For years, gold prices have been breaking records. But prices are starting to drop now that the economy may be recovering. If you're thinking about selling your gold, here are some tips for getting top dollar before the bubble bursts.
Facing criticism from Republican lawmakers, Chairman Ben Bernanke stood behind the Federal Reserve's low-interest-rate policies Wednesday and sought to reassure Congress that the central bank has a handle on the risks. Bond purchases are needed to help boost a still-weak economy, Bernanke said.
The Federal Reserve's low interest-rate policies are giving key support to an economy still burdened by high unemployment, Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress on Tuesday. Bernanke signaled that the Fed's efforts to keep borrowing costs low -- buying treasuries and mortgage bonds -- will continue.
The new year rally in global markets showed few signs of abating Monday ahead of a speech on monetary policy from Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke. A number of stock indexes around the world have hit multi-year highs as a key measure of volatility, the so-called VIX index, has fallen to a five-year low.
The U.S. economy is already being hurt by the "fiscal cliff" standoff in Washington, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Wednesday. But Bernanke said the Fed believes the crisis will be resolved without significant long-term damage.
Quantitative easing is when the Fed buys securities in the hope of driving down interest rates -- ideally spurring more borrowing and spending. And this time, the Fed says it'll do it until the economy is back on track. But there are side effects to Dr. Bernanke's medicine.
World stock markets rallied Friday after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke signaled that the central bank would do more to stimulate the U.S. economy.
The Federal Reserve offered a more positive view of the economy after a burst of hiring since its last meeting. It held off taking further steps to boost the recovery and reiterated its plan to keep short-term interest rates near zero until at least late 2014. The Fed's statement issued after Tuesday's one-day meeting was more upbeat than the one it released in January.
The Fed's decision to allow big banks to pay sharply higher dividends makes no sense, and not just because the results of the so-called "stress tests" are secret. Based on facts that are public knowledge, the banks are actually insolvent, and in danger of sinking much further.
When a Federal Reserve committee meets Tuesday to consider the federal interest rate, it will likely revise its glum outlook into something brighter. But will it also acknowledge the U.S.'s growing inflation problem?
The first trading day of the month is usually good to equities, but after a two-day respite, stocks went back back to broad-based declines. The sharp rise in oil prices overshadowed some encouraging corporate and economic news.
The market suffered its biggest swoon since August last week as chaos swept Libya and oil prices hit multiyear highs. With the geopolitical landscape uncertain for the foreseeable future, don't be surprised if stocks come under further selling pressure in the days ahead. [Video]
Inflation has inched higher in the past six months, but that's not a danger sign, but rather a harbinger of improving economic conditions and a strengthening recovery. And that, in turn, should lead to higher wages and more hiring in the year ahead.
Members of Congress sharply questioned Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke Wednesday over whether the Fed's policies are raising the risk of higher inflation in the months ahead.
Ben Bernanke insists that inflation remains "quite low." That's true, unless you need to eat. Core inflation doesn't include food prices, and they're soaring around the globe. In fact, the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization says its closely watched food price index hit its highest level ever in January.
The U.S. economy has strengthened, but not enough for the government to pare down its bond-buying program, according to the latest Fed minutes. In late 2010, investments rose and the job market improved -- but the housing market remained depressed.
For the 22nd-straight month, the central bank kept its target interest rate at 0% to 0.25%. It made no new asset purchases and no changes to QE2, its $600 billion, eight-month bond-buying program. Housing and hiring are two main areas of concern in a slow-growth economy.
Silver prices touched a 30-year high Monday as investors sought the safety of precious metals. Inflation concerns are running high after Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said the central bank is considering a third round of qualitative easing.
The Fed%u2019s latest Beige Book report finds that economic growth has increased but also that the economy is still growing well below its potential and too slowly to substantially lower unemployment.
The Fed says it expects the U.S. economy to grow weakly in both 2010 and 2011, with as many as six years needed to return unemployment to normal levels.
The world economy is poised for more of the same in 2011: booming growth in China, India and Brazil, and a sluggish crawl in much of the rest of the developed world. Here are the five most important factors driving sluggish economic growth in the U.S.
After initially voting for the QE2 plan, Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh said in a speech Monday that the government's decision to buy $600 million worth of bonds to spur the economy is a bad idea.
Stocks closed essentially unchanged Friday as mixed economic news and earnings data failed to distract traders from next week's mid-term elections and Federal Reserve policy statement.
The Fed's latest Beige Book report confirms what earlier economic data has indicated. Eight of the 12 regional Fed banks, including San Francisco and Chicago, reported some form of growth in the September/October period. But nothing to write home about.
Stocks closed mixed Friday as Google's strong earnings lifted tech stocks but mounting concern over the foreclosure crisis and a revenue miss from GE weighed on financials and the broader market.
