Federal Reserve System

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office is warning that if $607 billion in tax increases and spending cuts all hit as scheduled, the U.S. will likely go into recession in 2013. It's a "fiscal cliff" we don't have to jump off.

A "modest contagion" for financial stocks "should allow domestically focused financial stocks to stabilize in the coming weeks," despite the JPMorgan Chase trading mess and the "deteriorating conditions in Europe, according to KBW analyst Fred Cannon.

A new survey shows economists are growing slightly more optimistic about recovery in the job and housing markets but expect other pillars of the economy to remain weak.

The Card Act was passed in 2009 to protect consumers from unfair and deceptive credit card practices. But some stay-at-home parents complain that one part of the law has made it harder for them to get credit cards.

U.S. factory output increased in April, helped by a gain in auto production. Busier factories have driven stronger hiring this year and helped the economy grow. The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that factory production rose 0.6% in April, erasing a 0.5% decline in March.

U.S. consumer prices were flat last month as cheaper gas offset modest increases for food, clothing and housing. The data indicate that inflation remains in check.

The roiling political landscape of Europe pushed U.S. stock futures lower Monday as beleaguered voters in Greece and France rejected years of painful budget cuts. The Dow fell 46 points to 12,911. The S&P 500 slipped 5.7 points to 1,356.80. The Nasdaq fell 12 points to 2,613.50.

Markets dipped Monday after official data confirmed that Spain is back in its second recession in three years. Investors had initially bid up stocks on hopes that the Fed would provide more stimulus to the U.S. economy.

The stock market has bounced back from its crisis lows -- but you never can tell which way it'll go. Bonds look steady -- but they're actually a guaranteed way to make your money shrink slowly. There is, however, a place most of us can put more cash that is sure to outpace the market.

Is the U.S. tax code designed to be confusing? At more than 70,000 pages, its complexity is hard to overstate. But forget its size: Even in its most basic terms, the IRS seems determined to muddy the waters. To help you out, we've unpacked a few of the most weaselly weasel words.