Minutes: Fed Divided Over When to End Stimulus
Federal Reserve policymakers are divided over when to end extraordinary measures intended to encourage more borrowing and spending to help stimulate the U.S. economy.
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The Fed Likely to Reinforce Low Interest Rate Message This Week
When the Federal Reserve meets this week, it's likely to affirm a message it intends to help lift the economy: that consumers and businesses will be able to borrow cheaply well into the future -- even after unemployment has dropped sharply.
Week in Preview: Fed, Inflation & Nike Earnings
Federal economic data, as well as the Labor Department's Producer Price Index and Consumer Price Index, could dominate economic news this week. And while the earnings season is winding down, quarterly reports from Nike and Ross Stores are scheduled.
Will the Fed's New Hawks Force a Change of Course?
While most analysts don't expect a major departure from the December Fed meeting, the voting lineup has changed substantially. Now, Chairman Bernanke has to deal with three new members of the rate-setting committee who have expressed reservations about quantitative easing.
Week in Preview: Spotlight on FedEx, Best Buy, Discover
FedEx, the world's leading package-delivery service and an ostensible bellwether of the U.S. economy, will report its latest earnings this week. Also, with the holiday shopping season well underway, Best Buy and Discover Financial Services are also reporting quarterly results.
Week in Preview: Earnings from Tyson, Analog Devices, Deere
Among quarterly results scheduled for this holiday-shortened week, investors may be thankful for earnings results from Tyson Foods, the Arkansas-based poultry and meat producer. Analog Devices and Deere also are reporting.
Bernanke Defends QE2 Plan to Boost Economy
A day after announcing a second round of quantitative easing, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke responded to critics in a Washington Post op-ed that explains how the program will work and why it won't spark inflation.
The Fed Tries Again to Buy Economic Growth
U.S. Federal Reserve launched the second phase of its quantitative easing program, the so-called QE2, saying it will buy up to $600 billion more in long-term U.S. Treasury bonds to help stimulate a U.S. economy that's growing too slowly.
Fed Will Create More Money, but Will It Help?
Just about everyone expects the Federal Reserve to announce a bond-buying program with the goal of stimulating the economy. But not many observers think it's a good idea -- and the chorus of critics is only getting louder.
A Flurry of Market-Moving Data on Deck
Calling all investors: You'll want to pay close attention in the days ahead. The mid-term elections, FOMC meeting, retail sales figures, an update on the labor market and more earnings from Toyota, Starbucks and more could set the stage for quite an interesting week on Wall Street.
The Fed Doesn't Give Equities Much Movement
Stocks closed mixed with little change on Tuesday after the Federal Reserve stood pat on interest rates and warned that falling prices are becoming a bigger concern. Tuesday's meeting did little to give equities direction after an initial mid-afternoon pop.
What Will the Fed Do With So-So Results?
The recent stream of modestly positive economic news means the Fed probably won't take any further action to stimulate the economy at its upcoming meeting. But nobody is calling the economy healthy yet.
Week Ahead: Housing Data, Fed Meeting, Earnings
Housing data is in the financial spotlight this week, along with an FOMC meeting, the leading economic indicators index and quarterly reports from a number of companies including Adobe, AutoZone and Lennar.
Fed Minutes Confirm Intense Debate Over Recovery
At its August meeting, the Fed agreed to maintain the current monetary policy, but the decision was hardly universal. Some members said the recovery was on track and expressed concern that the decision to reinvest Treasury proceeds would send the wrong signal.
Don't Blame the Economy on the Uncertainty
The government today is often blamed for causing economic uncertainty, which some point to as the source of all the economy's woes. But there's a deeper issue in play than the fact that we have to guess what's coming next: The problem is the bias in our guesses.