Quantitative easing news & latest pictures from ibtimes.com

The term quantitative easing (QE) describes a monetary policy used by some central banks to increase the supply of money by increasing the excess reserves of the banking system. This policy is usually invoked when the normal methods to control the money supply have failed, i.e the bank interest rate, discount rate and/or interbank interest rate are either at, or close to, zero.

A central bank implements QE by first crediting its own account with money it creates ex nihilo ("out of nothing"). It then purchases financial assets, including government bonds, agency debt, mortgage-backed securities and corporate bonds, from banks and other financial institutions in a process referred to as open market operations.

3 Reports To Shed Light On US Housing Sector

Three key U.S. housing reports Wednesday are expected to show small improvements in the market.

Copper Prices Slip But Remain Near 4 1/2-Month High

London copper slipped on Monday, but still retained most of the previous session's steep climb to a 4-1/2 month top as a new round of U.S. monetary stimulus measures and a weak dollar continued to support prices.

Currency dealers work in a dealing room of a bank in Seoul

South Korea?s Ailing Economy: Market Players Call For Stimulus Measures

With the Bank of Korea unexpectedly holding its policy rate at 3 percent, market participants feel that stimulus measures will be urgently needed to reinvigorate the country?s weakening economy.

U.S. Republican presidential candidate and Representative Ron Paul speaks during a veterans rally in Des Moines

With QE3 In Place, Republicans React Negatively -- But Keep Distance From Ron Paul

Ron Paul's campaign against the Federal Reserve had made some headway last summer, but even Republicans who dislike the Fed's decision to start a new round of easing aren't as drastic as him in attacking the central bank

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange

Fed QE3 Launch Lifts US Stock Futures

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a higher open Friday as investors kept up a buoyant mood following the announcement of quantitative easing measures by the Federal Reserve, which is expected to boost economic growth.

Traders work at their desks in front of the DAX board at the Frankfurt stock exchange

European Markets Rise After US Fed QE3 Announcement

European markets rose Friday as investor sentiment turned positive following the announcement of another round of quantitative easing by the U.S. Federal Reserve.

Crude Oil Futures Rise Above $99 After Fed Action

Crude oil prices advanced in Asian trading Friday, extending overnight rally after the U.S. Federal Reserve launched another round of quantitative easing to rejuvenate the economic growth.

An investor gestures as he talks to a person in front of an electrical board showing stock information at a brokerage house in Huaibei

Asian Markets Gain As Fed Launches QE3

Asian stock markets made gains Friday as investor confidence was lifted following the announcement of another round of quantitative easing by the U.S. Federal Reserve which is expected to rejuvenate the economic growth.

Silver's Summer Rally To Gain 'Legs' From Fed's QE3 Initiative

The Federal Reserve's third round of quantitative easing, or QE3, will benefit silver and gold prices by weakening the dollar and increasing risk appetite among investors, according to a report by UBS. But silver will gain the most.

Gold Prices Shoot Higher On Fed Decision To Take On More Debt

Fed decision to buy tens of billions more in bonds lifts the price of gold to a six-month high.

US Federal Reserve Sept. 13 Meeting Statement [Full Text]

In the statement, the Federal Reserve announced Thursday it will buy $40 billion per month of mortgage-backed securities, the start of the so-called third round of quantitative easing, QE3. The Fed also said it will continue 'Operation Twist,' bringing total securities purchased per month to $85 billion.

US Stock Futures Signal Lower Open Ahead Of Fed Decision

The U.S. stock index futures point to a lower open Thursday as investors maintained a cautious mode ahead of the Federal Reserve meeting in which there is the likelihood of another round of quantitative easing measures to be announced to invigorate the economy.

A trader is pictured at his desk in front of the DAX board at the Frankfurt stock exchange

European Markets Fall Ahead Of US Fed Meeting

Most of the European markets fell Thursday as investors remained watchful waiting for the U.S. Federal Reserve to announce stimulus measures to revive the economic growth.

Woman walks past stock quotation board outside brokerage in Tokyo

Asian Markets Rise On US Easing Hopes

Most of the Asian markets made gains Thursday as investors remained hopeful waiting for the policymakers in the U.S. to announce monetary easing measures to boost the global economy and rejuvenate the economic growth momentum.

US Stock Futures Signal Firm Open Amid Fed Easing Hopes

The U.S. stock index futures point to a higher open Wednesday as investor confidence was underpinned by expectation that the Federal Reserve will announce stimulus measures this week to invigorate the economy and boost growth.

A man's shadow is cast on monitors displaying stock market prices inside a brokerage in Taipei

Asian Stocks Gain On US, China Stimulus Hopes

Asian stock markets rose Wednesday as investors remained hopeful that policymakers in the U.S. and China would announce monetary easing measures to boost the global economy and rejuvenate economic growth momentum.

Fed Stimulus Hopes Buoy US Stock Futures

The U.S. stock index futures pointed to a higher open Tuesday as investor sentiment turned positive amid hopes that the Federal Reserve would announce monetary easing measures this week to revive the economic growth momentum.

Global Economic Concerns Weigh Down US Stock Futures

The U.S. stock index futures point to a lower open Monday as investors' concerns about the faltering global economy was revived following the disappointing economic indicators from China.

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Job seekers stand in line to speak with an employer at a job fair in San Francisco

August US Jobs Report Is Disastrous: 6 Takeaways

It's been three years since the Great Recession technically ended, and still, unemployed Americans are struggling to find work.

US Stock Futures Signal Higher Open Ahead Of Nonfarm Jobs Report

The U.S. stock index futures point to a higher open Friday ahead of the Bureau of Labor Statistics' nonfarm payrolls and unemployment reports.

Asian Shares Rise After ECB Move, Awaiting US Payroll Data

Asian shares rose and the euro steadied Friday after the European Central Bank outlined its bond-buying scheme to help calm the euro zone's debt crisis, while firm U.S. data fed speculation of a strong jobs report later in the day.

Stimulus Expectations Buoy US Stock Futures

The U.S. stock index futures point to a higher open Tuesday as market sentiment was underpinned by expectations that policymakers around the world will announce stimulus measures to rejuvenate the economic growth momentum.

Gold Near 5-Month High on Stimulus Hopes

Gold hovered near a five-month peak on Monday, supported by hopes for more stimulus measures after U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke gave a grave assessment of the economy last week.

Bernanke's Speech at Jackson Hole: 6 Key Take-Aways

It seemed everyone was claiming their crystal ball has been right in anticipation of a much-hyped speech by the world's most powerful central banker, who managed to turn the attention of traders around the world to his podium in bucolic Jackson Hole, Wyo. Friday. They were all right and, as usually happens in such cases, they were also all wrong.

Asian Markets Fall to a 4-Week Low Ahead of Jackson Hole Symposium

Asian stocks declined to a four-week low on Friday as investor sentiment was weighed down by fading optimism on U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke to announce more monetary stimulus at the Jackson Hole convention.

QUANTITATIVE EASING

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