INFLATION

The number of U.S. workers filing new applications for unemployment insurance unexpectedly surged last week, while producer prices increased sharply in January, raising potential hurdles for the economy's recovery.

The number of U.S. workers filing new applications for unemployment insurance unexpectedly surged last week, while producer prices increased sharply in January, raising potential hurdles for the economy's recovery.

The number of U.S. workers filing new applications for unemployment insurance unexpectedly surged last week, while producer prices increased sharply in January, raising potential hurdles for the economic recovery.

The number of U.S. workers filing new applications for unemployment insurance unexpectedly surged last week, while producer prices increased sharply in January, raising potential hurdles for the economic recovery.

Fan Wenbao swears he is not in the business of speculating on property. Already the owner of one home in Xinyang, a grimy city in the poor central province of Henan, he bought two more there last year.

Wall Street was poised to open lower on Thursday as an increase in jobless claims and a stronger-than-expected inflation growth added concerns after a weak outlook from retail giant Wal-Mart.

Growing mountains of U.S. government debt will increase pressure on Federal Reserve to hold interest rates low, making it harder to avoid inflation, a senior Fed official said on Tuesday.

The release of the RBA board minutes saw a fairly muted reaction initially on the AUD/USD as it drifted around the 0.8890 level before popping through the 89 cents in Asian afternoon trade.

The ballooning U.S. budget deficit and growing mountains of federal debt will increase pressures on the Fed to hold interest rates low and make it harder to avoid inflation, a senior Federal Reserve official said on Tuesday.

Sterling edged higher against a broadly weaker dollar on Tuesday, tracking a relief rally in euro/dollar as investors trimmed short positions in the single European currency.

Turmoil in Europe and belt-tightening in China are endangering a U.S. economic recovery that many believed was tentative even without headwinds from abroad.

Japan's economy grew faster than expected in the fourth quarter with a stimulus-fueled rebound in domestic demand and a corporate investment revival masking rising deflationary pressure and the risk of a slowdown in 2010.

The world's biggest food companies and household products makers face a selective return to consumer spending in 2010, testing their resolve to avoid promotions and suggesting more industry mergers to come.

U.S. consumer sentiment slipped in early February, with high unemployment expected to continue and with most looking for no gain in income or home values in the year ahead, a survey released on Friday showed.

China raised the level of reserves banks must hold for the second time this year on Friday, spooking financial markets on the eve of its New Year holiday by showing it was intent to curb lending and inflation.

Chinese consumer inflation unexpectedly slowed last month, but a leap in lending and a rise in factory-gate inflation will keep policymakers alert to the risk of credit-fueled overheating in the world's third-largest economy.

The euro rose on Thursday ahead of a key EU summit that could lay the groundwork for a rescue of debt-stricken Greece, while Asian stocks gained for a third day, powered by strong economic data from Australia and China.

Asian stocks rose for the third day in a row on Thursday, powered by strong economic data from Australia and China, while the euro steadied ahead of a key summit that could lay out a rescue plan for debt-stricken Greece.

The outlook of small business owners remained bleak at the start of the new year, according to a survey released on Tuesday by the National Federation of Independent Business.

The Federal Reserve could sell some assets later this year in an effort to whittle down its bloated balance sheet to avoid inflation, a senior Federal Reserve official said on Monday.

The Federal Reserve could begin to sell off assets later this year and should try to get its balance sheet down to a normal size before the next recession strikes, a senior Federal Reserve official said on Monday.