Could She Become the Most Powerful Woman in the World?
Speculation is that President Obama will seek to replace Ben Bernanke, when the Fed chairman's term is up next year. But whom will he name to replace him?
Treasury
As Interest Rates Rise, Banks Face New Stress Tests
Banks have mostly been tight-lipped about what rising interest rates would mean for earnings, but they'll soon have to open up a little more to regulators and investors.
Has the Fed's Stimulus Created a Stock Market Bubble?
A nervous debate is raging among investors and analysts: Has the Federal Reserve inflated a stock market bubble by driving interest rates to record lows?
SEC's Money Market Funds Reform May Result in Higher Fees
Securities regulators vote to propose reforms that would target a portion of the $2.6 trillion money market fund industry.
Fed Official: Policymakers May Have to Alter Course
The Fed is poised to evaluate and potentially make changes to its massive monetary stimulus, says a top agency official who is critical of the Fed's bond-buying program.
Regulators: Source of Next Financial Crisis May Not be Banks
Earlier this week the Financial Stability Oversight Council proposed tighter regulations for "nonbank financial institutions." What does that mean for consumers?
Why Regulators May Be Eyeing Your Insurer Like a Bank
Federal regulators have proposed that a group of firms that aren't banks be deemed potential threats to the financial system that need stricter government oversight.
Chinese Firm Bids $4.7 Billion for Virginia's Smithfield Foods
Chinese meat processor Shuanghui International has agreed to buy Smithfield Foods for about $4.72 billion in a deal that will take the world's biggest pork producer private.
Some Unions Angered by 'Obamacare' as Costs Rise
Some unions leaders have grown frustrated and angry about what they say are unexpected consequences of Obama's health care overhaul plan.
Bernanke Signals Fed Will Keep Stimulus in Place
Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke tells Congress that the U.S. job market remains weak and that it is too soon for the central bank to end its extraordinary stimulus program.
IRS Official Resigns, But Investigations Won't End
The acting commissioner for the IRS, Steven Miller, has resigned, but don't look for the outcry over the agency's improper targeting of tea party groups to subside.
Lower Deficit Predictions May Hamper U.S. Budget Deal
The recovering economy is producing greater tax revenues, but an improving deficit picture also reflects the accumulating effects of prior rounds of spending cuts.
Bloomberg Probed Over Reporters' Access to Client Data
Bloomberg customers were examining whether there could have been leaks of confidential information, even as the media company restricted its reporters' access to client data.
Treasury Reports Rare $113B Surplus in April
The U.S. Treasury said Friday that it took in a rare surplus of $113 billion in April, the largest in five years.
Bernanke: Fed Increasing Oversight Beyond Banks
The Fed has broadened its oversight beyond banks and now monitors a wide-range of financial institutions that could hasten another crisis, Chairman Ben Bernanke said Friday.
Fannie Mae Posts Record $60B Quarterly Profit
Mortgage-backer Fannie Mae will pay a dividend of $59.4 billion to the U.S. Treasury next month, a feat thought unthinkable just a few years ago following a federal bailout.
Freddie Mac Posts Near-Record Profit in First Quarter
Mortgage giant Freddie Mac earned $4.6 billion from January through March, helped by a stronger housing market.
Strong Housing and Auto Sales Boost U.S. Economy, Fed Says
A strengthening housing recovery and robust auto sales contributed to moderate growth across the U.S. in late February and March, according to a Federal Reserve survey.
Lew Calls on Trade-Surplus Nations to Bolster Consumer Demand
Speaking in Berlin, U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew on Tuesday urged countries with a trade surplus to introduce policies to help domestic consumption.
Treasury OK'd Beyonce and Jay-Z's Cuba Trip, Source Says
American pop star Beyonce and rapper husband Jay Z visited Havana last week on a cultural trip that was fully licensed by the United States Treasury Department, a source says.
Stock Market Gains, Economic Recovery Boost U.S. Dollar
Investors are showing more interest in the dollar, which is benefiting from the stock market's surge to new highs and an improving U.S. economy.
The Great Geithner: Ex-Treasury Secretary Gets Bailout Book Deal
The former Treasury Secretary has an agreement with Crown Publishers, an imprint of Random House, Inc. Crown announced Thursday that Geithner's book, currently untitled, is scheduled for 2014 and will provide a "behind-the-scenes" account of the financial crisis.
Lew Set to Start at Treasury As Budget Cuts Loom
The Senate confirmed Jacob Lew as Treasury Secretary late Wednesday, affirming President Barack Obama's choice of a budget expert at a time when Congress and the White House are at odds over spending and taxes.
Senate Confirms Jacob Lew as Treasury Secretary
The Senate confirmed Jacob Lew to be Treasury secretary, affirming President Barack Obama's choice of a budget expert at a time when Congress and the White House are at odds over sharp government spending cuts. Lew had most recently served as Obama's chief of staff.
Suddenly, Bonds are Riskier than Stocks
Bonds have outperformed stocks over the last 30-year period, but things are changing and bonds are no longer the safe haven they once were. In fact, bonds already look overvalued, and if rock-bottom interest rates keep moving higher, bond funds could plunge.
Treasury Tightens Up Terms of Fannie and Freddie Bailout Deal
The government is changing the terms of its bailout agreement with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in a way that will shrink the holdings of the two mortgage giants more quickly and will require payment to the government of all quarterly profits the companies earn.
Top Executives at Bailed-Out Firms Have Pay Cut
Nearly 70 top executives at three companies bailed out by the taxpayers during the 2008 financial crisis -- AIG, Ally Financial and GM -- were ordered to take pay 10% cuts by the federal government, and the CEOs had their pay frozen at 2011 levels.
Libyan Violence Stifles Demand for Bonds, as Well as Stocks
U.S. bond prices fell Wednesday on violence in Libya. An auction of $35 billion in five-year notes met with little demand, while 10-year Treasury prices fell 22 cents per $100 invested. Stocks also declined as a result of the Libyan instability.
Why Rising Interest Rates Won't Break the Bull's Run
The climbing yield on the 10-year Treasury note -- now 3.70%, a nine-month high -- can mean bad things for economic growth and stock prices. But not yet, if market guru Jeffrey Kleintop is right. He says the 10-year Treasury needs to be higher than 5% before it hurts stocks.