In Republican Attacks on the Fed, Experts See a Shift

WASHINGTON — At a hearing in February, Representative Scott Garrett, a New Jersey Republican, complained that Congress and the Federal Reserve had traded places.

ECB may struggle to buy enough corporate bonds

(Reuters) - Any extension of the European Central Bank's asset-purchase scheme to include company debt risks running into a familiar problem - the ECB may not being able to buy enough of them to make a difference.

Exclusive: Fed's Williams downplays global risks, eyes U.S. inflation

(Reuters) - A bellwether Federal Reserve policymaker on Tuesday downplayed concerns about weakness in the global economy, saying the U.S. central bank should only delay an interest rate hike next year if inflation or wages fail to perk up.

Biggest fall in UK shopping since 2008

The weakest underlying performance by high street and online stores since the depth of the 2008-09 recession provided fresh evidence on Tuesday of a slowdown in the economy.

U.S. Fed frets over strong dollar, global woes: minutes

(Reuters) - Federal Reserve officials want to tie an interest-rate rise to U.S. economic progress, but the minutes of their last policy meeting show they are struggling with how to come to grips with the dual threats of a stronger dollar and a global slowdown.

Bank of England director defends QE and low interest rates

Britain would be a significantly poorer country without deep cuts in interest rates and the Bank of England's emergency injection of £375bn into the economy through its controversial quantitative easing (QE) programme, one of the Bank's leading policy makers has said.

Employment growth rate to slow slightly, says survey

The recent fast growth in employment is likely to slow in the coming months, the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD) has said.

As U.S. hits debt limit, business group urges Congress to raise it

WASHINGTON -- As the U.S. hit its debt limit on Friday, a leading business group urged Congress to act quickly to raise it to avoid damaging the economy.

Carney Seeks to Maintain Low-Rate Outlook as Economy Gains

Bank of England Governor Mark Carney and his colleagues are debating how they can reflect the strength of the U.K. economy in their forecasts without suggesting that interest rates are about to go up.

China's interest rates will have upside bias when freed: Central bank chief

BEIJING: China's borrowing costs will have a tendency to rise once controls on interests rates are lifted due to buoyant demand for funds, Central Bank Governor Zhou Xiaochuan said on Monday.

US Federal Reserve to hold its fire this week, wants clearer economic view

WASHINGTON: Federal Reserve officials are unlikely to make any shift to monetary policy this week as they wait for more evidence of how badly Washington's budget battle has hurt the US economy.

China Starts Prime Loan Rate as New Benchmark in Market Push

China started publishing a new lending rate based on quotes from banks and signaled it may eventually replace the current benchmark set by the People’s Bank of China, deepening a shift to market-based interest rates.

US Federal Reserve wants yet another tool in its swelled policy kit

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON: The Federal Reserve is developing yet another tool to help it keep borrowing costs on target when the era of zero-interest rates eventually ends, suggesting policymakers may doubt their existing ways and means can handle the task on their own.

Spain raises four billion euros in bond auction

MADRID: Spain raised four billion euros in medium and long-term bonds Thursday a day after the IMF said the outlook for the nation remained bleak.

Canada Inflation Falls to Slowest Since 2009 on Gasoline

Canada’s annual inflation rate fell in April to its slowest in more than three years, taking it below the central bank’s target band and adding to evidence of growing slack in the world’s 11th largest economy.

UK business lending falls by £4.8bn

The Bank's April trends in lending survey showed that net lending to businesses fell by £4.8bn over the quarter, with lending down by £2.8bn in February alone.

Euro zone factory output falls, may have hit bottom

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Output at euro zone factories fell for the third straight month in November and against expectations of a rise, but Monday's data included some evidence to back hopes that the bloc's recession may now have bottomed.

E.C.B. Sees a Healing Euro Zone but Warns of Risks

FRANKFURT — Tensions in the euro zone have eased noticeably since the summer, the European Central Bank said Friday, but it warned that the situation remained fragile in part because commercial banks were still in a weakened state.

Hungary PM, lenders at odds about prospects of agreement

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Saturday struck an optimistic tone that a financing deal with foreign lenders was within reach, at odds with signals from his negotiating partners that the year-old talks were at a stalemate.

Spain minister plays down IMF report

MADRID (AP) — Spain's economy minister played down the International Monetary Fund's forecast that the Spanish economy will contract by 1.3 percent next year — more than double its previous predictions — saying Tuesday that the forecast is not written in stone.