ECONOMY & MARKETS

IBM's Brain-Like Chip

Technology Focus: Don’t Forget The Chips

Amid the hoopla surrounding new product introductions by Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL), the initial public offering of Facebook (NYSE: FB) and what’s new with “Angry Birds,” people forget to acknowledge the true “brains” of the whole business: the chip.

TIPS Yields Negative, A Record Low, On Inflation View, Fed Action

Ben Bernanke
Yields on 10-year inflation-linked Treasury bonds fell into negative territory Thursday -- only the second time that has happened -- ona flight to quality in U.S. notes, a belief that inflation will begin rising and the seemingly heady effect of the Federal Reserve's Operation Twist.
Ben Bernanke

This Week’s Economic Events: Bevy Of Fed Speakers

This week - March 26 to 30 - will highlight Wednesday's durable goods report and a busy policy calendar, including the core of the Federal Open Market Committee: Chairman Ben Bernanke and New York Fed President William Dudley. Wall Street will be closely monitoring the Fed officials' speeches, hoping to find clues of their latest views on the economic, inflation and policy outlooks.
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Gold bars

Economic Boom Good For Gold Owners

Another possible scenario, if the situation in Europe continues to improve and we are able to avoid any black swans, involves a robust economic growth period.
Sold

US New-Home Sales Fall 1.6% In Feb.

U.S. new-home sales fell 1.6 percent in February, but prices jumped to their highest level in seven months, according to the Commerce Department.
A sculpture showing the Euro currency sign is seen in front of the European Central Bank (ECB) headquarters in Frankfurt

Euro Zone Falls Into 'Recession': Markit Report

The euro zone slid back into recession in March as output fell for the second quarter running, reaching a new three-month low, according to Markit's Eurozone PMI Composite Output Index on Thursday.

China Manufacturing Falters In March: HSBC PMI Shows

China's factory activities slumped for the fifth consecutive month as weakening domestic demand continued to weigh on growth. Spooked investors moved quickly out of riskier assets while hoping for further easing from Beijing.
Two Capesize bulkers anchored in a Shanghai port

Biggest Freighters Hit Hardest In Global Shipping Storm

While shipping costs have been recovering over the past month from historical lows earlier this year, rates for the biggest vessels keep falling. Mistrust in the market, bad luck for iron exporters and a slowdown in world steel consumption are to blame.
Rising Gas Prices

5 Ways Rising Gas Prices Will Affect You

High oil prices affect politics, schools, jobs, public budgets and almost every industry. But current pressures could be augmented if war breaks out between Israel or the United States and Iran, with the result being a costly disruption in global supply.
Oil

Oil Drops Below $107 After Weak China PMI

Crude oil prices declined in European trade Thursday as sentiment was dampened after reports indicated a sharp slowdown in the Chinese manufacturing activity in March.
The Wall Street sign is seen in front of the New York Stock Exchange

Markets Bob Up, Down on Slow News Day: Daily Markets Wrap

Markets bobbed up and down Wednesday on conflicting data as to what the U.S. economic picture will look like in the near term. Investors spent the day dealing with conflicting sentiments: a less-than-enthusiastic housing report on the one hand, a view that the U.S. economy is generally getting better on the other.
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's policy of quantitative may have made U.S. Treasurys a less attractive investment to the Chinese

China, Japan To Begin Selling US Treasurys?

China's skein of trade surpluses and Treasury-buying has run its course and the country will need to begin selling some of its vast holdings of U.S. debt, says Frederick Sheehan, ex-head of asset allocation at John Hancock Financial Services.
Detroit, Michigan

Detroit Nears Bankruptcy As Debt Downgraded by Moody’s

Moody's downgraded more than $2.5 billion of Detroit's municipal debt as the city continues to struggle through a prolonged fiscal crisis and the state debates the possible installation of a financial advisory panel or an emergency manager to administer the finances of Michigan's largest city.

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