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Economic policy

Japan OKs $906 billion budget to revive economy
Japan's parliament has approved a record-high 92.6 trillion yen ($906.2 billion) budget for this fiscal year, raising military spending for the first ...
US wholesale prices fall 0.7 pct., most in 3 years
Sharp drops in fuel and food costs reduced a measure of U.S. wholesale prices in April by the most in three years. Outside those volatile categories, ...
Projected lower deficit could slow any budget deal
The good news is the budget deficit for the current year is projected to come in well below what was estimated just a few months ago. The bad news for ...
2013 deficit estimate lowered to $642 billion
The budget deficit for the current year is projected to come in well below what was estimated just a few months ago, a development that could further ...
Senate panel approves massive farm bill
The Senate Agriculture Committee on Tuesday approved a massive five-year farm bill that would cut spending while also creating new subsidies for ...
Fitch upgrades Greece's credit rating
Debt-hobbled Greece got a new morale boost Tuesday, with Fitch ratings agency upgrading its sovereign credit grade, a day after the country's European ...
Amtrak unveils locomotives to replace aging fleet
Amtrak has unveiled at a plant in California the first of 70 new locomotives, marking what the national passenger railroad service said it hopes will ...
Stock market rally pauses on Monday
A record-breaking rally in stocks paused Monday as investors assessed whether the rise in stock valuations overstated the recent improvement in the ...
Poll shows favorable views of EU in sharp decline
Positive views of the European Union by its citizens are near all-time lows. And no EU country is plunging faster into the abyss of gloom than France.
Obama: UK should seek EU changes, not 'break' ties
President Barack Obama waded into British politics Monday, suggesting that the United Kingdom seek to reform its relationship with the European Union ...
Iran's cunning Rafsanjani seeks one more shot
Signs on currency exchange shops in Tehran explained why the doors where temporarily shut: Waiting to see if former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani ...
G7 says Japan playing by currency rules
Finance leaders from the Group of Seven leading industrial economies say Japan's stimulus policies are directed at boosting its economy out of a ...
Dollar rises above 100 yen for 1st time in 4 years
The dollar soared above 100 yen for the first time in more than four years Friday, driven by aggressive credit-easing aimed at reviving Japan's ...
Yen in focus as G-7 discusses nurturing recovery
Financial leaders from the world's top seven developed economies are gathering in the U.K. to discuss how to shore up the global recovery just as the ...
April surplus of $113B lowers US budget deficit
The U.S. government reported a rare surplus of $113 billion for April — the largest in five years and a sign of the nation's improving finances.
Record profit signals healthier Fannie Mae
Fannie Mae said something Thursday that would have been unthinkable a few years ago: It earned a record $58.7 billion profit in the January-March ...
IMF: Egypt's financial situation deteriorating
The International Monetary Fund said Thursday that Egypt's financial situation is deteriorating and the lending agency won't move ahead with a $4.
A look at Iran's political hierarchy
A look at the political power structure in Iran. SUPREME LEADER AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI: Wields control over every major decision either directly or ...
Iran president still a force even as his era ends
When many struggling families in this eastern Iranian city take stock of outgoing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's legacy, it's not about the oratory ...
Slovenia announces anti-bailout measures
Slovenia's government announced Thursday an austerity plan designed to raise 540 million euros ($707 million) in new taxes as part of an effort to ...
US jobless aid applications fall to 5-year low
The number of Americans who applied for unemployment benefits fell by 4,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 323,000, a five-year low. Layoffs have ...
SKorea's central bank cuts key rate to 2.5 percent
South Korea's central bank on Thursday cut its benchmark interest rate for the first time in seven months, joining government efforts to boost the ...
Mark Sanford renews career, must build reputation
Now that former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford has resurrected a once-promising political career by regaining his old House seat, he'll have to ...
Obama pressed to do more on jobs, stagnant wages
The nation's slowly improving jobs picture hides problems like stagnant wages and fewer working hours that strike directly at President Barack Obama's ...
Egypt appoints 9 ministers in limited reshuffle
Nine new Egyptian ministers joined President Mohammed Morsi's Cabinet on Tuesday, including three members of his Muslim Brotherhood, in a reshuffle ...