Japan Stands Pat on Stimulus Program

TOKYO — The Bank of Japan stuck with its monetary stimulus program on Wednesday, brushing off a lack of inflation two years after it vowed to pull the economy out of more than a decade of falling prices.

Japan business mood turns positive: government survey

(Reuters) - Confidence at big Japanese manufacturers turned positive in July-September and they expect business conditions to improve further in the following quarter, a government survey showed, suggesting a gradual economic recovery from the slump after April's sales tax hike.

Australia's central bank keeps rates low amid moderate growth

(Reuters) - Australia's central bank kept interest rates at record lows for the 12th straight policy meeting on Tuesday and seemed content to stay on the sidelines for a while to come as the economy wrestles with a waning mining boom.

Economy seen regaining muscle in second quarter

(Reuters) - U.S. economic growth likely regained steam in the second quarter as activity picked up broadly, which would bolster expectations for a stronger performance in the last six months of the year.

Economy needs consumers to chip in

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — The U.S. economy is revved up and ready to go by most measures except for, perhaps, the most critical one: The consumer.

Americans still hesitant to spend more

Personal income rose 0.4% in May, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. It may not sound like much, but it marked the fifth straight month in a row that incomes rose.

UK manufacturing, mortgage data point to more balanced recovery

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's economic recovery is showing signs of a healthier balance after data on Monday suggested some of the heat is coming out of the housing market while manufacturing remains strong.

U.S. economy stumbles in first-quarter, but prospects brighter

(Reuters) - The U.S. economy contracted for the first time in three years in the first quarter as it buckled under a severe winter, but there are signs it has rebounded and economists say it could grow as much as 4 percent in the current quarter.

US GDP grew 2.6% in Q4

Economic growth in the United States grew faster than previously estimated in the fourth quarter of last year helped by stronger consumer spending, the U.S. Commerce Department said on Thursday.

US economy grew 2.4% in fourth quarter

Washington (AFP) - The US economy grew more slowly late last year than previously thought, but there was enough vigor that the Federal Reserve will likely continue reducing its stimulus program, analysts said.

UK GDP: Investment fuels hopes of balanced recovery

Hopes for a stable and sustained recovery were boosted today as official figures showed the economy becoming less reliant on consumer spending after a surge in business investment.

Economies of Britain and France have more similarities than differences

As British crowing about last year's return to growth increasingly irks the struggling administration of François Hollande, it is worth remembering that London and Paris have more in common than they care to admit.

The UK's widening trade gap is worrying – but hardly a shock

Disappointing and worrying but hardly a shock. That's the way to look at the latest set of UK trade figures showing the biggest deficit for a year.

British manufacturing at highest level for two years

Britain's manufacturers have cranked up production to its highest level for two years, according to business group the CBI, in the latest piece of evidence that the economy is picking up speed.

Bank of Japan lifts economic forecasts

The Bank of Japan (BoJ) has raised its forecast for both economic growth and inflation this year in its twice yearly report.

Boost for Obama as US jobless rate falls to four-year low

The US unemployment rate has dropped to its lowest level in almost four years, giving President Barack Obama a boost as the presidential race enters its final month.

Fed says economy may need help, keeps policy on hold

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve stopped short of offering new monetary stimulus on Wednesday even as it signaled more strongly that further bond buying could be in store to help a economic recovery that it said had lost momentum this year.

S.Africa aims to lift savings, cut budget strain

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa is looking to strengthen its social security system by encouraging a higher savings rate among its highly indebted households, which should help economic growth and reduce the burden on state finances, the Treasury said on Monday.

Greek Workers Strike Against New Round of Austerity

ATHENS — Greek workers walked off the job on Tuesday to protest a new barrage of austerity measures being demanded by the country’s foreign creditors in exchange for a second bailout of $170 billion without which Greece faces a potentially catastrophic default within weeks.

Oil price near $100 on global security concerns

NEW YORK (AP) — Oil prices rose above $100 a barrel Friday as worries over global security issues outweighed weak economic data in the U.S.