The Federal Reserve seems likely to keep interest rates at record lows for several more months after news Friday that consumer prices excluding food and energy fell in January.
It was the first time such prices have fallen in any month since 1982.
The tame report on consumer prices sent a positive signal to investors and borrowers. [...]
Archive for the ‘Dow Jones Industrial’ Category
Low inflation gives Fed room to keep rates down
February 20th, 2010 by Financial Writer
Tags: borrowers, businesses, Dow Jones Industrial, economic recovery, Federal Reserve, global financial markets, investors, low inflation
more...Deere profit beats Wall Street
February 17th, 2010 by Financial Writer
Deere & Co (DE.N) posted higher-than-expected earnings, sending its shares up more than 8 percent, as wider margins at its farm equipment and finance units helped it overcome weak economic conditions.
The company on Wednesday also raised its outlook for fiscal 2010 machinery sales growth to a range of 6 percent to 8 percent, from a [...]
Tags: business, deere, finance, financial services, wall street
Companies boost productivity and put off hiring
February 4th, 2010 by Financial Writer
Employers are managing to boost production without creating new jobs. The question is when they’ll feel the need to ramp up hiring.
Squeezing more output from their existing staffs allowed companies to boost productivity in the October-December quarter. And last week, the number of people filing new claims for jobless aid rose. The two Labor Department [...]
Tags: Dow Jones Industrial, productivity, recessions, unemployment, us economist
Market’s big ‘09 rally offers relief after awful ‘08
January 3rd, 2010 by Financial Writer
For investors, 2009 will go down as the year we survived the Great Recession and were able to breathe a huge sigh of relief.
After enduring a near-freefall in the early, panicky months of the year, the stock market mounted a tremendous rally in the final nine months, sending major indexes up more than 60 percent [...]
Tags: Dow Jones Industrial, financial crisis, great depression, great recession, stock market
Economic reports raise hopes for global recovery
December 12th, 2009 by Financial Writer
Just in time for Christmas, the fragile economic recovery is showing signs of strengthening: Consumers are spending, companies are rebuilding stockpiles and Chinese exports are mounting a comeback.
Data released Friday eased some worries about Americans’ willingness to spend this holiday season. But stores remain worried that they may have to offer deeper discounts than planned, [...]
Tags: economic reports, economy struggling, global recovery, increase economists, unemployment
Stock futures fall as traders boost dollar, bonds
December 8th, 2009 by Financial Writer
Stock futures indicated a lower opening on Wall Street Tuesday, as investors sought more safe-haven assets like the dollar and Treasurys.
The dollar gained ground against other major currencies, while bond prices rose. Commodities fell as the dollar rose. A stronger dollar makes commodities more expensive for buyers overseas, and also hurts profits at companies that [...]
Tags: dow jones, Federal Reserve, investors, recession, stock futures, wall street
Dollar flat as ECB, BoE leave rates unchanged
November 5th, 2009 by Financial Writer
The dollar was nearly flat Thursday after the European Central Bank and Bank of England left their respective key interest rates unchanged.
Higher interest rates can support a currency as investors transfer funds in search of better returns. The ECB and BoE maintained their rates at 1 percent and 0.5 percent, respectively, higher than the Federal [...]
Tags: bank of england, dollar, dow jones, economists, euro, stock market
Stocks end at 2009 highs
September 10th, 2009 by Financial Writer
Wall Street cheers as strong debt auction, P&G forecast, Geithner comments and drop in jobless claims draw investors.
Stocks surged Thursday, with the major gauges ending at the highest point in nearly a year, having responded strongly to a debt auction and Procter & Gamble’s improved forecast.
The Dow Jones industrial average (INDU) gained 80 points, or [...]
Tags: Debt, Dow Jones Industrial, jobless, Nasdaq composite, recession