BEN BERNANKE

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Thursday issued a stern warning to Republican lawmakers that delays in raising the United States' $14.3 trillion debt limit could have catastrophic consequences.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Thursday issued a stern warning to Republican lawmakers that delays in raising the United States' $14.3 trillion debt limit could have catastrophic consequences.

U.S. stocks, after selling-off in the early session, bounced back to finish moderately higher on some positive economic news, despite continued political unrest in Egypt.

Gold rose over 1 percent in choppy trade on Thursday, with a sudden jump by over $20 per ounce within minutes as large buy orders were apparently triggered in the future markets. This comes unexpected to precious metals experts, as the gold price was supposed to be kept low by the usual large Wall Street players during todays speech by Bernanke, and was set to rally on Friday, when unexpectedly bad labor market numbers will come in and drive gold prices higher.

The following are highlights from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's speech to the National Press Club on Thursday.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's speech to the National Press Club on Feb. 3, 2011

Retail clothing stores such as Ann Taylor are leading the way so far on strong retail report by the Institute for Supply Management

The U.S. economic recovery still needs help from the Federal Reserve despite signs of improvement, the central bank's chairman Ben Bernanke said on Thursday.

Growth in the U.S. services sector in January was the fastest in more than five years, another sign the economy started 2011 on a solid footing, with measures of employment showing more strength.

The U.S. economic recovery still needs help from the Federal Reserve despite signs of improvement, Chairman Ben Bernanke said on Thursday.

Whatever your finance advisor, economics professor, banker or coin dealer might tell you, no single asset class - bought today - can promise to hold or grow its value, year after year, until precisely the day when you need to sell it and spend.

The Federal Reserve showed on Wednesday it was in no rush to cut short its rescue of the U.S. economy, saying high unemployment still justified its $600 billion bond-buying plan even though the economy has

The U.S. Federal Reserve gave a lukewarm economic assessment on Wednesday despite recent signs the recovery was strengthening, saying high unemployment still justified its $600 billion bond-buying program.

The Federal Reserve is expected to nod to an improving U.S. economic outlook on Wednesday even as it reaffirms a plan to buy $600 billion in government debt to help speed recovery.

The financial crisis could have been avoided and was the result of poor decision making both in Washington and at top financial firms that fostered a culture of excessive risk taking, according to a draft report written by Democrats on a panel that investigated the meltdown and obtained by Reuters.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke may have to muffle his applause for the sturdier U.S. economic recovery.

The U.S. Federal Reserve's latest $600 billion bond-buying program is built on the idea that most of the stubbornly high unemployment rate is reversible, if only borrowing costs are pushed low enough.

Gold priced in US dollars rose for a second day on Tuesday. Reflecting the improved consumer appetite for gold in Asia, premiums for gold bars rose on Monday to hit another two-year high as jewelers from China rushed to buy ahead of the Lunar New Year, while purchases from the electronics sector helped stir up physical trading in Japan, dealers said.

Every time you fill up your car this winter you are participating in the biggest taxpayer swindle in history. Only a policy created in Washington DC could drive up the prices of gasoline and food, with the added benefits of costing the American taxpayer billions in tax subsidies and killing people in 3rd world countries.

The U.S. economy needs a far better footing before the Federal Reserve reverses its current policy, and even more stimulus may be needed if the housing market hampers the rebound, a top Fed official said on Friday.

The U.S. economic recovery is picking up steam and the Federal Reserve should continuously reevaluate its policy of buying government bonds to support growth, Richmond Fed President Jeffrey Lacker said on Friday.