers," Mo Ryan of The Huffington Post added in a tweet.

"I have longed for day we'd see more non-white TV creators," she wrote. "Success leads to imitation in the TV game. I hope that's the case here as well."

Two other freshmen series, "Flash" and "Jane the Virgin" on the CW, also stand out for their relatively high proportions of African-American viewership -- 19% for each.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, blacks make up 13.2% of the total population.

To some observers, this season's results demonstrate -- as if it still needed to be demonstrated -- that TV shows with diverse casts and story-lines will appeal to diverse audiences.

Related: Fall TV: the good, the bad, and the incomplete

"Murder," for instance, brought in big audiences this fall, breaking video-on-demand records.

And "Black-ish" has become a pillar of ABC's successful Wednesday night comedy lineup.

In an interview with Vanity Fair, director Lee Daniels, who has been behind acclaimed films like "Precious" before creating "Empire" for Fox, said that he couldn't believe that one television show could reach more people than all of his films combined.

Yet "Empire" has proved this to be true.

"I've always been that 'film guy' who looked down on television," Daniels told Vanity Fair. "Not anymore."

First Published: January 28, 2015: 6:35 PM ET

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Zuckerberg has his Tim Cook moment

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

On a conference call with Wall Street analysts on Wednesday, Zuckerberg shot back against a question related to Facebook's efforts in poor, unconnected countries. The analyst asked why Internet.org and other Facebook initiatives to connect African countries should matter to investors.

"It matters to the kind of investors we want to have," Zuckerberg said.

The Facebook (FB, Tech30) CEO's comments are similar to remarks made by Apple (AAPL, Tech30) CEO Tim Cook at Apple's shareholder meeting in May 2014. After the National Center for Public Policy Research urged Apple to stop wasting money on green technology, Cook told them to find another company to invest in.

"If you want me to do things only for ROI reasons, you should get out of this stock, Cook said.

Related: Facebook is growing -- so are its costs

Zuckerberg echoed that sentiment Wednesday.

"If we were only focused on making money, we might put all of our energy in the U.S.," he said. "But that's not all we care about here."

Zuckerberg said connecting the unconnected could ultimately be a good investment opportunity for Facebook, though he conceded that he doesn't know when -- or if -- that would happen.

"This is why we're here," Zuckerberg said about Facebook's mission to connect everyone around the world.

In a decade, Zuckerberg said he hopes that Facebook's Internet.org division will succeed at getting millions more people online. The organization has already connected 6 million people who previously didn't have Internet access.

Facebook has also invested in drones to carry Wi-Fi signals to underserved areas, and it invested nearly $20 billion in WhatsApp to power connections to people who only have a phone connection.

First Published: January 28, 2015: 6:35 PM ET

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Samsung needs to reinvent itself (again)

HONG KONG (CNNMoney)

The fourth quarter results are troubling, but not unexpected. Samsung's profits have now declined for three consecutive quarters, a trend that has prompted some real soul searching at the South Korean electronics giant.

There were some bright spots: The company's smartphone business showed signs of stabilization, and chip sales were strong.

Yet there is no doubt: Samsung needs to reinvent itself.

For years, the company relied on its smartphone division to deliver major profits. Samsung had a iron grip on major markets including China, and huge margins helped turn the firm into one of the world's largest and most recognizable tech brands.

Related: Samsung's latest WTF phone

But intense competition at both the high and low ends of the smartphone market have reversed Samsung's fortunes. The company is now ranked third in China, behind Apple (AAPL, Tech30) and Xiaomi (a company that is only five years old). Analysts hold little hope for a return to dominance.

In response, Samsung is working to pare down its crowded smartphone lineup. It's also making a major move into India to capture more of the low-cost phone market.

Related: Apple just posted the best quarter in corporate history

But for a real turnaround, Samsung needs to identify its next silver bullet.

"With slowing growth and a huge revenue base, Samsung is in need of a new growth engine," Bernstein Research analyst Mark Newman wrote late last year.

Chances are, this new growth engine won't be a phone. It will be come from another sector of Samsung's sprawling business empire. Newman identified medical equipment -- where Samsung is already investing heavily -- as a promising area.

The good news for Samsung fans is that the company has transformation in its genes. Newman points to the "New Management Initiative" proposed by company leadership in 1993.

Responding to the threats of globalization and digitization, the new strategy allowed Samsung to become the company it is today. Newman argues the company needs to find "another 1993 moment."

But that, he notes, is no easy task -- especially with the health of Chairman Lee Kun-hee in question.

Related: Facebook is growing -- so are its costs

First Published: January 28, 2015: 9:59 PM ET

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Sports Illustrated lays off its staff photographers

Sports Illustrated, which boasts a long history of indelible photos, laid off all six of its staff photographers this week.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Brad Smith, director of photography for Sports Illustrated, spoke about the move Friday in a report from the National Press Photographers Association.

"There was a decision made through the company to restructure various departments, including at Sports Illustrated," Smith said. "Unfortunately economic circumstances are such that it has cut the six staff photographers."

The layoffs occurred on Thursday.

The weekly magazine, which is owned by Time Inc. (TIME), will fill the void by leaning on what spokesman Scott Novak told CNNMoney will be "a broader worldwide contributor network."

Novak stressed that Sports Illustrated has a long history of turning to freelancers -- including in the magazine's last issue. He said the magazine has long had a small photography staff, averaging fewer than six over its six decades of publication.

"This approach is neither radical nor unprecedented for Sports Illustrated," Novak.

Novak acknowledged that the decision was driven in part by financial considerations.

"As a media enterprise, it's incumbent upon us to manage our business in a way that delivers the best products to our consumers and drives the most value to the bottom line," Novak said.

Photography has long been the lifeblood for Sports Illustrated, which boasts a number of iconic covers in its archives.

The magazine will maintain a photography department with editors and personnel like Smith still in place. Novak declined to comment about the magazine's freelance budget.

Time Inc. was spun off by Time Warner (TWX), the owner of CNN and CNNMoney, last year.

First Published: January 23, 2015: 4:08 PM ET

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Obamacare website reins in personal data sharing

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Earlier this week, the government came under fire after the Associated Press showed that Healthcare.gov was relaying users' personal information, such as zip code, income level, pregnancy status and whether or not you are a smoker.

That information was being shared with Google (GOOG), Twitter (TWTR, Tech30), Yahoo (YHOO, Tech30) and other companies that track people online, like the advertisement display service DoubleClick.

The evidence was on the website code itself.

But on Friday, CNNMoney read the code and found that Healthcare.gov was no longer relaying personal information to DoubleClick and others.

Obama administration officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

After last week's report, Republican Senators Orrin Hatch and Chuck Grassley wrote a letter to the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services demanding answers.

Citing Healthcare.gov's many technology glitches, they wrote: "This new information is extremely concerning, not only because it violates the privacy of millions of Americans, but because it may potentially compromise their security."

To be fair, the software tools used by Healthcare.gov were popular services that help improve a website's design (CNNMoney uses them).

But health officials would not explain why DoubleClick, a company in the advertising industry that already tracks people's browsing habits, should be allowed to know whether users smoke or are pregnant.

When CNNMoney learned that the Health and Human Services Department was sending information to third parties in 2013, HHS would only assure that the data being shared with DoubleClick and others is transmitted to them securely.

That approach was criticized by privacy advocates such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Noah Lang, CEO of a health insurance startup Health Stride, said use of those tracking tools was sloppy and uncalled for.

"I don't think it's necessary to build a great user experience," he said. "Should they be sending identifying information to a third-party advertiser? The pretty clear answer there is no. It's a massive breach of personal privacy."

When CNNMoney read through the computer code on the Healthcare.gov website on Friday, certain lines of code that indicated the website was sending such personal information during the sign-up process were gone.

Cooper Quintin, a staff technologist at EFF, confirmed that the code was gone.

"That's a great first step for them to take," he said.

While Healthcare.gov is no longer relaying your personal information on the front end, there's no telling what information might get shared once it is stored in the government's computers, however.

Related: Obamacare website sends your data to private companies

Related: AT&T texts can be faked to hack you

Related: How safe are you? CNN's cybersecurity magazine

First Published: January 23, 2015: 4:48 PM ET

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Friday Links

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

A weekly collection of design, data and interactive links.

Photo/Video
Fibonacci Zoetrope Sculptures | 3-D printed sculptures animate when spun under a strobe light
Woodworking | A look at Japanese joinery
Gotham 7.5K | A rare high altitude night flight above NYC
California Inspires Me | Narrated by Mike Mills
365 | One year, one film, one second a day
Lapka | Google's modular concept phone

Design/Data viz
Manuals 2 | Design and Identity Guidelines
Lilium | Kenichi Yoneda (Kynd) in collaboration with BRDG
Airbnb Map | Stylized WebGL 3d map
Ross Sonnenberg | How to make images with fireworks and photo paper
Homunculus | Innvotative portfolio site
Genetic Algorithm Walkers | Watch walking creatures evolve through genetic algorithms
See last week's links
Have a nice weekend

@dubly and @talyellin

First Published: January 23, 2015: 5:26 PM ET

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What now for oil after Saudi king's death?

Saudi Arabia's late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Crude oil is now trading just above $47 a barrel.

King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud's health had been deteriorating in recent weeks, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency. He was king of Saudi Arabia since 2005 and celebrated his 90th birthday in August.

The transfer of power should be smooth. His half-brother Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud will assume the throne, Saudi state television reported.

"I don't anticipate the Kingdom to make any dramatic changes in its oil policy in the short term," said Fahad Nazer, a former political analyst at the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington, DC.

Related: King Abdullah's legacy

Saudi Arabia has 16% of the world's known oil reserves, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The country is widely seen as the leader of OPEC and has a large influence on energy prices and political stability in the Middle East.

But oil has fallen over 50% since the summer. Crude traded over $100 as recently as July and now trades below $50.

OPEC's decision, led by Saudi Arabia, on Thanksgiving Day to not scale back production accelerated oil's plunge.

Related: Saudi Arabia: 'We'll never cut oil production'

Saudi officials have repeatedly said the nation will not cut oil production because they don't want to lose market share. It's unlikely that the new king will alter that stance.

"Everything from the Royal Family and the Saudi Oil Minister in the last 75 days has pointed toward a policy of sustained high exports, and a high stakes game of international 'chicken' with other higher cost oil producers," said Tom Kloza, the global head of energy analysis for the Oil Price Information Service.

Some experts believe the Saudis, at least to some extent, have welcomed falling oil prices as a way to slow the rise of America's shale oil production boom.

Last week Saudi Prince Alwaleed said oil will never return to $100 and that the price crash will allow Saudi Arabia to see "how many shale oil production companies run out of business."

U.S. shale oil companies and related industries have already announced layoffs and cutbacks in spending.

Related: Cheap oil is killing my job

At the same time, Saudi Arabia depends heavily on oil revenues to fund its government. Oxford Economies estimates the country will have negative economic output this year if oil continues to stay at or below $50 a barrel.

The United States imports about a million barrels of oil a day from Saudi Arabia. Only Canada provides more oil to the U.S.

Related: The story behind Saudi Arabia's oil games

First Published: January 22, 2015: 7:08 PM ET

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Wal-Mart China: Hitting headwinds

Walmart in China

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

But throughout the rest of the two-story rabbit warren, stacked high with goods for sale, shoppers were sparse. Wang Chun Hang, a 32-year-old office worker, paced the floors with her husband, looking cold despite a thick winter jacket. She was there on a once-a-month shopping expedition to pick up a few things.

"Few" is the key word here.

The store is a "little bit more expensive" than other local food stores, she says. The bulk of her spending goes to a Chinese rival retail chain called Beijing Chao Shi Fa. Fruits, veggies, meat and rice — she purchases them all at a Chao Shi Fa near home.

Related: Banned! 8 things you won't find in China

Business is getting tougher for foreign companies in fast-growing China, in sectors from retail to technology to consumer goods. Why? Chinese companies are increasingly competitive, the Chinese economy is slowing, rising nationalism is turning the Chinese suspicious of foreign rivals and an anti-corruption campaign is spilling over to affect foreigners. On top of it all is the erratic manner in which the Chinese government is enforcing laws.

It's not just that "China's getting more difficult for business," says Daniel Wright, CEO of GreenPoint Group, which advises companies on doing business in China. Rather, Wright points out, the country is evening out once-foreign-friendly preferential treatments.

In the 1980s, China started opening up and rolled out the welcome mat: tax breaks and other incentives to attract technology and capital. Now China's just a more "normal" place to do business, Wright says. James McGregor, chairman of the business advisory firm APCO Worldwide for China, agrees. "For years, companies have been saying we wanted to be treated like Chinese companies," he says. Apparently, the treatment isn't so pleasant.

Related: The world's most popular beer is from China

Just one example is the story of Wal-Mart, the $466 billion company that operates more than 6,100 stores in 26 countries outside of the U.S. but is hitting headwinds in China. When Wal-Mart arrived in China almost 20 years ago, it was blazing a retail trail. No longer: Chinese sales fell in the third quarter last year by 0.8%, after rising by 1.1% in the previous quarter. (Sales totals are not disclosed.)

It's not just Wal-Mart — everyone's worried, especially about competition with Chinese rivals. Not to mention a general sense of alienation in the air. Sixty% of companies told the American Chamber of Commerce that they felt less welcome in China than in the past.

On many people's minds is Microsoft. Last year, the government banned the use of Windows 8 on government computers, ostensibly over security concerns. Then over the summer, China's antitrust regulator raided Microsoft offices over suspected violations of the 6-year-old anti-monopoly law. Finally, in November, authorities levied a $140 million fine on the giant software company over taxes it said Microsoft owed. (A Microsoft spokesperson declined to comment on the Chinese government's actions.) Of course, Microsoft is no stranger to regulatory battles, but many foreign companies fear that China's singling out the software giant because it's foreign owned. Government officials deny the suggestion.

Related: 8 of the world's craziest fast food items

Let's be clear: Business is still pretty good. A survey by the US-China Business Council found that 83% of member companies are operating profitably last year, though that's down from 91% in 2013. Profit margins are the same or higher in China than elsewhere for 69% of companies. Sure, only half of all foreign companies currently posting up in China are planning to increase resources to China. But hardly anyone's pulling back.

A stricter law enforcement environment spread to foreign companies following the rise to power of Chinese President Xi Jinping in late 2012, when he launched an anti-corruption campaign that's caught tens of thousands of officials in government- and state-owned industries on the receiving end of bribes, including the arrest in November of the once-powerful security chief Zhou Yongkang. Chinese citizens like the campaign; high officials and their relatives have grown fat as the economy has sped ahead. ("It's probably saving a lot of people's livers," jokes a business consultant, referring to the decline of heavy drinking at corporate banquets with government officials.) On the other hand, McGregor says, while reforms are forcing foreign companies to toe the line, they're also opening up new sectors for business — for example, health care and clean energy.

Maybe, as Wright argues, China's private sector is just becoming more, well, Chinese. For a country with the second-largest economy in the world, a completely expat-led model makes little sense; outsiders, at least, need to integrate better, with leaders comfortable in the language and culture, he says. One example of a foreign success story? Wright cites GE, which in 2013 appointed 43-year-old Shanghai native Rachel Duan as China CEO of GE's $7 billion business. (Wright does not work with GE.) In the meantime, businesses from multinational corporations to tech companies to retailers alike are sure to become more frenetic in their searches for the right sort of leaders. But as ever, when the winds change, a few people benefit. Like who? Wright knows at least one example: "Headhunter firms in China are very busy."

First Published: January 22, 2015: 5:25 PM ET

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NYPD bolsters security over Charlie Hebdo

Stores in New York City that sold the Charlie Hebdo issue depicting the Prophet Mohammed on it's cover following the deadly massacre at its publisher's office in Paris are getting increased police protection.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The official said there is no specific threat to the media outlets and the bolstered security has been done out of an abundance of caution.

One of those companies, the NYC-based Gawker, revealed in a post on its website today that the NYPD had assigned officers to guard its Manhattan office "in direct response to the deadly shooting" at the French satirical magazine.

Gawker COO Scott Kidder informed staff of the security detail in a memo circulated today. Kidder said there is "no specific (or general) threat against Gawker."

BuzzFeed also received increased attention from the NYPD after republishing the Charlie Hebdo cartoons.

"Security is not something we tend to comment on, but like many media companies, the NYPD stopped by our office last week for a routine check-in," New York-based BuzzFeed employees were told in a memo. "We continually work to keep all of you safe, and if there is anything to actually be worried about, we will communicate that to you. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions."

Depictions of Mohammed are highly offensive to some Muslims.

As such, media outlets wrestled with the dilemma over whether to show the magazine's previous caricatures of the prophet after this month's massacre at Charlie Hebdo's Paris office. After the magazine put Mohammed on the cover of its first post-attack issue last week, violent protests broke out in Africa and the Middle East.

But while many major news organizations such as CNN and the New York Times refrained from showing the Mohammed cartoons, websites such as Gawker and BuzzFeed did not hesitate.

Other popular news websites, such as the Huffington Post and the Daily Beast, also published the cartoons. Representatives for either website did not respond to CNN's inquiries about security.

The latest issue, which sold out rapidly in Paris, trickled its way into the United States late last week after some initial difficulty.

One store that sold the issue, Book Culture on Manhattan's Upper West Side, confirmed to CNN that two NYPD have intermittently patrolled the premises all week. The store sold all 100 copies of the issue within three hours on Sunday and has had no more to sell since. But no NYPD officers were assigned to McNally Jackson, according to the store's owner Sarah McNally. Like Book Culture, McNally Jackson also sold all 100 copies of the issue.

Gawker's editor-in-chief Max Read told CNN earlier this month that his website hadn't received any negative reaction for republishing the Mohammed cartoons. Read said Gawker drew more negative feedback when it published a list of gun owners in New York. The website said today that the NYPD "briefly increased security" for its office after that list was published.

--CNN's Shimon Prokupecz contributed reporting.

First Published: January 22, 2015: 5:35 PM ET

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Toy story: What toy sales tell us about China's future

HONG KONG (CNNMoney)

That hasn't changed -- the country still makes around 75% of the world's toys.

But over the past five years, toy manufacturers in Mainland China have started to sell to an entirely new target demographic, much closer to home: lower-income Chinese consumers.

That's right. China itself is becoming a major consumer of toys.

Market research firm Euromonitor International says retail sales of toys and games in China have been growing about 13% each year since 2008. In 2013, total sales were just shy of $20 billion.

Euromonitor also predicts that in the next five years, China will be the fastest growing market globally for traditional toys and games. They say the market will grow 57% by 2018.

Related: Why Paul Krugman is scared of China

John Liu, the Marketing Director of Zenit, a Chinese company that sells high-quality wooden toys, said that he first realized two years ago that there was a strong opportunity to sell in China.

Zenit launched their product on the Mainland in 2013, and made $500,000 in their first year of operation. Now, China accounts for 20% of the company's export volume. Liu says it's simple: Chinese parents want higher quality, safer toys.

Shaun Rein, the author of The End of Cheap China, said that businesses should work to harness the spending power of Chinese consumers.

Many observers, he said, are "underestimating the purchasing power of low-income Chinese. And more importantly, they're underestimating how wealthy they're going to be three to five years from now."

Rein estimates there are 850 million Chinese workers earning less than $500 a month. Salaries are going up 15% a year, leaving them with disposable income than ever before.

Rein said toy purchases allow consumers to show off some of their newly-acquired status.

"You have toys, such as Lego, that are doing very well. They're cheap enough that they're accessible for low-income Chinese. But they're expensive enough to get prestige."

"So instead of buying a Louboutin bag, people buy Lego for their family members," Rein said.

Related: China's president makes ... $22,000 a year?!

Lego is beginning to push its brand to second and third-tier Chinese cities, according to Euromonitor. The company has opened stores in 14 new cities -- including Xi'an, Dalian and Foshan. Lego has also increased investments in its education arm.

Alice Tsang, an economist with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, said the market is only going to grow as China loosens its one-child policy -- which means an extra 1-2 million babies born each year.

Utku Tansell, Head of Toys and Games Research at Euromonitor International, said that toy sales in China are ripe for more growth.

"In 2013, the average spend per child in China was just $41. Compare that to $345 in Japan" he said. "Same region, massive difference."

First Published: January 21, 2015: 9:36 PM ET

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State of the Union was President Obama's lowest-rated yet

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Does that sound like a surprisingly high number to you, or a woefully low number? The answer may depend on your opinion of President Obama and your optimism about Americans' civic engagement.

According to Nielsen, 31.7 million makes Tuesday the lowest-rated State of the Union of the Obama presidency -- but not by much. Last year about 33.3 million people watched.

Obama's highest-rated State of the Union was his first, in 2009, when 52.4 million people tuned in. The total audience has declined each year since.

This time around, the president was battling both second-term fatigue and the same thing television executives are battling: seismic changes in how people are watching TV.

Some explanation is in order: Nielsen's estimates only include viewers who watched on TVs at home in the United States. Viewership via the Internet is measured separately, and no comprehensive data is available for Tuesday's speech.

The White House said it recorded more than 1.2 million views of its speech video stream over the course of the night -- but it didn't release the average minute-by-minute audience, which would be more comparable to the Nielsen numbers.

White House officials sought to make the speech "go viral" by promoting policy proposal "spoilers" days ahead of time; by having Obama encourage tune-in through YouTube, Facebook and Twitter; and by publishing the text of the speech on Medium in the minutes before it was read aloud.

On Wednesday the White House said clips from the speech received "almost 1.5 million views on Facebook" while the speech was still happening.

Nielsen provided another new media metric for the speech: 9.7 million people on Twitter "saw one or more of the 2.6 million tweets sent in the U.S." about the speech, the company said.

Television is still the dominant medium for a political spectacle like the State of the Union, though. CBS, bolstered by the popular drama "NCIS" at 8 p.m., had the biggest single audience for the speech at 9 p.m. -- about 7.3 million. NBC had 5.3 million, ABC had 4.6 million, and Fox had 2.8 million.

First Published: January 21, 2015: 6:57 PM ET

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Macau: China's gambling mecca desperately needs to diversify

HONG KONG (CNNMoney)

The decline accelerated through the end of 2014, culminating with a 30.4% revenue drop in December compared to the previous year. Shares in the major casinos fell by 30% to 40% in just six months.

Macau, like Hong Kong, is a Special Administrative Region of China. It is also the only place in China where gambling is legal. Since 2002 its casino industry has grown into a $45 billion heavyweight, roughly seven times bigger than Las Vegas.

But now gamblers are staying away for several reasons. An intense anti-corruption campaign underway in Mainland China has made them wary about visiting casinos.

Also, visas are in short supply, and some gamblers are upset by a new ban on smoking on playing floors.

Related: Macau's gambling industry dwarfs Vegas

The unexpected decline has set off alarm bells in Macau: Despite continued warnings, the territory has failed to diversify its economy beyond gambling, putting it at risk of an industry downturn.

More than 80% of government revenue comes directly from the casinos. When the industry booms and tax revenue jumps, residents -- most of whom are employed in the business -- receive payouts from the government.

The gambling dependence has drawn attention from the highest levels of Chinese government.

During a December visit, President Xi Jinping encouraged Macanese leaders to expand beyond gambling and promote "appropriate diversification."

"This is of great importance for the interests of the people of Macau," Xi said.

As is, baccarat is the prime attraction in Macau, totaling more than 90% of casino game offerings. The average minimum bet at non-VIP tables is around $250 -- far beyond the reach of casual gamblers.

Related: Macau trumps Vegas with huge minimum bets

The obvious starting point is for Macau to boost its entertainment and leisure options, which lag far behind the glitz, glam and family fun offered in Vegas. The idea is to offer guests a more complete resort experience.

Some developers have taken note, and are planning new malls and theaters.

Wynn Macau is building a 15,000 seat arena. The neighboring island of Hengqin, which is much larger in size than Macau, has caught Beijing's attention as a prime development and diversification opportunity.

But more could be done, especially as other regional gambling destinations take aim at Macau. Casinos in Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines are all working hard to attract Chinese gamblers.

Looking ahead, analysts at CLSA expect Macau's casino revenue to stabilize in the first half of 2015, and rebound in the second half of the year. "Headwinds will persist ... but longer term investors should not abandon ship," the analysts said.

Should the good times resume, Macau would do well to invest the profits wisely.

First Published: January 21, 2015: 9:06 PM ET

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Big box office for 'American Sniper' boosts book sales

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Over the weekend, the Bradley Cooper film based on the real-life story of military sharpshooter Chris Kyle hauled in $110 million, shattering box office records for January.

Thanks in part to the unprecedented total, Kyle's autobiography -- which the film is based on -- is now taking up several spots on book bestseller lists.

The mass market paperback of Kyle's memoir currently sits atop Amazon's best-selling books while the movie's tie-in version is at #6. A memorial hardcover edition just misses the top ten, coming in at #11 on Tuesday afternoon.

"Sniper" is also currently #2 on the New York Times' paperback nonfiction list, #2 on USA Today's best-selling books, and #2 and #4 on Barnes & Noble's top 100 books.

For the book's publisher, Wiliam Morrow, the movie has enabled the book to expand to new audiences.

"We are thrilled to see so many new readers embracing Chris's memoir," Liate Stehlik, the publisher of William Morrow, told CNNMoney. "We've been honored to be a part of this journey."

The book cover of the movie's tie-in version.

The book has had a presence on the bestseller lists for several weeks already, due to the movie's limited release in theaters last month along with a marketing campaign by Warner Bros.

(Warner Bros. is owned by Time Warner, which also owns this web site.)

Along with the ticket sales and book sales has come controversy -- criticism about the film's message and its depictions of Kyle have apparently caused Kyle's widow Taya to cancel some scheduled interviews.

This is not the first time Kyle's autobiography has been a bestseller: when first released in 2012, the book was an instant hit.

It also saw a resurgence amid tragic circumstances after Kyle's death in 2013.

First Published: January 20, 2015: 5:42 PM ET

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Can I afford to retire early?

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

At first glance, it appears you should be able to pull off early retirement quite nicely.

After all, if you're really able to cover your annual living expenses by drawing roughly 3% ($81,000 in your case) from your nest egg and then increasing that amount each year by the inflation rate to maintain purchasing power, there's a high likelihood your nest egg will be able to support you for upwards of 40 years.

Besides, I assume you and your wife will also eventually qualify for Social Security benefits, which will give you an extra margin of safety.

That said, retiring early could also turn out to be more of a challenge than you think.

For one thing, if your nest egg were to take a 2008-style hit soon after you retire, the combination of investment losses and withdrawals could so deplete its value that you could run through your savings early in retirement.

Related: Am I on track to retire right?

Your expenses after leaving the workforce could also be much higher than you project. One potential wild card is health care. Even though the Affordable Care Act has made it easier for early retirees to find affordable health coverage until they qualify for Medicare at age 65, the cost for insurance and health care services can still eat up a lot of your budget. Even after Medicare kicks in, medical expenses can still be quite daunting as AARP's Health Care Cost Calculator shows.

And let's not forget you've still got those two daughters to raise. Children can wreak havoc on a budget, especially when they move into their teen years. No wonder the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently estimated the average cost of raising a child at $245,000.

To the extent you'll be relying on money in tax-advantaged accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs for spending cash, early retirement presents another challenge: Can you tap those accounts without shelling out an extra 10% tax for early distributions?

There are ways to do that. The "72(t)" annuity exemption allows you to dodge the early withdrawal tax by taking "substantially equal periodic payments" based on life expectancy.

IRS Publication 590 points out a few other exceptions to the tax on early withdrawals from IRAs. If you retire at 55 or later, you can pull money from your employer's 401(k) plan without penalty. And if you have money in Roth accounts -- or even after-tax contributions in your 401(k) -- you may be able to tap at least some of those funds early tax-free. Doing so can be tricky, however, so you'll definitely want to check the distribution rules beforehand at a site like Fairmark.com.

Given all these issues, I strongly recommend you do a thorough assessment of your retirement prospects before you leave your job.

Calculator: How much will I need to retire?

Start by completing a retirement expenses worksheet. No estimate is going to be totally precise, but try to be as realistic as you can, especially when it comes to health care expenses.

Next, turn to Social Security. By leaving the workforce in your mid-50s, you'll almost certainly qualify for a smaller benefit than had you kept working. Your check will be reduced even more if you and your wife begin taking benefits before full retirement age (67 in your case). Go to Social Security's Retirement Estimator to get an estimate of the benefits you'll receive.

Do some "lifestyle planning" as well. Among the issues you'll want to examine: Do you want to stay in your current home or relocate? How will you fill the hours of each day once you no longer have a job to provide structure? Do you have a network of friends who can provide companionship and support? The "Ready-2-Retire" tool can help you address these questions.

Once you've got a handle on income and expenses, plug this information, as well as details like your nest egg's value and how your savings are invested, into a good retirement income calculator. You'll come away with an estimate of the probability that your resources will be able to generate the income you'll need for the rest of your life.

Related: The smart way to double your nest egg in 10 years

Then run the analysis again, assuming a smaller savings balance and higher expenses. This will give you a sense of how much wiggle room you'll have should your nest egg take a hit or you end up spending more than you anticipate.

If you feel that this sort of evaluation is more than you can handle on your own, you can always consult an adviser. But if you really want to know whether early retirement is a real possibility, this is what you need to do. And you need to do it before you exit the workforce. Otherwise, you may find you've taken retirement not early, but too early.

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First Published: January 20, 2015: 6:26 PM ET

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AK-47s: Soon to be made in USA

Rick Young, a salesman for Kalashnikov USA, poses with a classic AK-47 at the booth at the gun show in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS (CNNMoney)

The U.S.-made gun will have same name as the original: AK-47, arguably the most ubiquitous assault rifle in the world.

The gun will be made by American company RWC, which is the official importer and distributor of Kalashnikov AK-47s. The company had to stop importing the guns after the U.S. imposed sanctions in July against Russia for its role in the Ukraine crisis.

RWC said it is not permitted to have any contact with the Russian company, Kalashnikov Concern, which makes the AK-47s.

"We are not permitted to pick up the phone and to talk to them," said Thomas McCrossin, CEO of RWC, which owns the Kalashnikov USA brand. "We were forced to stop doing business with them because of the sanctions."

RWC, based in Tullytown, Pa., has the rights to the AK-47 Kalashnikov brand of guns, which has been produced in the Soviet Union after World War II.

It is arguably one of the most famous firearm brands in the world. The original AK-47s are made by the 200-year-old Russian company, but it is one of the most copied assault rifles in the world with knock-offs made all over the globe, including China, Europe and the U.S.

Related: AK-47s become hot commodity after U.S. sanctions

Demand for Ak-47s -- already very high in the U.S. -- has surged after the sanctions.

For now, the company has enough guns to meet the demand.

"I have a lot of inventory on my shelf bought and paid for," McCrossin told CNNMoney in Las Vegas at the annual gun industry show. "We are permitted to sell these weapons because they were already in the U.S. But when the inventory goes down to zero, there are no more."

McCrossin plans to change that with a new factory that will make the first AK-47s in the U.S.

"In the second quarter of this year we are going to start manufacturing here in the U.S.," said McCrossin. "What I'm manufacturing are our own AK-47s and shotguns under the Kalashnikov brand."

Related: Kalashnikovs get new look to boost sales as Russian sanctions bite

CNNMoney has reached out to Kalashnikov Concern in Moscow for comment, but hasn't heard back.

McCrossin said he's shopping around for a location for the factory. He said that he plans to hire people, but he wouldn't say how many.

He made the announcement at the Kalashnikov USA booth at the SHOT Show. The booth carried the slogans "Russian heritage" and "Made in USA."

First Published: January 20, 2015: 6:17 PM ET

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Uber makes nice with Europe: We can add 50,000 jobs

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Uber has run into problems with regulators in Europe, the U.S. and elsewhere who have shown a willingness to shut down its popular taxi-service app. The company has sparked or found itself at the center of controversy after controversy.

While traditional transportation providers cry foul at Uber's tactics, the company said the competition and technology it brings is good for governments and local economies.

"Uber can share smart data with partner cities to help them manage growth, reduce congestion and greenhouse gas emissions and expand public transportation," the company said in a blog post as CEO Travis Kalanick unveiled its pitch at a major tech industry conference in Germany.

Related: Where Uber prices surged the most

Specifically, it said an expansion of Uber across Europe would "take 400,000 cars off the road" this year. It did not provide details about how it arrived at the vehicle and job numbers.

The company also confronted one of the key criticisms of its service: passenger safety. The company said it would look for ways to improve and expand its system of background checks for potential drivers, "and improve communication with local officials and law enforcement."

Related: Taxi drivers strike in China over steep fees ... and Uber

First Published: January 18, 2015: 6:55 PM ET

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State of the Union spoilers: What you need to know about Obama's proposal for the middle class

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Obama is expected to unveil proposals that would expand tax credits for parents, workers and students. And he'll call for paying for them by closing tax breaks on the the wealthy and hitting mega banks with new fees.

If the point is to start a debate, that has begun. If the point is to get his package passed as a whole, well, that's not going to happen.

Republicans with whom he's frequently been at loggerheads now control both houses of Congress. They are making it clear they disagree with Obama's approach. Representative Jason Chaffetz said Sunday on CNN they're a "non starter."

Below is a crib sheet on what the White House says Obama will outline. Let the debate begin!

Introduce tax credit for working couples: The White House says the aim of this proposal is to help families in which both spouses work, while defraying the costs of things like commuting and care for children or aging parents.

The White House says it would affect 24 million couples. The full value would be available to couples earning less than $120,000, while couples with income up to $210,000 would receive partial credits.

Require paid sick leave: Obama backs a proposed law that would allow workers who don't already receive paid sick time to accumulate up to seven days each year. (A study found more than 40% of workers in the private sector don't receive the benefit now.)

He is also instituting a new policy for federal employees: six weeks of paid leave for new mothers and fathers, and the same amount of time to care for an ill relative.

Expand child care tax credit: Childcare is expensive, and the federal incentives -- like flexible spending accounts and the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit -- offer a patchwork of support.

The White House says Obama's plan would "streamline" the options into a single credit. It would cover half of childcare costs with a maximum credit of $3,000 per pre-school child.

Encourage higher education: Obama's proposal would also expand the federal incentives for a college education.

The White House said the president would increase the maximum refund under the American Opportunity Tax Credit from $1,000 to $1,500. He would also make it permanent; it is currently set to expire in 2017.

Another part of his plan would answer a major tax concern of students who qualify for income-based loan repayment plans. After 20 years of income-based student loan payments under the Pay As You Earn plan, the remainder of the loan is forgiven, but students still owe tax on it. The proposal would also simplify the rules for federal Pell Grants and taxes on student loan interest.

Expand the Earned Income Tax Credit: There's something in Obama's proposal for working families without kids, too.

The Earned Income Tax Credit is available to low-income workers. But the credit is significantly smaller for a childless earner than someone with children.

Obama's proposal would give childless workers who are already eligible twice the amount they can currently claim. He would also expand it to include more low-income workers by raising the cap on claiming the credit -- currently at $14,590 for a childless single person -- and lowering the eligibility age from 25 to 21.

Encourage retirement saving: The president's retirement savings push is mostly targeted at companies.

His plan would expand access to retirement savings by requiring nearly all employers who don't currently offer an IRA to automatically enroll their employees in one. It would also require companies to accept more part-time employees into retirement savings plans.

Obama's plan also calls for tax cuts for companies that currently offer IRAs, begin offering IRS or automatically enroll employees.

That's on top of the myRA, a starter IRA for people who don't have a workplace retirement plan. It was unveiled in last year's State of the Union address and became available this year.

Tax inheritances like other capital gains: Obama also called for changing the way inheritances are taxed.

When individuals sell an investment, like a stock, they calculate the taxable value by subtracting what it was worth when bought from what it was worth when sold. (That's called "capital gains.")

But when stocks are passed from one generation to another, the calculation changes: The person who inherits doesn't pay tax on capital gains during the previous owner's lifetime. That lets "the wealthy pass appreciated assets onto their heirs tax-free," the White House said.

Obama wants to change that, unless the investment is donated to charity. The White House outlined several exemptions it says mean the change would mostly hit the wealthy, like allowing people to inherit a home and small businesses without another hefty dose of taxes.

He also wants to increase the tax on capital gains from 20% to 28%.

His other proposals: The president has been offering up State of the Union "spoilers" for two weeks now, like his proposals to make community college free for some students, increase internet speeds, and lower fees on government-backed mortgages. Some require Congress to act; others, like the mortgage plan, don't.

First Published: January 18, 2015: 7:12 PM ET

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Plunging oil prices won't solve China's economic problems

HONG KONG (CNNMoney)

China is the world's largest net importer of oil, and plunging crude prices should cut costs for producers and consumers. It is also expected to help keep inflation under control and give China's central bank room to lower interest rates.

"The sharp reduction in world oil prices will help to provide a stimulus to Chinese GDP growth in 2015 and reduce China's oil import bill, boosting Chinese net exports," wrote IHS Asia-Pacific chief economist Rajiv Biswas in a research note.

Lower crude prices may also give the central government greater flexibility to pursue fiscal, financial, land and household registration reforms, according to a report by Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Related: China growth expected to miss government target

But China is facing a bevy of longstanding economic risks, such as escalating debt levels and a waning property market, that are likely to overshadow gains from lower oil prices. Recent corporate defaults in the real estate sector have only added to concerns.

"Given no evidence of a sharp and sustained improvement in demand growth on the horizon, the boost from lower oil prices will be washed out by the many persistent and growing challenges China faces," said IHS China economist Brian Jackson.

Analysts say relief will only be temporary a major boost to China's GDP is unlikely. Economists surveyed by CNNMoney are expecting a ho-hum fourth quarter to round out the year, and growth in 2015 is expected to slow further to around 7%.

Overall, Asia remains the biggest global winner as oil prices continue to tumble. The slump in prices represents an estimated transfer of around $1.5 trillion from global oil producers to oil importing countries, according to IHS.

South Korea is getting the largest boost to its economy, followed by Thailand and the Philippines, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Read next: China bulls refuse to back down as market skyrockets

First Published: January 18, 2015: 10:08 PM ET

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Software can't replace mass spying

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

But that doesn't mean the mass spying should keep happening, it added.

The long-awaited report was released Thursday by the National Academy of Sciences. It came from the committee that President Obama put together after ex-NSA contractor Edward Snowden revealed the extent of U.S. government spying on the American public's phone records, email logs and more.

In response to the report, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union noted that the committee doesn't condone current mass surveillance practices. Quite the opposite, Neema Singh Guliani said.

"The report does not even attempt to provide one concrete example of a case where bulk collection was essential to a national security investigation," she said in a blog post.

This committee was made up of academics and technology professionals from Google (GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT, Tech30), Oracle (ORCL, Tech30) and elsewhere.

Its job was to figure out whether the government could ditch the current strategy of collecting lots of information on nearly everyone and manually sort through it and instead, use computer software to narrow down the spying.

However, the committee concluded, for the government to know everything, it has to collect everything.

The committee suggested putting automatic controls that limit who can access the data collected by government spies. That addresses one of the main criticisms voiced by Snowden: that lots of intelligence agents and private contractors get creepy access into our personal lives, from webcams to private chats with friends and family.

Such computer software would also make it easier for the government to catch when spies behave badly -- and make that information public.

Related: U.S. planes spy on American phones

Related: How the NSA can 'turn on' your phone remotely

First Published: January 16, 2015: 6:20 PM ET

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Where is Charlie Hebdo? My pursuit of the first copies in America

Charlie Hebdo sold out almost immediately in Paris, and millions of copies are being printed, but the once-obscure magazine was hard to find in New York despite demand for it.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The message anticipated a question that employees of the French book shop had heard hundreds of times.

Stores and newsstands throughout New York that had never sold Charlie Hebdo had been inundated with inquiries from people who have probably never read the satirical magazine.

In New York City, at least, "I am Charlie" had become "Where is Charlie?"

The answer emerged on Friday morning with the arrival of what were likely some of the first copies of the magazine's latest issue in the United States.

The magazine, the first since the attack on Charlie Hebdo's offices that left 12 dead, sold out in Paris almost immediately and as many as 5 million copies are being printed. But getting the once-obscure publication to America wasn't easy.

Some newsstand distributors tried to work directly with Charlie Hebdo's distributors -- a task that turned out to be difficult, at least initially.

But places like Albertine and Book Culture, another Manhattan shop, went a different route.

The stores made arrangements with Emmanuel Saint-Martin, the owner of a website catering to French ex-pats who has fielded "thousands" of requests for the new issue.

Saint-Martin reached out to Uni-Presse, a French government-backed organization dedicated to promoting French culture and press throughout the world.

He arranged for Air France and La Compagnie, another French airline that flies to Newark Liberty Airport in New Jersey, to get the issues across the Atlantic.

And on Friday morning, about 20 copies then arrived via FedEx to the upstate New York home of Catherine Lamy, the East Coast representative for Uni-Presse.

She and Saint-Martin hope to get as many as 1,500 copies next week to send to other American cities. The first round went to a select few in New York.

So a little before 11:30 a.m. on Friday, an employee removed the sign from Albertine's door and Lamy entered ten minutes later. She had a white envelope. Nobody needed to ask what was inside.

She gave bookstore employees two copies. They examined the cover image -- a cartoon depiction of the Prophet Mohammed -- that has spawned renewed debates over free speech.

It was decided that one copy would be laminated for posterity, and the employees placed one copy on a windowsill sandwiched between two bookshelves.

One customer wanting to buy one was invited instead to read the issue near the window. He sat in one of the store's leather chairs and scanned the cartoons and articles. When he was finished, a young woman had her turn to read the magazine.

Albertine won't have copies to sell until next week.

Albertine bookshop in Manhattan wasn't selling Charlie Hebdo at first, but it was letting customers sit and read the issue.

After an hour at Albertine, Lamy was off to her next destination: Book Culture, located on the other side of Central Park.

During the cab ride west, Lamy stressed that Uni-Presse will only provide copies to stores that pledge to make "no margin" on the transaction.

"We don't want to see this craziness you see on eBay," she said, referring to the markup on issues that have been sold on the online marketplace. "We're very clear to the stores on that."

She said Uni-Press hasn't collected any commission on Charlie Hebdo subscriptions since the attack.

We arrived at Book Culture, part of a three-store chain on Manhattan's Upper West Side. CBS News had a camera there. And a reporter for the Japanese television network TV Asahi stood outside the store.

"Are you here with the delivery?" the reporter asked Lamy.

With film crews capturing the footage, Lamy pulled a copy out of the white envelope and handed it Chris Doeblin, the store's owner.

"Beautiful," Doeblin said, holding up the Mohammed cartoon for everyone in the store to see. He plans to frame one of the copies for display. The other will be available for viewing. Doeblin hopes to get more to sell, but obtaining a mere two copies was still important to him.

For the last several days, the store's front window has displayed an enormous sign with the now-ubiqitous rallying cry, "Je suis Charlie."

Doeblin said the sign has "garnered some ill will."

He's thought about the security risk of associating with the magazine, but said he's "not that concerned about it."

Book Culture plans to frame one of the Charlie Hebdo covers for display in the store.

Book Culture employees paged through one of the copies behind the store's counter. A customer asked if any issues were for sale. John R. MacArthur, the president and publisher of Harper's Magazine, eventually strolled in and made small talk with Lamy. Harper's has a partnership with the store.

"We're not Charlie Hebdo in style, but we are in spirit," MacArthur said of his magazine.

As the news crews filed out of the store, Lamy was joined by Saint-Martin, whose website had received thousands of requests for the magazine

The two made plans to deliver the remaining issues Lamy had with her that day. One was going to a man in Brooklyn who called last week to start a subscription.

Lamy wouldn't disclose where the other dozen-plus copies were going. She said those recipients did not want to be identified.

First Published: January 17, 2015: 9:05 AM ET

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Charlie Hebdo now printing 7 million copies

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The new total reflects extraordinary demand for what has become known as the magazine's "survivors issue." It was produced in the days immediately following a terrorist attack at the magazine's office in Paris. The attackers were apparently motivated by the magazine's criticisms of Islam and depictions of the Prophet Mohammed.

The cover of the new issue has a cartoon of the prophet holding up a sign that reads "I Am Charlie" in French.

Customers at newsstands continue to seek copies of the issue -- not just in France, where there were long lines observed earlier this week, but also in Germany, where the magazine went on sale on Saturday.

There were local reports that the copies quickly sold out in cities like Berlin and Hamburg.

"We could have ordered 500 copies -- they would have sold out," a vendor at the main train station in Stuttgart told DPA, Germany's main news agency.

Customers in Germany lined up on Saturday to buy the new edition of Charlie Hebdo.

For some, buying a copy is a way to show solidarity with the magazine and support freedom of expression.

The magazine's French distributor, MLP, has been trying -- mostly unsuccessfully -- to keep pace with demand.

Roughly one million copies each were distributed on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Technical problems limited the number of copies available in France over the weekend, so it'll take several days to reach the 5 million mark.

On Saturday, MLP boosted the planned total to 7 million.

The French newspaper Le Figaro called it "a record in the history of the French press."

Michel Salion, a spokesman for MLP, told CNN it is "too early" to say how much money has been made through the sales.

A small number of copies began to reach the United States on Friday, and more are expected to go on sale in the coming days.

To put the 7 million figure in perspective, only a small number of U.S. magazines print that many copies -- AARP The Magazine, Better Homes and Gardens, and Game Informer Magazine.

"Nothing in the United States compares to the Charlie Hebdo print run," said Sid Holt, chief executive of the American Society of Magazine Editors.

He said Charlie Hebdo's past 60,000 circulation "is small even by French standards. Paris Match, by comparison, has a circulation of 600,000."

"But the equivalent of going from 60,000 to 6 million would be as if a magazine in the United States sold 30 million copies -- 30 times what People sells on the newsstand every week," Hold said.

Related: Where is Charlie Hebdo? My pursuit of the first copies in America

While support for the new issue has been widespread, opposition to the Mohammed drawing on the cover has been expressed by Islamic leaders and government officials in a number of countries in the Middle East and Africa.

The cover has been described as insulting to Muslims and needlessly provocative.

Protests against the new cover were reported in Pakistan, Jordan, Algeria, Niger, Mali, Somalia, Senegal, and Mauritania.

In Karachi, Pakistan on Friday, one protest turned violent, and a photographer working for the Paris-based news agency was injured by gunfire.

In Niger, a number of churches were set on fire and several people were killed. The French embassy in Niamey advised its citizens to be vigilant and avoid going outdoors.

Related: Charlie Hebdo co-founder: Prophet cartoons went too far

Publishers in some parts of the world have declined to reprint the cover. A new issue of The Economist magazine includes a small picture of the cover, but it's just a blank spot in the edition printed in Singapore. The Economist included a note explaining the missing content to readers, and referred them to a web page where they could see the cover.

A wide array of other news outlets, including CNN, have opted not to show the cover.

Meanwhile, the surviving editors of the magazine have said little about their plans for future issues, but they have vowed to keep publishing.

Laurent Joffrin, the editor of the French paper Liberation, said the staffers could continue to borrow its office space -- "As long as they want to stay, they can stay, there's no problem."

Joffrin told CNN, "They have many new friends and new subscribers, and they have money, investment, so they can go on."

--Claire Calzonetti contributed reporting.

First Published: January 17, 2015: 1:05 PM ET

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In year of 'Selma,' critics blast Oscars for all-white Best Actor field

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The lack of diversity in that category was punctuated by the absence of David Oyelowo, who gave an acclaimed performance in "Selma" as Martin Luther King Jr.

Actors Eddie Redmayne, Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Keaton, Bradley Cooper and Steve Carell were all nominated over Oyelowo.

The exclusion of Oyelowo from Best Actor wasn't the only "Selma" exclusion many took issue with.

The film's director, Ava DuVernay, wasn't nominated for Best Director. She would have been the first African-American woman ever in the category.

In all, the well-reviewed "Selma" picked up two awards: Best Picture and Best Song.

Other major categories, including Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress, also had all-white slates of nominees.

Many felt that David Oyelowo's performance in "Selma" was grossly overlooked.

Backlash from fans and critics was fervent.

"It's a movie about blacks being shut out of society. ... And now we're shut out of Hollywood," Al Sharpton told the New York Daily News.

On social media, many conveyed their outrage with the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite.

Others pointed out what they called the Academy's inconsistencies.

"Selma? One of the best pics of the year. But the directing, script, all the acting, & cinematography? Meh," comedian Patton Oswalt tweeted. "Nice song, though."

The widespread criticism comes a year after the Oscars celebrated nominees from diverse backgrounds.

At last year's Oscars, "12 Years A Slave" won the biggest prize of all: Best Picture. Other awards like Best Supporting Actress and Best Adapted Screenplay also went to people of color.

Yet, while "Selma" was neglected by the Academy, it will have the honor of being shown at the White House as President Obama hosts a screening of the film on Friday night.

The Oscars will be broadcast on ABC on February 22.

Related: Is this why 'Selma' was snubbed?

First Published: January 16, 2015: 2:26 PM ET

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Charlie Hebdo co-founder: Prophet cartoons went too far

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Henri Roussel, now 80, wrote a letter with his views in the wake of the terrorist attack at the magazine's office in Paris. Twelve people were killed, including Charbonnier, known as "Charb."

Roussel called Charbonnier "brilliant" but "stubborn." He said he thought the magazine went too far with its provocative images, particularly after the 2011 firebombing of the office. That incident came at the same time the magazine published a cover image depicting the prophet.

"What made him feel the need to drag the team into overdoing it?" Roussel asked, according to an English translation of his letter in the French-language magazine Nouvel Obs.

"I'm upset at you, Charb," he added.

Roussel's remarks mimic the public debate about the appropriateness of Charlie Hebdo's depictions of the prophet.

According to British media reports, Charlie Hebdo lawyer Richard Malka condemned Roussel's comments, calling them "polemical and venomous."

The magazine's so-called "survivors' issue," published Wednesday, expressed appreciation for the outpouring of public support after the January 7 attack. The support continues, with sellouts at newsstands across Paris on Friday for a third day in a row.

"It's still sold out almost everywhere we look," CNN's John Berman said.

About 1 million copies of the magazine are being printed each day. Michel Salion, a spokesman for the magazine's distributor, said technical problems will result in fewer copies than expected on Saturday; normal distribution will resume on Monday.

"Merci de votre patience," he wrote on Twitter -- "thank you for your patience."

Meanwhile, opposition to the new issue's cover image, which portrays the Prophet Mohammed, turned violent during a protest in Karachi, Pakistan on Friday. Demonstrators tried to march to the French consulate but were turned back by police water cannons and tear gas.

A photographer working for AFP, a wire service based in Paris, was shot during the chaos.

"Investigations are underway to determine who shot him," Ahmed Chinoy, chief of Karachi's Citizen Police Liaison Committee, told CNN.

--CNN's Sophia Saifi contributed reporting from Islamabad, Pakistan.

First Published: January 16, 2015: 5:32 PM ET

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Software can't replace mass spying

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

But that doesn't mean the mass spying should keep happening, it added.

The long-awaited report was released Thursday by the National Academy of Sciences. It came from the committee that President Obama put together after ex-NSA contractor Edward Snowden revealed the extent of U.S. government spying on the American public's phone records, email logs and more.

In response to the report, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union noted that the committee doesn't condone current mass surveillance practices. Quite the opposite, Neema Singh Guliani said.

"The report does not even attempt to provide one concrete example of a case where bulk collection was essential to a national security investigation," she said in a blog post.

This committee was made up of academics and technology professionals from Google (GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT, Tech30), Oracle (ORCL, Tech30) and elsewhere.

Its job was to figure out whether the government could ditch the current strategy of collecting lots of information on nearly everyone and manually sort through it and instead, use computer software to narrow down the spying.

However, the committee concluded, for the government to know everything, it has to collect everything.

The committee suggested putting automatic controls that limit who can access the data collected by government spies. That addresses one of the main criticisms voiced by Snowden: that lots of intelligence agents and private contractors get creepy access into our personal lives, from webcams to private chats with friends and family.

Such computer software would also make it easier for the government to catch when spies behave badly -- and make that information public.

Related: U.S. planes spy on American phones

Related: How the NSA can 'turn on' your phone remotely

First Published: January 16, 2015: 6:20 PM ET

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RadioShack may be preparing for bankruptcy

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The filing could come the first week of February, according to the Wall Street Journal. RadioShack declined to comment for this story.

The company had a deadline of Jan. 15 to come up with $100 million in combined cash and available credit, or its major creditors can pull the plug on the long-term financing it needs to survive. RadioShack only had $63 million available heading into the Christmas shopping season.

Related: Time is running out for RadioShack

The struggling electronics retailer has been trying to close 1,100 of its 5,000 stores since March, but it's an expensive undertaking. It only came up with enough cash to close 175 stores through the end of October.

Once upon a time, RadioShack (RSH) bragged about its network of stores, saying that 90% of the U.S. population lives or works within a few minutes of one of its locations. But today, when people can easily order the items online, those brick-and-mortar stores are dead weight. The stores are so close to one another they are essentially competing with themselves and are dragging the company down to its third straight year of losses.

First Published: January 14, 2015: 7:29 PM ET

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Apple's new security feature not good enough

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

So Apple (AAPL, Tech30) expanded a security feature called two-step verification for users who wanted it. Under this feature, if you want to log into your iCloud account from a new device, you'll need your phone.

That's because Apple will text you a temporary numerical code, which you will need besides your Apple ID and password to get in.

But as it turns out: That doesn't protect everything.

Even if you turn on two-step verification, someone can still get in on another device by using just your password to see your iMessage conversations and impersonate you on that chatting platform -- and also see what you bought on the App Store and iTunes.

This is a real problem. Most passwords are easy to guess. And chances are, so are your security questions. That was already proven during the celebrity hacks.

Dani Grant, a computer programmer who spotted this, thinks that Apple's approach to two-step verification is a half measure. This extra feature is supposed to enhance privacy. But if someone cracks just your password, they can not only see iMessages, but also see your billing address and part of your credit card numbers.

"It is amazing how much access one can get," she said, pointing out what happens if someone breaks into a person's iMessage. "Imagine that a hacker gained credentials of someone of power. They could make statements on (their) behalf."

Grant's point: Two-step verification should apply to all Apple services -- not just some things.

Let's remember why Apple expanded this security feature last year. In August, hackers were able to guess the passwords (or answers to security questions) to many celebrities' iCloud accounts. As a result, their private, nude photos were exposed.

To its credit, Apple did beef up its security by expanding its two-step verification option. It now prevents someone from entering users' iCloud accounts and downloading their photos. That was the main point of contention during the iCloud hacking episode.

But is it enough?

When reached by CNNMoney, Apple pointed out this extra security measure protects the most important stuff. Hackers need the numerical code from the text to enter your iCloud account, make purchases on your behalf and change your account details.

And Apple customers still get an email warning if someone is trying to sign into their iCloud, iMessage and FaceTime video chat from another device.

But Grant argues that users are still vulnerable and the company needs to do more.

Consider this another case of security versus convenience. Sure, Apple could enforce this extra security for every feature. But some customers would find the extra 30 seconds annoying.

Then again, the kind of people who are turning on the extra security feature probably don't mind the annoyance.

"Users that turn on two-step verification have the expectation that every access point to their account is protected by more than just their password," she said.

An Apple spokesman acknowledged that she has a point. But the company declined to comment about any plans to expand the feature.

Related: Apple patents camera, and GoPro shares tank

Related: Facebook to send Amber Alerts

Related: How safe are you? CNN's cybersecurity magazine

First Published: January 14, 2015: 5:50 PM ET

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Why India has the cheapest flights on Earth

NEW DELHI (CNNMoney)

Yet the big winners might be price-conscious consumers -- and any carrier strong enough to survive the price wars that have made India the cheapest place to fly on Earth.

Consider this: In India, airlines charge an average $10.20 to travel 100 kilometers, according to a survey by GoEuro. Air travelers in China pay twice as much to go the same distance, and Brazilians pay four times more. Even India's rail lines demand a higher price per kilometer.

The airlines would like to charge more, but they are locked in a race to capture market share -- sometimes operating flights at a loss. Even Air India, the state-owned recipient of seemingly endless bailouts, offers fares that would be more suited to a budget airline.

Helped along by pricing chaos, private carrier Kingfisher Airlines has gone out of business. The government was forced late last year to rescue SpiceJet, the country's third largest carrier.

In total, Indian airlines have reported accumulated losses of more than $10 billion in the last seven years and thereby increased their cumulative debt burden to $16 billion, according to a recent report by industry analytics firm Center for Aviation.

Yet as with many sectors in India, optimism is creeping in around the edges. Funds from foreign investors have provided a boost, and analysts hope that newly-elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi will push through meaningful reforms.

Related: Indian civil servant finally fired after epic 24-year absence

The potential for rapid growth is hard to ignore. India's cities are rapidly growing, and middle-class consumers have money to spend on luxuries like air travel.

Anurag Bhatia, Executive Director of Bird Group, a provider of aviation services to India's biggest airports, believes airlines have a long way to go before tapping the true potential of the market.

"There are 25 to 30 million people that use airplanes in India, whereas there are nearly 300 million that can actually afford to travel but don't because of unavailability of flights or the lack of airports," he said.

Foreign players have taken note. Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways took a 24% stake in Jet Airways, India's second largest airline by market share. Singapore Airlines has launched a joint venture with Indian conglomerate Tata Group (Tata also has a deal with AirAsia).

Related: Indian startup funding up 261%

These external entrants have sprung the new government into action as well.

The Modi-led government has pledged to build 200 low-cost airports in tier-II and tier-III cities across the country over the next 20 years to boost regional connectivity.

And the Aviation Ministry is looking to reduce airport charges, which are amongst the highest in the region. The government plans to list Airports Authority of India -- the state-owned airport operator - - to help increase efficiency and improve transparency.

Yet more needs to be done, especially on the issue of fuel taxes, which airlines say are among their biggest costs. The tax on jet fuel can range from 4% in some Indian states to as high as 30% in others.

Dhiraj Mathur, head of PwC India's aviation department, said the high tax rates are "irrational."

"If you levy such high taxes, then how will these airlines operate?" he said. "That's why domestic airlines are finding it hard to become profitable."

First Published: January 14, 2015: 9:18 PM ET

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Looking for the new Charlie Hebdo in America? Good luck

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

But good luck getting your hands on a copy in the United States.

Last week's deadly shooting introduced Charlie Hebdo to scores of people around the world who were previously unfamiliar with the French satirical magazine.

As a result, a typical print circulation of 60,000 copies may jump to as many as 3 million for the new issue, which has a cartoon depiction of the Prophet Mohammed on the cover.

The American audience may have to wait, however.

A page on Amazon offers a one-year subscription, a total of 52 issues, for $181.39. The expected delivery time is anywhere from four to six weeks.

Compounding matters for Kindle readers: The Amazon (AMZN, Tech30) page doesn't offer a digital subscription.

It was also unclear Tuesday how much of the new issue, which will stay on sale for eight weeks, will appear on Charlie Hebdo's website. The site has been converted into a fundraising vehicle since the massacre.

Bookseller Barnes & Noble does not carry Charlie Hebdo and has "no plans to do so," according to spokeswoman Mary Ellen Keating.

Laura Samuels, a spokeswoman for the Hudson Group, told CNNMoney that she didn't know if her company's hundreds of newsstands and book stores will sell the issue.

Hudson operates over 700 outlets in airports and transportation hubs in the U.S. and Canada.

Samuels said the company has never purchased Charlie Hebdo before and is still figuring out which distribution channels to go through to sell the magazine. She stressed the company is not fearful of selling Charlie Hebdo.

"We're making inquiries," Samuels said. "I can't say that we will and I can't say that we won't."

CNNMoney also called several newsstands in New York City, but employees all said the magazine will not be on their shelves.

Two major stores on the East Coast -- Strand in New York City and Kramerbooks in Washington, D.C. -- also will not sell the magazine.

The best hope, at least for New Yorkers, might be Albertine, a French bookstore that opened in Manhattan last year.

Francois Schmit, the store's manager, told CNNMoney that he might have some issues to sell by the weekend. But he wasn't sure.

"It's very difficult to have more information," he said.

First Published: January 13, 2015: 8:38 PM ET

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