Mar 17 Fed Makes Weekend Move to Aid Credit Markets By Admin, PBS News Hour Amid news of a fire sale buyout deal for lending group Bear Stearns, the Federal Reserve took more bold action over the weekend. Continue reading
Mar 14 Watch Americans Feel Economic Pains Despite Government Efforts President Bush and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke sought to bolster confidence Friday that U.S. economic growth will recover despite a recent string of bleak economic reports. Two financial reporters examine how the slowdown is impacting American consumers. Continue watching
Mar 11 Costs at the Pump Reach Record as Oil Prices Soar By Admin, PBS News Hour Prices at the gas pump rose to a record high Tuesday as oil prices climbed, putting further strain on American consumers already confronted with slumping home values and overall concerns about a lackluster economy. Continue reading
Feb 20 Watch Consumer Price Index Reports Unexpected Inflation Rise The Consumer Price Index, the Labor Department's yardstick of inflation, indicated greater inflation in January than had been anticipated. Paul Solman discusses how the CPI determines inflation and the meaning of this new report. Continue watching
Feb 20 Inflation Grew in Jan., Led by Food, Health Costs By PBS News Hour Inflation jumped by a bigger-than-expected amount in January, with large increases in the cost of food and health care, the government reported Wednesday. Continue reading
Jan 30 Watch Fed Cuts Key Interest Rate Again in Bid to Avert Economic Anxieties The Federal Reserve lowered its benchmark interest rate by half a point Wednesday -- the second rate reduction in eight days in a bid to help ease pressure on jittery financial markets. Wall Street Journal economics editor David Wessel examines… Continue watching
Jan 22 Watch Rate Cut, Market Turmoil Add to Unease Over Economy Amid fears of a U.S. economic downturn, global markets suffered steep losses and the Federal Reserve slashed a key interest rate by three-quarters of a percentage point Tuesday -- its biggest cut in over 23 years. Financial experts examine why… Continue watching
Jan 22 Fed Slashes Key Rate as World Markets Tumble By Admin, PBS News Hour After many world financial markets suffered their biggest losses Monday since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Federal Reserve slashed a key interest rate by three-quarters of a percentage point on Tuesday -- its biggest cut in more than 23… Continue reading
Jan 21 Watch Bernanke Put to Test as U.S. Economy Struggles Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has called for government action to revive the slowing U.S. economy, in a key test of his tenure as the head of the central bank. Two business reporters consider how Bernanke is responding to the… Continue watching
Jan 18 Bush Calls for $145 Billion Economic ‘Shot in Arm’ By PBS News Hour President Bush called for about $145 billion worth of tax relief for individuals and businesses Friday to give the U.S. economy a "shot in the arm" and hopefully avert a recession. Continue reading