QUANTITATIVE EASING

A broad asset rally inspired by the U.S. Federal Reserve's pledge to keep rates low paused Friday, as investors sought to gauge how sustainable the burst of optimism will be while waiting for the outcome of crucial Greek debt talks.

The U.S. economy is not robust by any means, but the recent manufacturing-driven recovery, if tepid, is finally beginning to erase memories of the disappointing slowdown in 2011. On the wings of the recent gains, growth in most sectors of the economy is likely to continue - and maybe even pick up momentum towards the end of the year.

Stocks rose on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve said it would keep interest rates near zero through at least 2014 and Apple's spectacular results boosted investor sentiment.

Big profits from Apple and a promise from the Federal Reserve to keep rock-bottom rates for at least two more years powered the U.S. stock market higher on Wednesday.

The number of Americans filing for new jobless benefits dropped to an almost four-year low last week, and factory activity in the mid-Atlantic expanded moderately, suggesting the economy carried some momentum into the new year.

The number of Americans filing for new jobless benefits dropped to a near four-year low last week and factory activity in the mid-Atlantic expanded moderately, suggesting the economy carried some momentum into the new year.

The new price average for gold is expected at $1,640 per troy ounce by the end of the first half of 2012, according to Thompson Reuter's GFMS most recent report on the yellow metal.

These days, everyone in commerce and finance circles seems to complain about the dollar, but few institutional investors want to part with them.

Three top Federal Reserve officials aggressively pushed on Friday for more stimulus for the U.S. housing market, saying the government should be looking at ways to help the sector for the purpose of speeding the country's economic recovery.

Two top Federal Reserve officials on Friday pushed the case for more stimulus from the U.S. central bank to help the economic recovery, each zeroing in on the country's weak housing market.

Despite a large amount of borrowing by the U.S. and its large national debt, the interest rate institutional investors charge the U.S. government remains low. What’s going on here?

Employment grew solidly last month and the jobless rate dropped to a near three-year low of 8.5 percent, offering the strongest evidence yet of an acceleration in economic activity.

A survey of primary dealers by the New York Fed showed much uncertainty among the 21 large banks that act as counterparties to the Fed's open market transactions.

You can’t blame Americans for wanting to drop investing in U.S. stocks like a bad habit as the new year begins. Is the Dow’s recent rise above 12,000 a buy signal or another false rally?

U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, has predicted rising inflation and a collapse of the dollar due to the U.S.’s fiscal and monetary policies, but roughly three years into the economic recovery, inflation remains moderate. And the dollar? It’s holding its own and may strengthen in 2012.

Asian stocks and the euro rose on Wednesday after upbeat U.S. and German data and strong demand for Spanish debt tempered risk-aversion, with investors' focus turning to a European Central Bank tender as a gauge for euro zone funding strains.

Last week Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke told federal lawmakers that no bailout of Europe was forthcoming and ended a monthly meeting of the central bank’s top decision-making body by pointedly rejecting a new round of quantitative easing. Data released by the Fed reveals that, at least partially, the organization spent the week engaging in exactly those actions.

Ron Paul's has emerged as the new GOP frontrunner in Iowa with a not-Mitt tag. But political pundits and voters should pay greater heed to his sudden rise. The anyone but Romney title downplays Paul's emergence, writing him off as just the latest in a string of candidates-du-jour. But Ron Paul is more than a fling.

European shares advanced in light mid-session trade on Monday at mid-day, led by a sharp rebound in auto stocks, although sentiment remained subdued after negative Fitch comments on the Eurozone crisis and the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.

Inflation at the consumer level remains moderate -- and that should give the U.S Federal Reserve more time to stimulate the U.S. economy -- something that's good news for investors and job seekers alike.

Despite unprecedented quantitative easing by the Fed, and $1 trillion-level U.S. budget deficits, the dollar continues to hold its own against a basket of the world's other, major currencies.