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 [...]
Archive for the ‘Global Economy’ Category
Stock futures fall as traders boost dollar, bonds
December 8th, 2009 by Financial Writer
Tags: dow jones, Federal Reserve, investors, recession, stock futures, wall street
more...Short-term Treasury rates mixed at weekly auction
December 7th, 2009 by Financial Writer
Interest rates on short-term Treasury bills were mixed in Monday’s auction. Rates on three-month bills dropped to the lowest level in two weeks, while rates on six-month bills rose to the highest level since early November.
The Treasury Department auctioned $30 billion in three-month bills at a discount rate of 0.050 percent, down from 0.060 percent [...]
Tags: economy recovery, Federal Reserve, rate mortgages, rates mixed, struggling economy
AP analysis: US economy entering sluggish recovery
December 7th, 2009 by Financial Writer
Now that the Great Recession appears over, the economy looks to be entering a Rocky Recovery, in which much of the nation will continue to struggle well into 2010.
The Associated Press’ monthly analysis of economic stress in more than 3,100 U.S. counties found the economy little changed in October compared with September. Some states saw [...]
Tags: economy recovery, great recession, real estate, unemployment, us economy
U.S. job data gives boost to recovery hopes.
December 4th, 2009 by Financial Writer
U.S. employers cut far fewer jobs than expected last month in the best showing for the labor market since the recession began, boosting the U.S. dollar and global stock prices on hopes for a strong economic recovery.
The economy shed only 11,000 jobs in November, well below the 130,000 loss financial markets had braced for, while [...]
Tags: economic recovery, recession, recovery hopes, unemployment, us employers, us job
Geithner says need to cut budget deficit
December 3rd, 2009 by Financial Writer
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on Thursday said it was vital to get U.S. budget deficits down in order to spur private-sector growth that creates jobs and predicted it will begin happening in 2011.
But first the financial system must be stabilized.
“You cannot address those long-term deficits, you cannot put the government of the United States in [...]
Tags: budget deficit, business network, financial system, geithner, small businesses
Early retail reports suggest sluggish November
December 3rd, 2009 by Financial Writer
Many merchants suffered through November as a modestly positive start to the holiday shopping season wasn’t strong enough to offset weak spending the rest of the month.
Sales for many that are even weaker than last November, which was marked by a consumer spending clampdown spurred by the financial meltdown, are an ominous sign for an [...]
Tags: economy, financial meltdown, holiday shopping, reported sales, thanksgiving
GE returns to its roots as it spins off NBC
December 2nd, 2009 by Financial Writer
For General Electric Co., the NBC entertainment division was always an odd fit.
One of America’s iconic industrial businesses, GE has spent 23 years making sitcoms and blockbuster movies along with jet engines, dishwashers and light bulbs. The pairing of glitzy entertainment and gritty manufacturing has often confounded investors and even has been ruthlessly satirized by [...]
Tags: businesses, financial crisis, iconic industrial, real estate, recession
Business Highlights
December 1st, 2009 by Financial Writer
The economic recovery seems on track for slow but steady gains after new reports Tuesday showed growth in manufacturing activity, construction spending and contracts to buy homes.
The batch of new economic data lifted spirits on Wall Street. But analysts cautioned that the economy won’t come roaring back from the worst recession in seven decades. Some [...]
Tags: business highlights, economic recovery, small businesses, wall street
Stock futures rise ahead of economic surveys
December 1st, 2009 by Financial Writer
Stocks headed toward a higher open Tuesday as investors await reports on manufacturing and home sales for more evidence on the state of the economy.
Overseas markets are higher Tuesday amid diminishing fears about Dubai’s debt problems. The emirate’s government investment company said it was looking at restructuring.
News of a deal between General Electric and Vivendi [...]
Tags: broader economy, dubai's debt, economists, general electric, home sales, investors, stock
After flooding economy, Fed to mop up money
November 30th, 2009 by Financial Writer
The Federal Reserve is fine-tuning a strategy to reel in some of the unprecedented amount of money that’s been pumped into the economy during the financial crisis.
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York said Monday that investors and others shouldn’t conclude anything about when the central bank will reverse course and start boosting interest rates [...]
Tags: central bank, economy, fed, federal reserve bank, financial crisis, investors