FEDERAL RESERVE

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday repeated its promise to leave interest rates on hold until at least late 2014 but offered few clues into whether it might offer additional stimulus later this year.

The Federal Reserve resumed a two-day meeting on Wednesday that is expected to yield upward revisions to its growth forecasts but not enough for officials to take off the table the option of a further easing of monetary policy.

Asian stock markets ended mixed Wednesday as market participants awaited the Fed meeting outcome for any hint at monetary easing.

Futures on major US stock indices point to higher opening on Wednesday ahead of the US Federal Reserve?s meeting and durable goods order data.

The Federal Reserve began a two-day meeting on Tuesday that will likely show the central bank is slightly more upbeat on the economy but in little hurry to raise borrowing costs.

Gold prices steadied near $1,640 an ounce in Europe on Tuesday as a softer tone to the dollar arrested the previous session's slide, but traders largely stuck to the sidelines ahead of a key monetary policy meeting of the U.S. Federal Reserve.

Asian stock markets pared earlier losses and ended with gains Tuesday as investors turned their attention on the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, which kicks off today, for any hints at monetary easing.

Federal Reserve officials are expected to be in wait-and-see mode on extra stimulus at the April Federal Open Market Committee meeting this week, as little has changed since the March meeting to warrant policy changes, economists say.

Gold prices slid below $1,630 an ounce on Monday as concerns that the euro zone debt crisis could ensnare higher-rated countries hurt the single currency, though moves were muted ahead of this week's Federal Reserve meeting.

The Federal Open Market Committee meeting on April 24-25, Fed Chairman Ben S. Bernanke's comments during the post-meeting press conference, and an advance reading on U.S. gross domestic product in the first quarter will dominate the economic calendar next week.

Ron Paul's goal of reforming America's domestic and foreign policies while investigating the Federal Reserve may be a long way from happening in real life, but a new online video game set to come out for free in several months will offer Libertarians everywhere to give the Fed what it deserves in a game called Ron Paul: Road To Revolution.

Gold stayed nearly flat in thin trade on Friday, on track to log declines for two of the past three weeks as investors took to the sidelines ahead of a key U.S. option expiration and a Federal Reserve policy meeting next week.

Gold rose above $1,645 an ounce on Friday as a better-than-expected German business sentiment survey lifted the euro versus the dollar, but trading was light as investors awaited further news on the euro zone crisis and U.S. monetary policy.

Gold rose above $1,645 an ounce on Friday as a better-than-expected German business sentiment survey lifted the euro versus the dollar, but trading was light as investors awaited further news on the euro zone crisis and U.S. monetary policy.

General Electric Co topped Wall Street's profit and revenue forecasts for the first quarter, helped by strong demand for energy equipment and railroad locomotives.

Asian stock markets were mostly lower Friday as weak US economic data and fears over European debt crisis weighed on the sentiment.

Asian stock markets declined Friday as batch of disappointing economic readings from the US signaled that the recovery was slowing in the world's biggest economy.

Gold eased on Thursday as European debt jitters and worries over the U.S. job market extended the metal's losses for a fifth consecutive day.

Regional manufacturing activity shrank in April, but employment increased, according to the Philadelphia Federal Reserve's Business Outlook Survey, which was released Thursday.

Stocks were set to open little changed on Thursday as investors grappled with euro zone uncertainty, a raft of corporate earnings and softer-than-expected data on the domestic labor market.

Stock index futures rose on Thursday after Spain sold all of its debt at an auction and ahead of a raft of corporate earnings and economic data.