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Economic policy

'Fiscal cliff' talks vexing official Washington
Five weeks after President Barack Obama won re-election and gained more leverage to make GOP conservatives bend on taxes, the new balance of power is ...
NKorea policy in Seoul to soften despite rocket
It is not too early to predict one sure winner of South Korea's presidential election next week: North Korea. President Lee Myung-bak's hardline ...
Asia stocks up as Japan gets boost from weaker yen
Asian stock markets rose Thursday as a weakening yen propelled Japan's benchmark higher. A new bond-buying program by the U.S. Federal Reserve and ...
No budging as fiscal cliff talks appear stalled
Republicans aren't budging on tax rates, and Democrats are resisting steps like raising the eligibility age for Medicare. Negotiations on averting a ...
Fed links interest rates to 6.5 pct. unemployment
The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that it plans to keep interest rates ultra-low even after unemployment falls close to a normal level — which it ...
Japan election puts spotlight on reviving economy
It's the $6 trillion question: how to jolt Japan out of its 20-year economic slump. The dozen or so parties vying in a Dec. 16 parliamentary election ...
Senate Dems offer Sandy disaster aid package
Senate Democrats on Wednesday finished cobbling together a $60.4 billion disaster aid package for New York, New Jersey and other states hit by ...
Why it's so hard to step back from 'fiscal cliff'
The "fiscal cliff" crisis bundles together some of Washington's toughest decisions — the ones lawmakers have dodged for years — and says settle them ...
Fed projects high unemployment for next 3 years
The Federal Reserve projects the unemployment rate will stay elevated until late 2015, suggesting it will keep short-term interest rates low for the ...
Stocks end little changed after Fed rally fizzles
Stocks ended the day little changed Wednesday after a rally prompted by the Federal Reserve's latest economic stimulus program fizzled out. The Dow ...
Bernanke says fiscal cliff already hurting economy
The U.S. economy is already being hurt by the "fiscal cliff" standoff in Washington, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Wednesday.
Egypt political crisis threatens to worsen economy
Egypt's political crisis is threatening to plunge its ailing economy even deeper into distress after the government delayed a request for a $4.
Oil rises on Fed stimulus plan
Oil traders got what they wanted Wednesday: another big move by the Federal Reserve to stimulate the slow-growing U.S. economy. The Fed said it will ...
Fiscal cliff threatens federal aid for home heat
Poor and elderly Americans who rely on aid from the federal government to heat their homes stand to get less help this year if Congress and the White ...
US budget deficit reaches $172B in November
The U.S. federal government's budget deficit widened in November compared to October, a sign that the nation is on a path to its fifth straight $1 ...
THE RESET: Fed forges ahead with easy-money policy
As President Barack Obama and Congress agonize over strengthening the economy without fattening the $16 trillion national debt, the Federal Reserve ...
Obama's fiscal cliff strategy is tricky balance
Playing both sides, President Barack Obama is trying to balance his public pressure campaign on Republicans over the looming "fiscal cliff" with his ...
House GOP press Obama for balanced fiscal deal
House Republican leaders are pressing President Barack Obama to come up with plan they can accept for spending cuts and tax revenue to avoid the ...
US stock futures rise on Fed anticipation
U.S. stock futures are edging higher as investors await news on whether the Federal Reserve will announce a new stimulus plan to boost the U.S.
Bank aid money arrives in Spain
The Spanish government said Wednesday that the €39.5 billion ($51.3 billion) in bailout funds approved by European authorities for the country's ...
Fed expected to revamp bond buying program
The Federal Reserve is wrapping up 2012 the way it began the year, searching for ways to help a U.S. economy that is still struggling with high ...
US economy could withstand brief fall off 'cliff'
It's the scenario that's been spooking employers and investors and slowing the U.S. economy: Congress and the White House fail to strike a budget deal ...
'Cliff' movement? Obama, Boehner trade proposals
In a test of divided government, President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner sought an elusive compromise Tuesday to prevent ...
Fiscal cliff: Private bargaining, public wrangling
In a test of divided government, the White House and congressional Republicans bargained in secret and sparred in public Tuesday over a deal to ...
Stocks gain on budget talk optimism, Fed stimulus
Stocks are closing higher on Wall Street for the fifth day in a row as traders hoped for more progress in budget talks being held in Washington.