News

The Federal Reserve has signaled that it wants more time to analyze economic data before moving interest rates higher. With a rate hike probably off the agenda, economists will watch this week to see how the central bank views the […]

Economists disagree on the merits of a 2% inflation target, with some saying low rates are a natural reaction to global trends and others arguing that raising the target would give central banks more room to maneuver.

First-time jobless claims in the US fell to 259,000 last week, the lowest number since the middle of October, the Labor Department said. The drop, which was bigger than most economists expected, comes after nonfarm payrolls rose by 242,000 in […]

A report from CUSIP Global Services, which creates codes for new securities, suggests the bond market could be stabilizing. The service registered 617 corporate bonds last month, up 29% from January. Meanwhile, there were 703 registrations for new stock offerings, […]

The Securities and Exchange Commission has formed the Office of Risk and Strategy to increase scrutiny of registered investment advisers and mutual funds. Peter Driscoll, who heads the office, said it will develop tools and techniques for risk analysis and […]

Issues such as cybersecurity, shadow banking and executive compensation must be addressed going forward, said President Barack Obama, who met with a group of regulators including Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Mary Jo White and Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen. […]

Health insurance plans will start being rated based on the size of their networks of doctors and hospitals as part of new rules for the Affordable Care Act to be published in the Federal Register this week. Maximum out-of-pocket costs […]

US payrolls gained 242,000 jobs in February, according to government data. That was more than economists had expected, but average hourly wages dipped. The unemployment rate remained at 4.9%.

The Federal Reserve’s Beige Book indicates improvement in hiring, consumer spending, loan demand and home sales. Fed officials will meet this month to discuss the possibility of another interest-rate increase and other issues.