Ending the speculation
WASHINGTON - The Federal Reserve ended weeks of speculation Thursday by keeping U.S. interest rates at record lows in the face of threats from a weak global economy, persistently low inflation and unstable financial markets.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
Focusing on Fischer
WASHINGTON - What once seemed a sure bet - that the Federal Reserve would raise interest rates in September - suddenly appears less certain following a wild week of stock market turbulence.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
U.S. durable goods orders up 2 percent in July
WASHINGTON - Orders to U.S. factories for long-lasting manufactured goods rose for a second month in July, and demand in a key category that tracks business investment plans jumped by the largest amount in 13 months.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
US budget deficit swells in July due to calendar quirk
WASHINGTON - The U.S. government ran a much higher budget deficit in July than a year ago, but it's still on track for the lowest full-year deficit in eight years.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
Strong enough
WASHINGTON - The U.S. economy isn't moving at warp speed, but it looks like it will be strong enough to handle an expected interest rate increase later this year.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
Waiting and anticipating
WASHINGTON - The Federal Reserve took note Wednesday of a strengthening U.S. economy and appears on track to raise interest rates this year for the first time in nearly a decade.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
Fed likely to raise rate
WASHINGTON - With evidence that the U.S. economy is rebounding from a winter slump, the Federal Reserve will likely signal this week that an interest rate increase is coming - just not quite yet.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
U.S. consumer borrowing up $20.5 billion in April
WASHINGTON - Consumer borrowing surged again in April, helped by the largest gain in credit card borrowing in a year.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Fed sees moderate economic growth around country this spring
WASHINGTON - The U.S. economy was growing at a moderate pace in most regions of the country in April and May, as consumers ramped up spending at retailers and auto dealers, the Federal Reserve said Wednesday.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Rate climb pending
WASHINGTON - Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said Friday she expects to begin raising interest rates later this year - if the job market improves and the Fed is confident inflation will climb closer toward its target rate.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Fed appears no closer to a rate hike
WASHINGTON - The Federal Reserve downgraded its view of the U.S. economy Wednesday after a winter in which growth nearly froze. The Fed offered no sign that a rate increase might be coming soon.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Wholesale stockpiles rise modestly
WASHINGTON - U.S. wholesale businesses increased their stockpiles by a modest amount in February, while sales kept falling.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Recovery's silver lining
WASHINGTON - The U.S. economy's tepid performance last quarter - a 2.2 percent annual growth rate - was typical of the economic rebound that began in the summer of 2009. Yet the sluggish pace of the recovery has a silver lining: This growth spurt has proved to be one of …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
U.S. consumers increase borrowing
WASHINGTON - Consumers increased their borrowing in January at the slowest pace in more than a year with borrowing on credit cards actually declining for the second time in the last three months.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Fed struggled in 2009 over how to boost economy, papers show
WASHINGTON - As the Great Recession inflicted worsening damage on the U.S. economy, the Federal Reserve struggled during 2009 to determine the best corrective steps to pursue.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Decoding the message
WASHINGTON - Over two days of testimony to Congress, Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen was grilled on everything from the direction of interest rates to the health of the economy to "Audit the Fed" legislation supported by Republicans.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Despite global weakness, Fed upbeat about U.S. economy
WASHINGTON - Federal Reserve policymakers who met in December expressed concern about weakness overseas but were upbeat enough about the U.S. economy and impact of lower oil prices to prepare for a likely interest rate hike sometime this year.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Dow eclipses 18K plateau
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Saving for the holidays?
WASHINGTON - U.S. consumers cut spending in September for the first time in eight months, as incomes grew at the slowest pace this year. The figures underscore nagging economic soft spots that are expected to ease in the coming months.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
A rate hike in the future?
WASHINGTON - The Federal Reserve cited an improving economy Wednesday as it ended its landmark bond-buying program and pointed to gains in the job market - a key condition for an eventual interest rate hike.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Sounding the alarm
WASHINGTON - Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen sounded an alarm Friday about widening economic inequality in the United States, suggesting that America's longstanding identity as a land of opportunity was at stake.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
US economy grew at brisk 4.2 percent rate in Q2
WASHINGTON - After a bleak start to the year, the U.S. economy grew at a brisk annual rate of 4.2 percent in the April-June quarter, the government said Thursday, slightly faster than it had first estimated.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
A blip or a trend?
WASHINGTON - The U.S. economy shrank at a steep annual rate of 2.9 percent in the January-March quarter as a harsh winter contributed to the biggest contraction since the depths of the recession five years ago. But the setback is widely thought to be temporary, with growth rebounding solidly since …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
Rates to remain low
WASHINGTON - The U.S. economy still isn't healthy enough to grow at a consistently strong pace without the Federal Reserve's help.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
Nation's financing looking up
WASHINGTON - The U.S. government's deficit through the first four months of this budget year is down 36.6 percent from a year ago, signaling further improvement in the nation's finances.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Income flat, but wallets open
WASHINGTON - Americans increased their spending at a solid pace for the second straight month in December even though their income was flat.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Consumer borrowing rose $18.2 billion in October
WASHINGTON - Americans boosted their borrowing in October, led by another big increase in auto and student loans and the biggest rise in credit card debt in five months.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS AGO
