FEDERAL RESERVE

The Federal Reserve on Tuesday pointed to turmoil in Europe as a big risk to the U.S. economy, leaving the door open to a further easing of monetary policy even as it noted some improvement in the U.S. labor market.

In a letter sent to the U.S. House of Representatives on Monday, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops said lawmakers have a moral obligation to ensure unemployed Americans and their families are able to support themselves in an economy that has not been conductive to job growth.

Fed-watchers two decades ago had a hard time speculating what the central bank's decisions were because the Fed said relatively little about its monetary policy and allowed actions to speak for themselves. However, efficient markets do not like to be kept guessing.

The U.S. Mint will cut off mass production of presidential $1 coins, making just enough to meet demand for collectors, Vice President Joe Biden announced at a Cabinet meeting.

The Federal Reserve on Tuesday pointed to turmoil Europe as a big risk to the economy, leaving the door open to a further easing of monetary policy even as it noted some improvement in the labor market.

The Federal Reserve on Tuesday left monetary policy on hold but said financial market turbulence posed threats to economic growth, leaving the door open to further easing next year.

The Federal Reserve is likely to hold off offering the economy fresh stimulus at a meeting on Tuesday as it weighs encouraging signs on the recovery against risks coming from Europe.

Police made dozens of arrests early Saturday as they cleared away the remaining Occupy Boston encampment in the city's financial district in a mostly peaceful action.

An index of consumer sentiment rose to its highest in six months in early December and the trade deficit narrowed in October in the latest signs that the U.S. economy's health is slowly improving.

Analysts are hoping for a better fourth quarter for the household net worth as the U.S. stocks have performed well at the end of the third quarter.

U.S. companies sat on their largest pile of cash on record during the third quarter, providing a substantial buffer against any blow that might come from Europe's debt crisis, data from the Federal Reserve showed on Thursday.

The Federal Reserve Board on Thursday announced that Steven Kamin will take over the helm at its International Finance Division, which supports the Federal Open Market Committee by providing information and analysis pertaining to economic and financial developments in foreign countries and the performance of the U.S. external sector.

U.S. companies sat on their largest pile of cash on record during the third quarter, providing a substantial buffer against any blow that might come from Europe's debt crisis, data from the Federal Reserve showed on Thursday.

The European Central Bank doused on Thursday hopes it will aggressively ramp up its bond-buying program and allow the euro zone to lend money to IMF so it can help fight the Eurozone debt crisis.

Fewer Americans filed for first-time unemployment benefits last week. Thursday's data once again edged back from the 400,000 mark -- the level below which economists say signals a strengthening job market - after popping above it in the prior week.

The European Central Bank cut interest rates by a quarter of a point on Thursday to counter the twin threats of recession and deflation in the Eurozone, and is expected to unveil fresh measures to help banks hurt by the bloc's debt crisis.

In the past few months, but particularly in the last few days, the British Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Governor of the Bank of England, roughly British equivalents to the American Treasury Secretary and Fed Chairman, have become the bane of the English banking system's existence. Other British government officials have also joined the fray.

U.S. consumer credit holdings grew by $7.65 billion in October, the U.S. Federal Reserve said in its monthly report on consumer credit today. That growth, which represents an annualized rate of 3.7 percent, was more than had been expected by economists, who forecast growth close to $7 billion. The credit growth figure for September, which had been previously reported as $7.39 billion, was revised to a less-impressive $6.88 billion.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Tuesday pushed back against reports that the Fed had lent banks $7.77 trillion or more during the financial crisis, saying they contained egregious errors and mistakes.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Tuesday pushed back against reports that the Fed had lent banks $7.77 trillion or more during the financial crisis, saying they contained egregious errors and mistakes.

The Federal Reserve looks set to hold off on easing monetary policy for a second meeting in a row as it gauges the impact of Europe's crisis on the U.S. economy and ponders additional transparency steps.