Latest Federal Reserve System News

Stock market today: World shares mostly gain after tech stocks lead Wall St higher

May. 07, 2024 05:04 AM EDT

Markets in Europe and Asia forged higher Tuesday after another day of gains on Wall Street led by technology stocks. Germany's DAX rose 0.4% to 18,401.00 and the CAC 40 in Paris edged 0.2% higher, to 8,015.58. Britain's FTSE 100 surged 1.1% to 8,300.55. The futures for...

Stock market today: Asian shares mostly higher, though China benchmarks falter

May. 07, 2024 00:42 AM EDT

Asian markets were mostly higher Tuesday after another day of gains on Wall Street, although Chinese shares faltered. U.S. futures and oil prices edged higher. Tokyo's Nikkei 225, reopening after a national holiday, jumped 1.5% to 38,784.91 and the Kospi in South...

Yellen says threats to democracy risk US economic growth, an indirect jab at Trump

May. 03, 2024 18:33 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen argues that a fractured democracy can have destructive effects on the economy — an indirect jab at Donald Trump. Yellen delivered an address Friday in Arizona, using economic data to paint a picture of how disregard for America's...

Stock market today: Wall Street rallies after hiring shows welcome signs of cooling

May. 03, 2024 17:05 PM EDT

Wall Street capped a choppy week of trading Friday with the best day for the stock market in over two months, as traders welcomed cooler-than-expected U.S. employment data as a sign that inflationary pressures on the economy are easing. The S&P 500 rose 1.3%, its best day since...

US employers scaled back hiring in April. How that could let the Fed cut interest rates

May. 03, 2024 14:26 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The nation’s employers pulled back on their hiring in April but still added a decent 175,000 jobs in a sign that persistently high interest rates may be starting to slow the robust U.S. job market. Friday’s government report showed that last month’s hiring...

Stock market today: Asian shares advance ahead of US jobs report

May. 03, 2024 00:21 AM EDT

Asian shares were mostly higher Friday ahead of a report on the U.S. jobs market, while several major markets including Tokyo and Shanghai were closed for holidays. Oil prices and U.S. futures were higher. The Japanese yen strengthened slightly against the U.S....

Average long-term US mortgage rate rises for again, reaching highest level more than five months

May. 02, 2024 18:40 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The average rate on a 30-year mortgage climbed this week to its highest level in more than five months, pushing up borrowing costs for prospective homebuyers in what's typically the housing market's busiest stretch of the year. The rate rose to 7.22% from 7.17%...

The Fed indicated rates will remain higher for longer. What does that mean for you?

May. 02, 2024 16:39 PM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) — Mortgage rates, credit card rates, auto loan rates, and business loans with variable rates will all likely maintain their highs, with consequences for consumer spending, after the Federal Reserve indicated Wednesday that it doesn’t plan to cut interest rates until it has...

Stock market today: Asian markets follow Wall Street swings after Fed keeps interest rates high

May. 02, 2024 01:38 AM EDT

HONG KONG (AP) — Asian markets wobbled in early Thursday trading after U.S. stocks swung to a mixed finish with the Federal Reserve delaying cuts to interest rates. U.S. futures surged and oil prices were higher. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index opened with a decline,...

Federal Reserve says interest rates will stay at two-decade high until inflation further cools

May. 01, 2024 21:53 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve on Wednesday emphasized that inflation has remained stubbornly high in recent months and said it doesn’t plan to cut interest rates until it has “greater confidence” that price increases are slowing sustainably to its 2% target. The Fed...