Reuters: Economic News

Panel urges tougher U.S. response to trade secret theft

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:23:45 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Theft of trade secrets, chiefly by China, costs the U.S. economy $300 billion a year and must be fought with sanctions as tough as those used against terrorism and drug...

Bernanke says more progress needed before stimulus pullback

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:32:09 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve's monetary stimulus is helping the economy recover but the central bank needs to see further signs of traction before taking its foot off the gas pedal, Fed...

Home sales close in on three-and-a-half year high

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:09:02 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Home resales rose in April to the highest level in nearly 3-1/2 years and prices surged, offering the economy a buffer from the stiff headwinds posed by belt-tightening by...

Fed officials want more progress before bond tapering: minutes

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:13:24 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Many Federal Reserve officials earlier this month wanted to see more evidence that the economy was recovering before shifting toward a tapering of their bond purchase program,...

Illinois pays down bills but backlog could rise again in August

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:55:34 GMT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Higher-than-expected revenue from state income tax enabled Illinois to reduce its unpaid bills to $5.8 billion from $8.5 billion at the beginning of April, the state comptroller...

Fed's bond buying ineffective, no need to add to it: Fisher

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:55:12 GMT

NACOGDOCHES, Texas (Reuters) - Dallas Fed President Richard Fisher on Wednesday reiterated his opposition to the U.S. central bank's bond-buying program, calling it ineffective.

Fed's Fisher: printing money does 'no good' if firms won't hire

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:24:44 GMT

NACOGDOCHES, Texas (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve's super-easy monetary policies will do little to boost jobs if businesses remain uncertain about the outlook for taxes, government spending, and...

Analysis: As economy strengthens, a bonds sell-off may beckon

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:33:59 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. government bond market has weakened in recent weeks but some investment strategists fear that this may only be the beginning of an extended sell-off.

Too soon to dial back Fed stimulus: Dudley

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:12:22 GMT

(Reuters) - It is too soon to determine whether to dial down the Federal Reserve's massive bond-buying program, and the economic picture may not be clear enough to make that decision for another...

Bank of Japan vows market steps to curb bond turbulence

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:56:12 GMT

TOKYO (Reuters) - The Bank of Japan vowed on Wednesday to take necessary steps to reduce volatility in bond markets that has threatened to jeopardize the government's fight to end deflation and...

Fed could end bond buys in autumn if jobs outlook sure: Evans

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:13:03 GMT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve could continue full-speed ahead on its bond-buying program through the summer, but end it abruptly in the autumn if by then it is confident that the...

Fed officials dampen talk of imminent bond buying cutback

Tue, 21 May 2013 23:59:46 GMT

NEW YORK/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Two senior Federal Reserve officials on Tuesday played down the chances that the central bank would signal a readiness to reduce its bond buying at its meeting next...

Bank of Japan may seek to ease bond market jitters, policy seen on hold

Tue, 21 May 2013 23:45:34 GMT

TOKYO (Reuters) - The Bank of Japan is expected to stand pat on monetary policy on Wednesday despite jitters over the recent volatility in bond markets, hoping it can prevent a renewed spike in...

Fed's Bullard recommends euro zone consider QE

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:40:54 GMT

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - A top Federal Reserve official urged the European Central Bank on Tuesday to consider employing a U.S.-style quantitative easing program to counter slowing inflation and...

Lower inflation not yet bothering Fed's Dudley

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:10:23 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York Federal Reserve President William Dudley said on Tuesday he is not yet concerned about weaker U.S. inflation readings because, importantly, inflation expectations have...

Fed's Bullard: don't see support for negative rates

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:56:32 GMT

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - There is not sufficient support to take interest rates into negative territory in the United States, a top Fed official said on Tuesday.

Debt limit resets at higher level, budget impasse grinds on

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:50:59 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The government added $306 billion in new debt during a four-month suspension of the federal borrowing limit, the Treasury Department said on Monday, but there was no sign on...

Debt limit resets at higher level, budget impasse grinds on

Mon, 20 May 2013 22:55:40 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The government added $306 billion in new debt during a four-month suspension of the federal borrowing limit, the Treasury Department said on Monday, but there was no sign on...

Fed's Williams does not comment on economic outlook, policy

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:18:42 GMT

(Reuters) - San Francisco Federal Reserve President John Williams did not comment on the outlook for the U.S. economy or monetary policy in an address on Monday to students graduating from the...

Fed could end bond buys in autumn if jobs outlook sure: Evans

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:29:11 GMT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve could continue full-speed ahead on its bond-buying program through the summer, but end it abruptly in the autumn if by then it is confident that the...

Florida governor signs budget, but vetoes college tuition hike

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:24:13 GMT

TALLAHASSEE (Reuters) - Florida Governor Rick Scott signed the largest budget in his state's history on Monday while vetoing a college tuition increase and axing $368 million in projects he said did...

IMF says Washington cutting budget deficits too quickly

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:11:33 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund on Monday said the United States was getting carried away with a government austerity drive, offering some of the institution's bluntest...

Fed could keep up bond buys, end in autumn if sure on jobs: Evans

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:53:01 GMT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Reserve could keep up its current level of bond-buying stimulus, but could end it abruptly in the autumn if by then it was sure that the labor market was on a...

Unclear whether Fed's bond buying has helped economy: Fisher

Mon, 20 May 2013 12:36:45 GMT

(Reuters) - While the Federal Reserve's accommodative policies have boosted stocks and helped the rich, it is unclear whether they are doing enough for the broader U.S. economy, a top central bank...

Analysis: Shrinking deficit reduces pressure for budget deal

Mon, 20 May 2013 05:15:27 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The chances of a deal between Democratic and Republican lawmakers that would overhaul the tax system, trim government spending and reform safety net spending programs appear to...