Federal Reserve – News Stories About Federal Reserve - Page 34

MARKETS

Feb 20, 2008 3:45 PM CST

Market Up After Seesaw Session

Investors shrug off inflation; sluggish growth seen

(Newser) - The Dow rose 90.04 points to 12,427.26 today in roller-coaster trading despite rising fears of inflation, MarketWatch reports. US consumer prices rose 0.4% last month in what one investment officer called “a nagging problem for the Fed.” The Nasdaq climbed 20.90 to 2,...

Inflation Spikes, Cut in Jeopardy

Feb 20, 2008 9:04 AM CST

Inflation Spikes, Cut in Jeopardy

Fed may have hands tied, as CPI soars past expectations

(Newser) - Core inflation bounded ahead of expectations in January, which is bad news for anyone betting on a big rate cut from the Fed–and for the Fed itself. The consumer price index rose 0.4%, with core CPI rising 0.3%, putting the year-over-year figures at 4.3% and 2....

Fed Quietly Loans Billions
to US Banks

Feb 19, 2008 11:10 AM CST

Fed Quietly Loans Billions to US Banks

New program opens floodgates for short-term funds

(Newser) - US banks, struggling with liquidity and hesitant to lend to each other in the wake of the subprime crisis, have hit up the Fed for nearly $50 billion, the Financial Times reports. The loans, issued under a 2-month-old program that, one analyst says, lets them "borrow money against all...

Consumer Sentiment Nosedives

Feb 15, 2008 11:10 AM CST

Consumer Sentiment Nosedives

Economic reports continue to fan recession fears

(Newser) - The last time consumers were this pessimistic, the country was in the midst of recession. The consumer confidence index is at a level not seen since February 1992, according to Reuters/University of Michigan numbers out today, and "has only been this low during the recessions of the mid 1970s,...

Stocks Sink on Fed Comments

MARKETS

Feb 14, 2008 3:46 PM CST

Stocks Sink on Fed Comments

Bernanke sees weak growth because of credit trouble

(Newser) - The markets fell today after three days of growth as the Fed warned that continuing credit trouble will restrain the economy and several top brokerage firms saw their earnings estimates reduced, MarketWatch reports. The Dow slid 175.26 points to 12,376.98, the Nasdaq dropped 41.39 to 2,...

Bernanke Suggests Rate Cuts Ahead

Feb 14, 2008 9:20 AM CST

Bernanke Suggests Rate Cuts Ahead

Fed chief sees threats from employment, housing, credit

(Newser) - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke signaled today that further interest rate cuts might be necessary, citing continuing fallout from the credit and housing market collapses, reports the Wall Street Journal. Bernanke told the Senate Banking Committee he expected "a period of sluggish growth, followed by a somewhat stronger pace...

Fed Battles to Balance Rate Cuts, Inflation

Feb 8, 2008 11:57 AM CST

Fed Battles to Balance Rate Cuts, Inflation

Officials fret over steep drop hampering possible recovery

(Newser) - Inflation worries have some Fed officials hinting that interest-rate cuts may slow down, sparking concerns among investors who expect the central bank to trim rates 75 more basis points at its March 18 meeting, reports the Wall Street Journal. Rates have been reduced 2.25% since September—to 3%--in an...

Stocks Rise Despite Bad Vibes

MARKETS

Feb 7, 2008 3:30 PM CST

Stocks Rise Despite Bad Vibes

Dow reverses three-day decline

(Newser) - The Dow climbed 46.90 points to 12,247 in the face of bad news, ending a seesaw day up and breaking a three-day slump. Existing homes sales fell 1.5% in December, and tech bellwether Cisco reported weaker third-quarter growth than expected, but prices were low enough to stave...

Streeters Give Ben Bad Grades

Feb 6, 2008 5:29 PM CST

Streeters Give Ben Bad Grades

Fed chair faulted for bad choices

(Newser) - Economists went negative on Ben Bernanke in a new Wall Street Journal survey, grading the Fed chief at 75 out of 100 points—the lowest mark in two years on the job—and saying he had managed communications poorly and was too attentive to bears and bulls. One watcher said...

Fed Cuts Key Rate by
Half Point

Jan 30, 2008 1:24 PM CST

Fed Cuts Key Rate by Half Point

Officials signal further cuts possible as overnight lending rate hits 3%

(Newser) - The Federal Reserve cut a key interest rate by a half percentage point today, reports the Wall Street Journal, bringing the benchmark overnight lending rate down to 3% even as officials signaled that further cuts were possible. The widely anticipated move follows last week's emergency .75% cut to a rate...

Economic Growth Slowed
to a Crawl in Q4

Jan 30, 2008 9:02 AM CST

Economic Growth Slowed to a Crawl in Q4

Economy in far worse shape than analysts predicted

(Newser) - Economic growth braked so violently in the fourth quarter of 2007 that it wiped out a stellar third quarter, dragging annual growth to a 5-year low. Last quarter’s 0.6% GDP growth—after 4.9% pace in Q3—was just half what analysts expected, as the housing component plummeted...

Global Markets Retreat Ahead
of Fed Move

Jan 30, 2008 7:49 AM CST

Global Markets Retreat Ahead of Fed Move

Investors worry rate cut won't be enough to avert US slump

(Newser) - European stocks followed declines in Asian markets as news of more subprime woes overshadowed an anticipated 50 basis point rate cut from the Federal Reserve and some positive economic data from the US, AFP reports. London’s FTSE 100 was down 0.85%, the Paris CAC was off 1.54%,...

Another Day, Another Rally

MARKETS

Jan 29, 2008 3:43 PM CST

Another Day, Another Rally

Good news comes late in the day as rate-cut hopes persist

(Newser) - Stocks rose for a second straight session today thanks to a late rally. Flagging techs dragged down the markets initially, but then got a boost from a cheerful report on durable goods orders on the first day of the Fed meeting, reports CNNMoney. The Dow climbed 96.41 to 12,...

Stocks Up on Rate-Cut Hopes

MARKETS

Jan 28, 2008 3:48 PM CST

Stocks Up on Rate-Cut Hopes

Investors look for grim housing numbers to lead to a cut

(Newser) - Stocks finished in positive territory today, riding hopes that grim new housing numbers will lead the Fed to cut interest rates this week. "The main event for the week will be the Fed-rate decision on Wednesday," a strategist tells MarketWatch. The Dow was up 176.72 to 12,...

How Low Will Bernanke Go?

Jan 24, 2008 9:29 AM CST

How Low Will Bernanke Go?

Fed meets Wednesday to decide if another rate cut is needed right now

(Newser) - The Fed’s emergency three-quarter percentage-point cut Tuesday to the short-term interest rate was a boon to US markets, but whether the Fed will go lower in its interest-rate lambada remains to be seen. Most analysts expect a half-point cut, to 3%, at the Fed's meeting Wednesday, reports the Wall ...

Did Fed Freak With Emergency Rate Cut?

OPINION

Jan 23, 2008 10:13 AM CST

Did Fed Freak With Emergency Rate Cut?

Decision smacks of panic—and worse trouble yet to come

(Newser) - Yesterday's steep interest rate cut—just a week ahead of a scheduled policy meeting—made the staid Federal Reserve come across as spooked and jumpy, leaving many to wonder if the Fed knows of worse news to come, Reuters' Ros Krasny writes. The surprise .75-point cut "is a declaration...

Asian Markets Rebound

Jan 23, 2008 5:14 AM CST

Asian Markets Rebound

Fed rate cut sees markets stage modest recovery

(Newser) - Asian markets bounced back modestly this morning after two days of precipitous drops. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index jumped 10.72%, Japan's Nikkei average rose 2%, and the Topix index was up 2.5%. Sydney's index closed 4.4% higher, breaking a 12-day downturn, and India's Sensitive index saw its...

Stocks Plunge, Battle Back

MARKETS

Jan 22, 2008 3:38 PM CST

Stocks Plunge, Battle Back

Markets decline, but emergency rate cut moderates effect

(Newser) - Stocks declined today but ended the session up from the depths of their initial plunge, as the Fed's emergency rate cut seemed to calm freaked-out investors. "This at least gets people from piling in on the short side of things," one strategist told MarketWatch. The Dow fell 128....

Asian Stocks Continue Plunge

UPDATED

Jan 22, 2008 3:25 AM CST

Asian Stocks Continue Plunge

Stocks tumble for second straight day

(Newser) - Jitters over the US economy led to a major sell-off in Asian markets for the second straight day, with Australia's benchmark index closing down 7.1%—the biggest single-day loss in nearly 20 years. India's Sensex index skidded 10%, triggering a shutdown, but rallied to close down 4.6%. Japan's...

Bernanke Backs Quick Bailout

Jan 17, 2008 10:50 AM CST

Bernanke Backs Quick Bailout

Fast, temporary stimulus would buoy flagging economy, Fed chief tells Congress

(Newser) - The country needs a federal stimulus package ASAP, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told the House Budget Committee today, advocating immediate legislation designed “so its effects on aggregate spending are felt as much as possible within the next 12 months.” But he said the package should be “...