INFLATION

Gold rose to a six-month high on Friday, extending a 2-percent rally from the previous session when the Federal Reserve announced a new round of stimulus measure, which could add to the risk of inflation down the line and enhances gold's appeal.

Asian stock markets made gains Friday as investor confidence was lifted following the announcement of another round of quantitative easing by the U.S. Federal Reserve which is expected to rejuvenate the economic growth.

The U.S. central bank lowered its forecast for economic growth this year, but it reiterated its expectations for unemployment. Further, the bank said it now expects the Fed's first interest rate hike to take place in 2015.

The U.S. stock index futures point to a lower open Thursday as investors maintained a cautious mode ahead of the Federal Reserve meeting in which there is the likelihood of another round of quantitative easing measures to be announced to invigorate the economy.

Most of the Asian markets made gains Thursday as investors remained hopeful waiting for the policymakers in the U.S. to announce monetary easing measures to boost the global economy and rejuvenate the economic growth momentum.

Markets have been talking about QE3 for two years. Now, after a sovereign credit downgrade, the near collapse of the European financial system, and facing an anemic recovery that has only marginally helped heal the carnage in the labor and housing markets, the vast majority of financial pundits believe QE3 this week is "pretty much a given."

The U.S. stock index futures point to a higher open Wednesday as investor confidence was underpinned by expectation that the Federal Reserve will announce stimulus measures this week to invigorate the economy and boost growth.

Asian shares edged higher Wednesday as investors remained cautiously optimistic that a German court would approve the legality of the euro zone's bailout fund later in the day and the U.S. Federal Reserve may deliver further stimulus measures this week.

A slowdown in exports, a slump in the earnings of domestic companies and surging food prices cast downward pressure on the world's second-biggest economy in August as the China's National Bureau of Statistics reported Sunday that the Consumer Price Index rose 2 percent.

Asian shares rose and the euro steadied Friday after the European Central Bank outlined its bond-buying scheme to help calm the euro zone's debt crisis, while firm U.S. data fed speculation of a strong jobs report later in the day.

The U.S. stock index futures point to a higher open Tuesday as market sentiment was underpinned by expectations that policymakers around the world will announce stimulus measures to rejuvenate the economic growth momentum.

Most of the Asian markets rose Monday as investors remained hopeful that the world's central banks would announce stimulus measures soon to help boost the global economic growth.

It seemed everyone was claiming their crystal ball has been right in anticipation of a much-hyped speech by the world's most powerful central banker, who managed to turn the attention of traders around the world to his podium in bucolic Jackson Hole, Wyo. Friday. They were all right and, as usually happens in such cases, they were also all wrong.

Asian stock markets ended mixed Wednesday as investors remained in a waiting mode ahead of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke’s speech at the Jackson Hole symposium.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Duvvuri Subbarao said on Tuesday that inflation remains too high and needs to fall further or risk more damage to the economy, dismissing criticism of the bank's hawkish policy stance.

Half of the Brazilian public sector is on strike for higher wages, but their prospects for success may be dimming as deadlines approach.

India's economy likely remained in its deepest slump for nine years in the quarter ending in June, but high inflation and polarized politics leave the country's leaders with limited scope to crank up growth.

If you notice the price increases in apple cider this fall, blame it on the wacky weather.

Asian shares rose and the euro hit a seven-week high Thursday as the Federal Reserve's minutes raised the prospect for more U.S. stimulus while uncertainty continued over progress in Europe's debt crisis, including the European Central Bank's bold action.

Argentina, South America's third-largest economy, is "probably" in the midst of a recession and won't register meaningful growth this year amid high inflation and weak industrial output, according to a new report.

India's retail inflation rate dropped marginally to 9.86 percent in July from 9.93 percent recorded in June, according to the data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation.