BEN BERNANKE

World stocks edged up from this month's 11-month low on Thursday while gold fell sharply as investors took an optimistic view of how strongly the Federal Reserve will commit to supporting the economy at a gathering this week.

Brent crude steadied around $110 a barrel Thursday, boosted by reduced U.S. crude stocks and positive manufacturing data but countered by economic growth uncertainties.

Stocks rallied for a second day on Wednesday as investors bought beaten-down financial shares and unloaded gold, but tech stocks could fall on Thursday after late news about Apple's Steve Jobs stepping down as CEO.

The big price drop Wednesday in the price of gold is not the beginning of a trend, say analysts, but rather a pause in a longer term bull market that has a lot farther to run.

Rick Perry surged ahead of Mitt Romney in a Gallup poll released Wednesday, underscoring how conservative the Republican presidential primary race has become.

Gold fell Wednesday in electronic trading as investors took profits, economists heralded a positive indicator and Wall Street held its collective breath that the chairman of the U.S. central bank would signal support in a key speech later this week.

U.S. stocks edged higher on Wednesday, extending the previous day's 3 percent rally, in anticipation the Federal Reserve chief would hint of stimulus measures to aid the struggling economy on Friday.

Gold dropped 4 percent on Wednesday as a sharp rise in U.S. durable goods orders and uncertainty ahead of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's speech to central bankers sparked bullion's biggest one-day drop in 2.5 years .

If U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke needs any more evidence regarding the slowdown in the U.S. economic recovery, he need look no further than U.S. housing prices, which have fallen for 17 consecutive quarters

Central bankers and economists from around the globe will once again flock to the Federal Reserve's annual gathering in Wyoming this week, and once again will meet against the backdrop of volatile markets and the prospect of further Fed support for a struggling U.S. economy.

The Dow and the S&P 500 rose modestly in volatile trading on Wednesday, as equities bounced around on heightened uncertainty surrounding Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's speech to central bankers on Friday.

Toronto's main stock index was little changed on Wednesday morning as sliding gold prices and profit-taking after the previous session's big rally offset optimism over bank earnings and positive U.S. data.

Gold prices dropped on Wednesday and were headed for their biggest two-day loss since the peak of the financial crisis, while the dollar rose as investors bet a speech by the Federal Reserve chairman later this week will not reveal any major central bank initiatives.

Wall Street bounced around in choppy trading on Wednesday after an early stocks rally faded on uncertainty about Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's speech to central bankers on Friday.

Gold and silver prices plunged Wednesday as a strengthening stock market and hope that the U.S. central bank will take steps to boost the American economy dimmed the appeal of precious metals as a safe haven.

Central bankers and economists from around the globe will once again flock to the Federal Reserve's annual gathering in Wyoming this week, and once again will meet against the backdrop of volatile markets and the prospect of further Fed support for a struggling U.S. economy.

Whether the Federal Reserve likes it or not, its unprecedented monetary polices over the last few years have conditioned the financial markets to expect a helping hand when the going gets tough.

Investors are agonizing over the prospect of another round of quantitative easing that could come from the Fed chairman Ben Bernanke’s Jackson Hole summit later this week.

Stock index futures were lower on Wednesday following a sharp rally in the previous session as the market displayed little trend except volatility ahead of the upcoming Federal Reserve meeting.

Gold bounced back on Wednesday after suffering its worst setback in 18 months, as risk appetite retreated on Japan's debt rating downgrade, while oil and metals were supported by hopes the U.S. would inject fresh stimulus to boost the economy.

As gold prices near $2,000 an ounce, some bulls say it's time to take money off the table after the safe-haven rally extended too far, too fast in recent weeks.