A run on the sperm bank, and a jump in late payments

GOOD DAY FOR: Seed money, as sperm banks and fertility clinics are reporting a sharp uptick in calls from interested sperm and egg donors since the recession hit. Donations can be fairly lucrative—Oregon Health & Science University, for example, pays $100 per sperm deposit, up to twice a week, and $5,000 per egg—but it’s nice work if you can get it: the criteria for being accepted by a donor is strict, and most interested people are turned away. (USA Today)

BAD DAY FOR: Payback, as U.S. credit card and consumer loan delinquencies hit record highs in the first quarter, pushed up by rising unemployment and the deflating housing market, the American Bankers Association said. A record 6.60 percent of all credit card debt was more than 30 days past due in the January to March quarter, and consumer loan delinquencies hit 3.23 percent. The ABA expects the number to get worse in the next year. (Reuters)

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