BEN BERNANKE

Most Asian stock markets recouped early losses on Tuesday while the dollar was trapped in a tight range as investors waited for Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke to shed light on how soon key U.S. interest rates may start to rise.

Asian shares turned lower on Tuesday and the dollar was trapped in a tight range as investors waited for Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke to shed light on how soon key interest rates may start to rise.

Stocks finished flat on Monday as investors held back before congressional testimony by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, while scattered buying lifted shares of health insurers and banks.

Stocks finished flat on Monday as investors held back before congressional testimony by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, while scattered buying lifted shares of health insurers and banks.

U.S. stocks edged higher on Monday as takeover news and gains in bank shares on hopes of a regulatory reprieve were offset by uncertainty over the Federal Reserve's policy intentions.

U.S. stocks were little changed on Monday as investors were cautious before the head of the Federal Reserve was due to discuss interest rate policy this week after the Fed's hike in the discount rate.

U.S. stocks fell slightly in choppy trading on Monday on investor uncertainty about the Federal Reserve's intentions after last week's increase in the interest rate for emergency loans to banks.

Wall Street could keep rallying after notching its best week this year if Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke gives a reassuring assessment of the recovery and retail earnings show improvement.

The Federal Reserve on Friday poured more cold water on speculation that a surprise rise in its emergency lending rate signaled it was moving faster to rein in its easy money policies.

The Federal Reserve has continued to target its liquidity withdrawal for the banking system as conditions improve for Wall Street and prominent hedge funds take huge positions in financial institutions.

(Corrects increase in discount rate to 0.75 percent in third paragraph)

The U.S. Federal Reserve on Thursday made its first interest rate move since December 2008, hiking an emergency lending rate it charges banks, but insisted borrowing costs would not rise for consumers or companies.

The Federal Reserve raised its emergency lending rate for the first time since the financial crisis, lifting the dollar and hitting bonds as markets brushed off Fed assurances it was not a prelude to a rise in the main policy rate.

Growing mountains of U.S. government debt will increase pressure on Federal Reserve to hold interest rates low, making it harder to avoid inflation, a senior Fed official said on Tuesday.

Turmoil in Europe and belt-tightening in China are endangering a U.S. economic recovery that many believed was tentative even without headwinds from abroad.

U.S. stocks could struggle to make headway this week if a meeting of European finance ministers fails to reassure markets that they can contain Greece's debt problems.

Wall Street was set to open higher on Thursday as key euro zone officials struck a deal to help Greece with its debt crisis, and U.S. data showed claims for first-time jobless benefits fell more than expected last week.

Stock index futures rose on Thursday as key euro zone officials struck a deal to help Greece with its debt crisis, while investors awaited data on the health of the labor market.

Stock index futures rose on Thursday with the spotlight on a European summit that could set the blueprint for aid to debt-laden Greece, while investors awaited data on the health of the labor market.

World stocks hit a one-week high while the euro rose broadly on Thursday as investors looked to European Union leaders to lay the foundations for a financial rescue of Greece at a summit in Brussels.

U.S. stocks dipped on Wednesday as worries over Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's strategy after the economy recovers offset optimism about a possible rescue for debt-burdened Greece.