obama

Obama Seeks to Confront Oil Market Manipulation

Under pressure to take action on rising gasoline prices, President Barack Obama wants Congress to strengthen federal supervision of oil markets, increase penalties for market manipulation and empower regulators to increase the amount of money energy traders are required to put behind their transactions.

The Only Key Swing Voter in This Election? Mr. Dow Jones

Wading through all of the varied political issues and hot buttons of an election year can be difficult for both candidates and voters. But what if there's only one thing that determines the outcome of a presidential race? Turns out, it may really be that simple.

Obama Sends FY2013 Budget Proposals to Congress

President Barack Obama on Monday sent Congress a new budget that seeks to achieve $4 trillion in deficit reduction over the next decade while at the same time showering billions of dollars of increased spending on areas aimed at giving the economy a quick boost.

Pieces on Earth: Christmas 2011 Saw Record Gun Sales

In the movie A Christmas Story, Ralphie had his sights set on just one gift: a Red Ryder BB gun. But many Americans this season clearly had heavier arms on their minds: Background checks on gun buyers hit a single-month record in December.

More People Like Their Banks Than the Government

Despite the din from the Occupy Wall Street crowd, not everybody dislikes financial institutions -- at least, not their own. A new poll shows a much higher approval rating for our banks than we give to the folks in Washington.

Decades Later, Student Loan Default Still Haunts Her

President Obama recently announced a plan to provide relief to student loan borrowers, but for the millions already in default on such loans, that help comes too late. Failure to repay those loans can wreck your finances permanently. Casey Zimmerman Thompson is a cautionary tale: More than two decades ago, she borrowed just $7,100.

10 Worst States for Student Debt

The amount of student loan debt in America will exceed $1 trillion this year, and this week, President Obama acted to ease the burden on millions of college graduates. Which states need that help the most? 24/7 Wall Street breaks down the 10 states with the worst levels of student debt.

White House Announces Plan to Ease Student Loans

Noting that it took President Obama 10 years to pay back his student loans, White House officials today announced a new presidential initiative aimed at helping others pay back the cost of their higher educations. Student loans have overtaken credit cards as the nation's largest source of debt.

Surprise! Here's Where Your Tax Dollars Go

Taxes. We resent paying them, yet, for the most part, they fund things we'd rather not do without. But exactly how much of our money is going to each service? The White House has made it easy to answer that question. So here's a receipt for where your tax dollars are spent.

Obama to Announce New Home Refinance Initiative

Seeking to circumvent congressional opposition, President Barack Obama will announce a series of executive branch steps aimed at jumpstarting the economy this week, beginning with new rules to make it easier for homeowners to refinance their mortgages.

Obama Wants to Raise Taxes on the Rich

President Barack Obama called for $1.5 trillion in new taxes Monday, part of a total 10-year deficit reduction package totaling more than $3 trillion. "We can't just cut our way out of this hole," the president said.

Obama Proposes Deeper Tax Cuts to Boost Economy

Struggling to fix the sickly economy, President Barack Obama unveiled a $450 billion economic plan that would include deeper payroll tax cuts -- a move that would keep more cash in the pockets of dispirited Americans. The proposal would also reduce taxes paid by small businesses.

Irene's Aftermath: Economic Boost or Partisan Battlefield?

Now that Hurricane Irene has passed, it's time to get back to discussing the country's biggest unnatural disaster: the economy. But here, too, Irene is making her impact felt, as economists and pundits across the country debate whether the hurricane will help or hurt America's bottom line.

Distressed Homeowners Aren't Using Help

In the last few years, outreach events by banks and nonprofits have been held all over the country, offering help to distressed homeowners. But even when they get personal invitations to these events, the vast majority of people who need mortgage modifications or short sales aren't showing up.