Economic News

WASHINGTON (AFX) - The Federal Reserve gave America's borrowers a break and held interest rates steady for a second straight month, part of a strategy to put the economy on an even keel. In a 10-1 vote Wednesday, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and his colleagues decided to leave rates alone, suggesting that slowing economic activity eventually will lessen inflationary pressures. With economic gro ...

WASHINGTON (Dow Jones) - The Federal Reserve held overnight interest rates steady at 5.25% on Wednesday and left the door open for further increases if inflation does not come down. This was the second straight meeting with no change in monetary policy. It follows rate hikes at an unprecedented 17 consecutive policy-setting meetings. The decision to stand pat was no surprise. Ahead of time,  ...

The dollar traded modestly lower against major currencies Wednesday after the Federal Open Market Committee held interest rates steady and left its options for future rate decisions open. This is the second straight meeting with no change in policy after 17 straight meetings with a quarter-point rate hike. The decision to hold rates steady was expected. The vote was not unanimous. Jeffrey Lacke ...

WASHINGTON (Dow Jones) -- The Federal Reserve held overnight interest rates steady at 5.25% on Wednesday but left the door open for further increases if inflation does not behave. The Federal Open Market Committee only tinkered with the wording of the accompanying statement. The committee said it expects a slower economy to reduce inflationary pressures. "The moderation in economic growth ap ...

Treasury prices held steady Wednesday, after the Federal Reserve's monetary policy committee met market expectations by leaving the overnight rate unchanged and issuing a statement that backed investors' view that the economy is due for a soft landing. The benchmark 10-year Treasury note closed up 1/32 at 101-5/32 with a yield of 4.728%, down from 4.735% at Tuesday's close. Prices and yields mo ...

By Tim Ahmann WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday held its benchmark interest rate steady for a second straight meeting, biding time to assess whether cooling economic growth will curb price pressures. As widely expected, the central bank's policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee voted to keep its overnight federal funds rate target at 5.25 percent, the level it reached in June after 17 straight increases stretching over more than two years. The Fed said policy-m ...

WASHINGTON (AFX) - The Federal Open Market Committee decided today to keep its target for the federal funds rate at 5-1/4 percent. The moderation in economic growth appears to be continuing, partly reflecting a cooling of the housing market. Readings on core inflation have been elevated, and the high levels of resource utilization and of the prices of energy and other commodities have the potent ...

WASHINGTON (AFX) - For the second time in as many months, the Federal Reserve decided to leave its key federal funds rate unchanged at 5.25 pct. Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke and his colleagues on the policymaking Federal Open Market Committee said they would leave rates there for now. "The moderation in economic growth appears to be continuing, partly reflecting a cooling of  ...

WASHINGTON (AFX) - The Federal Reserve left a key interest rate unchanged on Wednesday as falling energy prices helped to restrain inflation pressures. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and his colleagues issued a brief announcement saying they would leave the federal funds rate, the interest that banks charge each other, at 5.25 percent. The decision represents a break for borrowers. It mea ...

(Adds details) WASHINGTON (AFX) - For the second time in as many months, the Federal Reserve has decided to leave its key federal funds rate unchanged at 5.25 pct. Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke and his colleagues on the policymaking Federal Open Market Committee said they would leave rates there for now. "The moderation in economic growth appears to be continuing, partly refl ...