GOOD DAY FOR: A freer press, as the Financial Times is making more of its online content free for non-subscribers. Starting in mid-October, registered users will be able to read 30 articles a month at no cost. The New York Times recently got rid of its paid Times Select service. (MarketWatch)

BAD DAY FOR: Timid shoppers, as a new survey by Consumer Reports shows that more than 90 percent of shoppers who asked for discounts got at least one in the past three years. The negotiated price cuts were on a wide range of goods and services, including furniture, electronics, and medical bills. (Reuters)