FEDERAL RESERVE

Asian markets were mixed Thursday as investors remained watchful ahead of the European Central Bank meeting later in the day in which stimulus measures to boost the faltering euro zone economy are expected to be announced.

Asian shares eased Thursday as investors turned increasingly cautious with hopes of stimulus action by central banks fading ahead of a European Central Bank's meeting later in the day and after the U.S. Federal Reserve took no action a day earlier.

Unconventional times require unconventional measures, and with the U.S. economy growing at a truly tepid rate, perhaps it's time to try an innovative fiscal stimulus proposal recommended by an economist about three years ago.

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday offered a gloomier view of the economy as the labor market showed no sign of improvement since its last meeting. However, despite mounting signs of a sharp slowdown in the U.S. economy, central bank officials decided to take more time to make up their mind and refrained from enacting another monetary stimulus.

The U.S. Federal Reserve Wednesday lowered its view of the U.S. economy, but kept interest rate policy and its non-traditional quantitative easing policy the same. The Fed said it now sees "economic activity decelerated somewhat over the first half of the year," compared to a previous view of the "economy has been expanding moderately."

Asian stock markets were mixed Wednesday as investors remained cautious ahead of the outcome of the two major central bank meetings.

U.S. stock index futures point to a higher opening Wednesday as investors were hopeful that stimulus measures will be announced in the Federal Reserve?s meeting to declare policy action.

Asian shares fell Wednesday after four days of gains, as expectations of stimulus action this week by the U.S. Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank fade, and following signs of deepening Asian economic stress.

In spite of low expectations for profit, market-watchers are actually increasingly bullish on AIG, believing the most important thing to watch when the company reports quarterly results Thursday will be its plans to buy back stock from its largest shareholder, the U.S. government.

The jobless rate in the U.S. has stubbornly remained above 8 percent for more than three years, and the labor market likely saw little improvement in July, economists say in anticipation of the July nonfarm payrolls report due Friday.

If Milton Friedman were alive today, he would be 100 years old. The Nobel-prize winning economist has transformed the way many people think about the government and economic policy.

Despite rising income at the end of the second quarter, U.S. consumer spending fell in June by 0.1 percent from the month before, the Commerce Department said on Tuesday.

Blitz USA is out of business, not because of a product defect, but because of consumer misuse.

U.S. stock index futures point to a higher opening Tuesday as investors were optimistic that the Federal Reserve will announce monetary easing measures to rejuvenate the economy and regain the growth momentum.

Asian stock markets advanced Tuesday, helped by expectations that the major central banks will announce further stimulus measures when they hold policy meetings later this week.

Most of the European markets fell Tuesday but investors remained cautious with the hope that the central banks all over the world would soon announce stimulus measures to tackle the weakening global economy.

Crude oil prices remained near $90 a barrel during Asian trading hours Tuesday as investors awaited the outcome of major central bank meetings later this week.

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

Asian shares paused Tuesday as investors grew cautious ahead of monetary policy meetings by the European Central Bank and the U.S. Federal Reserve, with scepticism countering expectations for more stimulus steps to support fragile global economies.

The week is chock-full with data releases that will confirm if the summer malaise continued in July. As always, Friday's employment report will carry the most weight. Another highlight of this week is the much anticipated Federal Open Market Committee meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Asian stock markets advanced Monday on renewed hopes that policy makers in U.S. and Europe will announce further stimulus measures to spur economic growth when they hold policy meetings later this week.