More than 1.1 billion new $100 bills have been put into quarantine while officials search for a solution to a printing problem that has rendered some of the bills unusable, an official familiar with the situation said Monday.
Stocks gave back earlier gains to end mixed Tuesday, as investor optimism over the extension of Bush-era tax cuts gave way to speculation about a widening federal probe into insider trading.
updated: Mon Dec 06 2010 20:39:00
Despite a growing economy, unemployment numbers in the U.S. have remained stagnant. Why?
Precious metals like gold and silver took center stage Monday as few investors showed a willingness to jump into the stock market fray on a day with no major economic news on tap.
The Fed is taking heat from just about everyone lately.
The price of crude is perilously close to $90 a barrel and the average cost for a gallon of gas is inching toward $3 nationwide. If they keep climbing, that could put a serious dent in economic recovery hopes for 2011.
Treasuries started climbing early Monday, as Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke's pessimistic comments about the job market over the weekend boosted the safe-haven appeal of U.S. government debt.
U.S. stocks were poised to fall at the opening bell Monday after Fed chairman Ben Bernanke gave a pessimistic outlook about the nation's economy.
Negative surprises are never welcome, yet there is a chance that the bleak November jobs report could be good for the economy. That is, if Washington wakes up to take urgent action.
On the heels of a disappointing jobs report, the country's top economist told 60 Minutes the outlook isn't much brighter.
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke this Sunday will make his second appearance on 60 Minutes, defending the central bank's controversial $600 billion bond buying program.
Cries for changing the Federal Reserve's job description are growing louder.
Could the job market finally be turning a corner? Though millions of workers are still reeling from a battered U.S. labor market, there are some early signs of improvement. Monthly payroll numbers have been rising and fewer people are filing for unemployment. Plus, Americans are working longer hours. "I don't think we're at a point where we're going to turn the corner rapidly, but I think what we see through a variety of metrics is, clearly things are getting a little bit better," said T.C. Robillard, a senior research analyst for Signal Hill Capital who covers large staffing firms.
The Federal Reserve made $9 trillion in overnight loans to major banks and Wall Street firms during the financial crisis, according to newly revealed data released Wednesday.
Stocks surged over 2% Wednesday as signs of economic strength in the United States and China tempered worries about the European debt crisis.
Ballooning U.S. debt is a serious long-term threat, but the economy needs more stimulus now, a top Federal Reserve official said Wednesday.
U.S. stocks headed for early gains Wednesday, following unexpectedly strong data on private payrolls.
Optimism about the U.S. economy grew in November, pushing the latest reading on consumer sentiment to the highest level since June -- ahead of the holiday shopping period.
Gold and oil prices have been joined at the hip in recent months, but that all changed in the days leading up to Thanksgiving.
Raghuram Rajan wasn't the only economist who warned of the financial crisis before it struck. He was, however, the sole one brave enough to make this prediction in front of Alan Greenspan at a 2005 Jackson Hole Conference devoted to celebrating the legacy of the once-seemingly infallible Fed chief.
Unemployed workers of America Unite!
Stocks ran into a wall of worry Tuesday as violence erupted on the Korean peninsula, concerns about Europe's debt crisis expanded and the Federal Reserve issued a dour economic outlook.
The Federal Reserve slashed its outlook for the U.S. economy for this year and 2011 and projected that it could take several years for the economy to return to health.
When Federal Reserve policymakers met behind closed doors earlier this month to discuss the controversial policy of quantitative easing, the debate was a contentious one.
There's dissension in the ranks of the Federal Reserve, and things are about to get even more tense at the central bank.
The U.S. recovery tugged along at a faster pace in the third quarter than originally reported, driven by stronger exports and spending, the government said Tuesday.
Question: What do Joe Stiglitz and Paul Volcker on the left and Martin Feldstein and John Taylor on the right all have in common?
After a wild ride last week, stocks could be in for a more volatility going into Thanksgiving.
U.S. stocks closed out a wild week with a lackluster finish. In the final stretch, stocks ended Friday's trading session just above the break even point.
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Friday defended the central bank's plans to spur U.S. economic growth, saying they could help reduce unemployment, and -- in a message aimed at China -- urged developing nations to let their currencies gain in value.
The People's Bank of China raised the reserve requirement ratio for its banks by a half-percentage point on Friday in an attempt to control the flow of new money and combat inflation.
U.S. stocks were headed for weak open Friday, as Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke defended the central bank's plan to spur economic growth, in an early morning speech in Germany.
A Malaysian man was charged on Thursday for hacking into the computer network of a U.S. Federal Reserve bank and for stealing more than 400,000 stolen credit card and debit card numbers, according to federal authorities.
U.S. stocks surged more than 1% Thursday as an early rally gained steam, following a strong debut by General Motors' stock.
The high-flying commodities markets hit a patch of rough air this week, but analysts expect strong demand from developing countries will continue to support prices into next year.
Here's the happy news: Despite fears of a dreaded double dip, the economy isn't likely to slip back into recession in 2011, most experts say.
The Federal Reserve issued a new set of guidelines Wednesday that pave the way for healthy banks to begin hiking dividends and repurchasing shares next year.
It's hard to find someone that isn't criticizing the Federal Reserve these days. I keep expecting to see a press release from Lady Gaga in my inbox about why she thinks quantitative easing is the financial equivalent of a bad romance.
Consumer prices for everything other than food and energy are rising, but at a rate so sluggish, it's the smallest price increase on record, the government said Wednesday.
After a two-week sell-off, Treasuries started to make a comeback Tuesday as investors take in the latest inflation data.
updated: Tue Nov 16 2010 07:50:00
Rep. Michele Bachmann shares her views on the Tea Party's impact on politics.
The Fed just injected $75 billion into the American economy, the first of eight such gigantic booster shots. The huge stimulus has unleashed a chorus of criticism by Republican economists and politicians, as well as criticism from the leaders of China, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
Savers, steel yourselves for another low-yield year. Interest rates on savings accounts, CDs, and money markets have been barely there for a while -- bank savings accounts are paying a paltry 0.2% on average, while money-market funds offer a dismal 0.04%.
The Federal Reserve's plan to purchase $600 billion in bonds, in an attempt to stimulate the economy, is coming under fire from a group of prominent conservative economists and political strategists.
Treasury prices fell and yields edged higher Friday as the Federal Reserve began its debt buyback program and concerns persisted over the global economy.
It was only last week that investors were spending all their time analyzing the outcome of the midterm elections, the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing announcement and the October jobs report.
The commodities rally has cooled off, with prices for precious metals, oil and agricultural raw materials plunging Friday after a record-breaking run earlier in the week.
America may be on the ropes, but its neighbor to the North wants everybody to know that, in contrast, it's doing just fine.
U.S. stocks headed for an early selloff Friday, following a volatile trading session in Asian markets that ended with the Shanghai Composite down more than 5%.
President Barack Obama declared Friday that his "number one priority" is preserving tax cuts for the middle class, and sharply denied that comments by his senior adviser David Axelrod suggest that his administration is about to cave in to Republicans who also want to extend the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy.
Ben Bernanke has had his hands full since his first day on the job as Federal Reserve chairman nearly five years ago. It's about to get even tougher.
Changes in the global pecking order are coming.
Life is getting tougher for the average worker, not just in America, but in other advanced nations around the globe.
Accusations of currency manipulation are causing tension, and world leaders are hoping the contentious topic won't turn this week's G-20 gathering in Seoul into an all-out global brouhaha.
Treasury yields turned lower Wednesday following a 30-year debt auction and after the Fed released details about its initial purchases under its bond-buying stimulus plan.
U.S. stocks made a comeback Wednesday afternoon to finish higher, as the dollar turned lower after an earlier rally. But the gains were tepid as investors remained jittery ahead of the G-20 meeting.
updated: Wed Nov 10 2010 12:02:00
Historian and diplomat Joseph Nye gives us his view of the shifts in power between China and the United States.
A century ago, the rise of Germany and the fear it created in Britain led to world war. Some analysts predict a similar fate from the rise of China and the fear that is creating in the United States.
U.S. stocks were headed for early gains Wednesday, as investors reacted to better-than-expected economic data.
Stocks slumped while gold rallied to a record high Tuesday as investors continued to grapple with the Federal Reserve's latest effort to stimulate the economy.
Don't look now. But oil prices are getting close to $90 again.
Even with interest rates at historic lows, you might still have a hard time getting a mortgage: Small banks have tightened standards when it comes to lending to homebuyers, according to a survey issued Monday.
Gold prices hit a new record, surging above $1,400 Monday, as commodity prices continued to rally on the back of the Federal Reserve's new $600 billion stimulus plan.
Growing criticism of U.S. Federal Reserve policy is fueling global tensions as leaders of the world's largest economies prepare to meet in South Korea Wednesday.
Corporate earnings season: check. Midterm elections: check. Federal Reserve meeting: check. Jobs report: check.
Eager to fend off any criticism that he's globetrotting just days after a disastrous midterm election, President Obama unveiled about $10 billion in new contracts for U.S. exports to India on Saturday as he launched an aggressive push to show his trip to Asia will deliver jobs back home.
U.S. stocks wavered Friday but ended with slight gains, as investors digested a strong jobs report at the end of a week full of big economic news. All three major indexes closed at fresh two-year highs and the Dow and S&P logged their biggest weekly gains in more than two months.
Treasury prices fell across the board Friday after an upbeat jobs report, ending a week of run-ups on a major Federal Reserve decision and midterm elections.
U.S. stocks rallied Thursday, with all three major indexes finishing at two-year highs, as investors continued to cheer the Federal Reserve's announcement to pump $600 billion into the economy.
Treasury prices continued to rise Thursday, after the Fed's launch of a $600 billion bond-buying spree and a weak labor report boosted the appeal of government debt.
Commodity prices have been on a tear since the Federal Reserve hinted back in August that it was prepared to take aggressive action to help boost the economy. The big announcement finally came, and a day later commodities are staging a massive rally.
The elections and the Fed's quantitative announcement are finally in the rear view mirror. Now the real fun begins. It's time for investors to get ready for the latest report on the job market.
On a recent Wednesday night, my wife and I found ourselves in an otherwise empty Beale Street bar surrounded by a group of Australian men.
The Federal Reserve's latest move to help stimulate the economy should help fulfill its obligation "to help promote increased employment and sustain price stability," Fed chairman Ben Bernanke said.
U.S. stocks were poised to rise Thursday, as overseas markets rallied on the Federal Reserve's announcement that it will pump $600 billion into the economy.
Long-term Treasury yields rose Wednesday after the Fed announced a huge bond-buying plan -- of mostly short-term Treasuries.
U.S. stocks seesawed Wednesday amid a widely-anticipated Republican victory and the Federal Reserve's announcement of a second round of economy-boosting asset purchases, but managed to end the session with modest gains, pushing the Dow and Nasdaq to their highest levels in over two years.
In its latest move to jump start the sluggish recovery, the Federal Reserve announced it will pump billions into the economy.
Prices of most major commodities stayed mixed Wednesday, even after the Fed announced a $600 billion asset purchase plan.
The U.S. dollar weakened against the euro Wednesday after the Federal Reserve announced a widely anticipated plan to support the economy.
This is the statement of the minutes of the Federal Open Market Committee meeting released Nov. 3, 2010. For analysis of the Fed's interest rate policy and this statement, please see: QE2: Fed pulls the trigger.
In the coming days and weeks, leading Democrats will make the case that their historic trouncing at the polls last night was the inevitable fallout of a brutal economy. In his press conference today the president -- pressed about public disapproval of his policies -- repeatedly referred to an "emergency situation'' that forced the need for a stimulus and the Detroit bailout. There's a bit of déjà vu here: George Bush blamed his plummeting approval ratings on an unpopular war.
According to the Chinese calendar, next year will be the year of the rabbit. But for the Federal Reserve, 2011 is shaping up to be the year of the hawk -- the inflation hawk, that is.
Treasury prices ended the session higher Tuesday as investors continued to anticipate another round of asset purchases from the Federal Reserve.
After an initial boost at the market's open, stocks held steady throughout the day as investors sat on their hands to wait for the outcome of two major events: the mid-term elections and a two-day Fed meeting.
U.S. stocks were set to open higher Tuesday as the nation headed to the polls for the midterm election and the Federal Reserve geared up for a key two-day meeting.
Maybe it's time for the Fed to think outside the box. Wall Street is counting on the Federal Reserve to announce purchases of long-term government bonds on Wednesday, a policy known as quantitative easing. But some Fed watchers think that buying up more plain-vanilla bonds won't work, and recommend more unorthodox strategies. "I think the Fed wants to be creative, and I wouldn't be surprised if they buy assets other than just Treasuries," said Kenneth Naehu, managing director and head of fixed income at Bel Air Investment Advisors. While current law restricts the Fed to buying low-risk assets like Treasury bonds, that's not necessarily set in stone, said Paul Ashworth, U.S. economist with Capital Economics.
Stocks ended a choppy session little changed Monday as investors remained jittery ahead of the week's three big events -- the midterm elections, the Federal Reserve meeting and the October jobs report.
Treasury prices were mixed on Monday as investors responded to a strong manufacturing report, but remained wary ahead of highly-anticipated news later this week.
October was another strong month for markets, but uncertainty kept stocks in a tight range over the past week.
U.S. stocks were set to open higher Monday as investors digest reports on income and spending and await the week's big events - the midterm election, the Federal Reserve meeting and the October jobs data.
Stocks ended October with gains, but uncertainty sent investors to the sidelines Friday following a lackluster reading on economic growth and ahead of next week's Federal Reserve meeting.
The Federal Reserve is likely to announce a plan to pump more money into the economy next week. But some economists worry that the move won't work.
Bond traders have been gearing up for the Federal Reserve's second round of stimulus measures for weeks. With the highly-anticipated announcement just days away, analysts warn that investors could be in for a disappointment.
Commentary: Lakshman Achuthan and Anirvan Banerji are, respectively, co-founder and chief operating officer and co-founder and chief research officer of ECRI, the Economic Cycle Research Institute. The good news is that the much-feared double-dip recession is not going to happen.
Nevada Republican Senate candidate Sharron Angle says in a campaign ad that Democratic incumbent Harry Reid is the "best friend an illegal alien ever had." According to her, he tolerates illegal people "sneaking" across the border and receiving "illegal Social Security benefits."
Stocks lost early momentum, turning lower midmorning as investors remained jittery ahead of next week's Fed meeting.
U.S. stocks were set to rally Thursday, as investors reacted to earnings report from Exxon Mobil and 3M and better-than-expected weekly government jobless claims data.
Investors have been cheering about the prospect of the Federal Reserve pumping more money into the economy, but some experts warn that move may wind up hurting consumers' wallets.
Stocks closed mixed Wednesday, with technology shares posting small gains, as investors lowered their expectations for an aggressive move by the Federal Reserve to stimulate the economy.
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