http://www.mail.com/subjects/1730-economic-policy.html Mail.com - the best personalized free web-based Email en en http://sec-s.uicdn.com/mail.com/2.28/img/mailcom_logo_rss.png http://www.mail.com/subjects/1730-economic-policy.html http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2106634-tea-party-vs-guard-gop-senate-rift.html WASHINGTON (AP) — A long-simmering feud between establishment Republicans and tea partyers broke into full view Thursday, with Sen. John McCain accusing younger colleagues of overplaying their hands and tempting Democrats to change Senate rules that protect the minority party. Tactics for dealing with the government's budget and debt became the latest qua... Thu, 23 May 2013 22:51:16 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2106634-tea-party-vs-guard-gop-senate-rift.html 2013-05-23T22:51:16Z http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/2106652-senate-votes-to-cut-crop-insurance-aid-wealthy.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Thursday voted to limit the amount of government subsidies the wealthiest farmers receive when purchasing crop insurance. The vote was one small victory this week for critics of a massive, five-year farm bill that would cost almost $100 billion a year and includes generous subsidies for the nation's biggest crops. Supporter... Thu, 23 May 2013 22:07:33 GMT http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/2106652-senate-votes-to-cut-crop-insurance-aid-wealthy.html 2013-05-23T22:07:33Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2105342-stocks-edge-lower-investors-reassess-fed-fears.html NEW YORK (AP) — Investors recovered their poise after a shaky start to trading on Wall Street that sent stocks sharply lower. U.S. markets plummeted immediately after the opening bell Thursday following a global slump prompted partly by an unexpected slowdown in Chinese manufacturing. Concern that the Federal Reserve might ease back on its economic stimul... Thu, 23 May 2013 22:04:59 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2105342-stocks-edge-lower-investors-reassess-fed-fears.html 2013-05-23T22:04:59Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2104528-markets-roiled-nikkeis-73-percent-slide.html LONDON (AP) — Financial markets around the world were roiled Thursday after Japanese stocks suffered their biggest slide since the country was hit by a devastating tsunami more than two years ago. As a day of huge volatility ended in Europe, a steadier tone on Wall Street was emerging, easing concerns that the latest sell-off in stock markets represents t... Thu, 23 May 2013 16:12:38 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2104528-markets-roiled-nikkeis-73-percent-slide.html 2013-05-23T16:12:38Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2105044-applications-us-unemployment-aid-fall-to-340k.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell 23,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 340,000, a level consistent with solid job growth. The less volatile four-week average ticked down just 500 to 339,500, the Labor Department said Thursday. That's close to the five-year low of 338,000 reached during the first week of... Thu, 23 May 2013 13:37:30 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2105044-applications-us-unemployment-aid-fall-to-340k.html 2013-05-23T13:37:30Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2104574-japan-gyrations-underline-economys-vulnerability.html TOKYO (AP) — Japan's financial markets gyrated wildly Thursday, underscoring the vulnerability of its economy to a loss of investor confidence as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attempts shock monetary easing to end two decades of stagnation. Interest rates, or yields, on 10-year Japanese government bonds briefly topped 1 percent for the first time in a year on... Thu, 23 May 2013 11:27:23 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2104574-japan-gyrations-underline-economys-vulnerability.html 2013-05-23T11:27:23Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2102836-stocks-fall-news-fed-weighed-cutting-stimulus.html NEW YORK (AP) — The Federal Reserve took financial markets for a ride Wednesday, pushing stock prices up in the morning then sending them down in the afternoon. Prices surged on congressional testimony by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke early in the day that suggested the central bank would not slow its massive economic stimulus program any time soon. Then minu... Wed, 22 May 2013 22:08:24 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2102836-stocks-fall-news-fed-weighed-cutting-stimulus.html 2013-05-22T22:08:24Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2103236-senate-rejects-bid-to-food-stamps.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Wednesday rejected a Republican bid to turn the federal food stamp program over to the states. Known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, the food stamp program is administered by the Agriculture Department and federal dollars are unlimited as long as recipients qualify. The program cost $78 billion la... Wed, 22 May 2013 21:58:28 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2103236-senate-rejects-bid-to-food-stamps.html 2013-05-22T21:58:28Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2102786-bernanke-signals-fed-to-maintain-stimulus-efforts.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress Wednesday that the U.S. job market remains weak and that it is too soon for the Federal Reserve to slow its extraordinary stimulus programs. Reducing the Fed's efforts to keep borrowing rates low would "carry a substantial risk of slowing or ending the economic recovery," Bernanke said in testimony to ... Wed, 22 May 2013 18:27:50 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2102786-bernanke-signals-fed-to-maintain-stimulus-efforts.html 2013-05-22T18:27:50Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2101934-weak-yen-help-japan-headache.html TOKYO (AP) — A steady fall in the value of the yen is proving a godsend for exporters such as Toyota. The cheaper yen is making their products more affordable overseas. Japan's trading partners are generally pleased, too, even though the lower yen makes their exports relatively more expensive. As many see it, other nations — from China to Britain to the U... Wed, 22 May 2013 17:04:20 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2101934-weak-yen-help-japan-headache.html 2013-05-22T17:04:20Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2101920-japans-central-bank-economy-picking-up.html TOKYO (AP) — Japan's central bank says the world's third-biggest economy is "picking up" as demand recovers in other countries and remains resilient at home, though the trade deficit widened in April, for the tenth straight month. The Bank of Japan ended a policy meeting on Wednesday with no change to its strategy of doubling the monetary base to reach a ... Wed, 22 May 2013 06:10:39 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2101920-japans-central-bank-economy-picking-up.html 2013-05-22T06:10:39Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2099414-asia-stocks-rise-fed-official-backs-easy-policy.html BANGKOK (AP) — Asian stock markets were mostly higher Wednesday after investor confidence was boosted by a Federal Reserve official's comments that the U.S. central bank should stick with its super-easy monetary policy. Regional Fed chief James Bullard said in a speech Tuesday that the Fed should continue its monthly $85 billion in bond purchases, which d... Wed, 22 May 2013 06:02:44 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2099414-asia-stocks-rise-fed-official-backs-easy-policy.html 2013-05-22T06:02:44Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2101790-bernanke-testimony-to-studied-policy-clues.html WASHINGTON (AP) — When Ben Bernanke testifies about the U.S. economy Wednesday, the Federal Reserve chairman's words will be examined for any clues that the Fed might soon taper — or increase — its support for the economy. The Fed is pursuing an aggressive program of bond purchases to try to keep long-term interest rates down and encourage borrowing and s... Wed, 22 May 2013 04:09:02 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2101790-bernanke-testimony-to-studied-policy-clues.html 2013-05-22T04:09:02Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/2100320-key-senator-to-myanmar-sanctions-bill-lapse.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, easing up on his long-held tough stance on Myanmar, said Tuesday he planned to allow key sanctions legislation against the Southeast Asian nation to lapse because of the country's progress toward democracy. McConnell, R-Ky., made the announcement after meeting with Myanmar President Thein Sein, who is m... Tue, 21 May 2013 22:10:55 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/2100320-key-senator-to-myanmar-sanctions-bill-lapse.html 2013-05-21T22:10:55Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2099480-senate-votes-to-small-cut-to-food-stamps.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate voted Tuesday to keep a $400 million annual cut — or roughly a half of 1 percent — to the food stamp program as part of a major five-year farm bill. Food stamps now cost almost $80 billion annually and are used by 1 in 7 Americans. The House and Senate have differed sharply on how much the domestic food aid should be cut, with... Tue, 21 May 2013 21:51:40 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2099480-senate-votes-to-small-cut-to-food-stamps.html 2013-05-21T21:51:40Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2099592-france-plan-to-revive-economy.html PARIS (AP) — The man charged with reviving France's shrinking economy and attracting businesses to invest here is gaining a reputation for doing the opposite. As the country's first-ever minister for industrial renewal, Arnaud Montebourg has told the world's largest steelmaker it is not welcome in France; exchanged angry letters with the head of an Americ... Tue, 21 May 2013 14:38:28 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2099592-france-plan-to-revive-economy.html 2013-05-21T14:38:28Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2099050-lew-taps-government-retiree-pension-fund.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew said late Monday he will begin tapping into two government employee retirement funds to buy more time before the U.S. Treasury is faced with the prospect of defaulting on the national debt. In a letter to congressional leaders, Lew said that he would tap the civil service retirement and disability fund and a ... Tue, 21 May 2013 00:53:34 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2099050-lew-taps-government-retiree-pension-fund.html 2013-05-21T00:53:34Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2098798-white-house-farm-subsidy-cuts-needed.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration said Monday it wants to see more cuts to agriculture subsidies in a massive farm bill moving through the Senate this week. The bill would cost almost $100 billion a year over five years and would set policy for farm programs and food aid. The legislation would cut about $2.4 billion annually from overall farm spe... Mon, 20 May 2013 22:14:44 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2098798-white-house-farm-subsidy-cuts-needed.html 2013-05-20T22:14:44Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2097530-economists-predict-increase-consumer-spending.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Consumer spending is likely to pick up this year, while government spending declines at a faster rate, according to a survey of business economists. The economists predict that the U.S. economy will grow 2.4 percent this year and 3 percent next year. That's unchanged from their forecast in February. But they are more bullish on consumer ... Mon, 20 May 2013 10:19:22 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2097530-economists-predict-increase-consumer-spending.html 2013-05-20T10:19:22Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2094734-obama-agenda-marches-despite-controversies.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite Democratic fears, predictions of the demise of President Barack Obama's agenda appear exaggerated after a week of cascading controversies, political triage by the administration and party leaders in Congress and lack of evidence to date of wrongdoing close to the Oval Office. "Absolutely not," Steven Miller, the recently resigned... Sat, 18 May 2013 19:47:26 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2094734-obama-agenda-marches-despite-controversies.html 2013-05-18T19:47:26Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2093852-cbo-obama-budget-cuts-deficits-11t-2023.html WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama's budget would trim projected federal deficits by $1.1 trillion over the coming decade, using nearly $6 in higher revenues for every $1 in reduced spending to achieve it, Congress' nonpartisan budget analyst said Friday. After four straight years of annual shortfalls exceeding $1 trillion, the Congressional Budget ... Fri, 17 May 2013 21:40:38 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2093852-cbo-obama-budget-cuts-deficits-11t-2023.html 2013-05-17T21:40:38Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2090968-house-bill-protects-homeland-security-budget.html WASHINGTON (AP) — A Republican-controlled House panel moved Thursday to protect the Department of Homeland Security from the big cuts facing other domestic agencies under the party's budget slashing plan. The move came as the Appropriations Committee leadership privately circulated plans to drastically reduce spending for labor, education and health progr... Fri, 17 May 2013 00:29:17 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2090968-house-bill-protects-homeland-security-budget.html 2013-05-17T00:29:17Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2089458-venezuelans-scrambling-to-find-scarce-toilet-paper.html CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelans scrambled to stock up on toilet paper Thursday as fears of a bathroom emergency spread despite the socialist government's promise to import 50 million rolls. After years of economic dysfunction, the country has gotten used to shortages of medicines and basic food items like milk and sugar but the scarcity of bathroom ... Thu, 16 May 2013 20:31:23 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2089458-venezuelans-scrambling-to-find-scarce-toilet-paper.html 2013-05-16T20:31:23Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2089620-deep-divide-congress-domestic-food-aid.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The House and Senate Agriculture Committees laid the groundwork this week for reducing the size of the federal food stamp program, approving farm bills that would shrink food aid and alter the way people qualify for it. The two chambers are far apart on how much the $80 billion-a-year program should be cut, however, reflecting a deep ide... Thu, 16 May 2013 18:42:17 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2089620-deep-divide-congress-domestic-food-aid.html 2013-05-16T18:42:17Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2089572-influence-game-tech-labor-spar-immigration.html WASHINGTON (AP) — To the U.S. technology industry, there's a dramatic shortfall in the number of Americans skilled in computer programming and engineering that is hampering business. To unions and some Democrats, it's more sinister: The push by Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg to expand the number of visas for high-tech foreign workers is an attempt to dilute a lucrative job marke... Thu, 16 May 2013 17:36:09 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2089572-influence-game-tech-labor-spar-immigration.html 2013-05-16T17:36:09Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2089060-japanese-economy-grew-35-percent-pace-1q.html TOKYO (AP) — Japan's economy grew by a stronger-than-expected 3.5 percent in annual terms last quarter, giving Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a boost as his government tackles reforms needed to ensure a sustained recovery from two decades of malaise. Stronger consumer spending and public works investment coupled with aggressive monetary easing lent oomph to th... Thu, 16 May 2013 09:40:45 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2089060-japanese-economy-grew-35-percent-pace-1q.html 2013-05-16T09:40:45Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2086634-house-panel-oks-farm-bill-with-food-stamp-cuts.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Agriculture Committee on Wednesday approved a sweeping farm bill that would trim the $80 billion-a-year food stamp program. The panel rebuffed Democratic efforts to keep the food stamp program whole, as debate on the farm bill turned into a theological discourse on helping the poor. The House bill would cut about $2.5 billion a... Thu, 16 May 2013 04:10:15 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2086634-house-panel-oks-farm-bill-with-food-stamp-cuts.html 2013-05-16T04:10:15Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2088232-house-panel-boosts-veterans-spending.html WASHINGTON (AP) — With no broader budget deal in sight, a key House panel responsible for implementing sweeping cuts to agency budgets moved Wednesday to exempt veterans and largely protect spending on border safety and other homeland security programs in the coming year. The strategy by the pragmatic House Appropriations Committee is to begin advancing a... Wed, 15 May 2013 19:28:29 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2088232-house-panel-boosts-veterans-spending.html 2013-05-15T19:28:29Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2087792-longer-us-white-majority-immigration-slows.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Without increased immigration, whites would lose their U.S. majority in 2046, three years beyond official projections, and the nation's population would not reach 400 million until after 2060, a decade or more later than forecast, according to census estimates Wednesday. In all, immigration will surpass natural increase — births minus de... Wed, 15 May 2013 19:20:39 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2087792-longer-us-white-majority-immigration-slows.html 2013-05-15T19:20:39Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2087952-amnesty-undeclared-dollars-divides-argentina.html BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — A plan to get Argentines to pull their undeclared U.S. dollars from under their mattresses and out of illegal tax havens, and deposit them in the banking system is eliciting warnings that it will turn the country into a magnet for money launderers and organized crime. The government of President Cristina Fernandez dismisses ... Wed, 15 May 2013 18:04:33 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2087952-amnesty-undeclared-dollars-divides-argentina.html 2013-05-15T18:04:33Z