More

• Weak Retail Sales Report Could Signal Recession Monday, 14 Jan 2008 | 3:47 PM ET

  

  U.S. consumers are tightening their purse strings, and the squeeze may be severe enough to topple the U.S. economy into recession.

• Fed Unlikely to Cut Rates Before Next Meeting: WSJ Monday, 14 Jan 2008 | 7:58 AM ET

  

  The Federal Reserve is unlikely to cut interest rates before its next scheduled meeting in late January but may consider doing so if the outlook deteriorates sharply before then, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.

• EMI to Cut a Third of 6,000 Staff: WSJ Monday, 14 Jan 2008 | 6:23 AM ET

  

  Record label EMI, bought by private equity firm Terra Firma last year, is set to announce on Monday plans to cut as much as one third of its 6,000 staff, slash marketing costs and drop artists as part of a restructuring, the Wall Street Journal reported.

• U.S. Trade Deficit Hits 14-Month High on Oil Imports Friday, 11 Jan 2008 | 9:21 AM ET

  

  The U.S. trade deficit in November surged to the highest level in 14 months, reflecting record imports of foreign oil. The deficit with China declined slightly while the weak dollar boosted exports to another record high.

• To Strike or Not to Strike Friday, 11 Jan 2008 | 7:11 AM ET

  It's that time of the year again, when Germany's trade unions traditionally put their wage demands on the table for the opening rounds of the annual ritual that is called "collective wage bargaining". And, with the economy growing at a robust pace still and with corporate profits on the rise, the voice of the unions is getting louder again. We've already had some taste of strike this season. Is there more to come?

• US Consumer Confidence Sinks to Record Low Friday, 11 Jan 2008 | 5:16 AM ET

  Consumer confidence fell to an all-time low as worries about jobs, energy bills and home foreclosures darkened people's feelings about the country's economic health and their own financial well-being.

• Text: Ben Bernanke's Speech Thursday, 10 Jan 2008 | 1:07 PM ET
• Sales Outpaced Inventories in November, Led by Oil Thursday, 10 Jan 2008 | 8:35 AM ET

  

  Inventories at U.S. wholesalers rose 0.6 percent in November, but they did not keep pace with sales, which saw the biggest monthly increase in more than two years on rising petroleum prices, the government reported Thursday.

• Slumping Stock Market May Crack US Consumer Wednesday, 9 Jan 2008 | 10:28 AM ET

  The stock market may be the deciding factor in whether the U.S. economy tips into a consumer-driven recession this year.

• Two Fed Officials Hint More Rate Cuts May Be Coming Wednesday, 9 Jan 2008 | 8:09 AM ET

  

  Fed officials from opposite ends of the ideological spectrum had a similar message Tuesday -- that further rate cuts could lie ahead.

• Australians Busy Shopping, Add to Rate Risk Tuesday, 8 Jan 2008 | 10:36 PM ET

  Australia's retail sales rose by more than expected in November as strong growth in jobs and incomes offset increases in interest rates and petrol prices, suggesting rates may yet have to rise again to cool demand. Wednesday's government data showed retail sales climbed 0.8 percent seasonally adjusted in November to A$20.07 billion ($17.6 billion). That handily beat forecasts of a 0.5 percent gain while sales increased by 8.1 percent on the year, the equal highest increase since June 2004.

• Paulson on 'Squawk': Housing, China and Fly-Fishing Tuesday, 8 Jan 2008 | 10:26 AM ET

  Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson discusses the dollar, the housing market, China and fly-fishing with the Squawk Box news team. 

• Recruiter Michael Page Says Profit Rises 38% Tuesday, 8 Jan 2008 | 8:01 AM ET

  British recruitment firm Michael Page reported record profit numbers and an upbeat outlook Tuesday, but analysts warned staffing stocks in general may be heading for a fall because of worries over the economic outlook. 

• Tom Cruise Out To "Settle" Writers' Strike? Monday, 7 Jan 2008 | 5:21 PM ET

  Here at CES mega digital distribution deals are making headlines. Back in LA, the big news is still the writers strike--and surprise, the big news in both Las Vegas and Los Angeles are totally entwined. The writers are striking to get a bigger chunk of the revenue from the very digital deals announced at CES.

• Paulson: No Rush on Plan to Jump-Start the Economy Monday, 7 Jan 2008 | 11:33 AM ET

  

  Treasury Secretary Paulson said the Bush administration is trying to minimize the impact of a housing downturn rather than rush new stimulus measures.

• Recession Fears Grow, But So Do Hopes for Rate Cut Friday, 4 Jan 2008 | 5:31 PM ET

  

  A worse-than-expected report on December job growth fueled worries about a U.S. recession but also heightened speculation of more interest-rate cuts.

• Job Numbers Forcing "Review" Of Stock Models Friday, 4 Jan 2008 | 4:19 PM ET

  The poor jobs report is causing a rethinking of stock models, which are weighted toward certain sectors based on earnings expectations. Up until recently, many large traders were overweight tech, industrials and materials stocks on two assumptions.

• Real Estate Jobs: Wait, There's Acutally An Increase In Workers? Friday, 4 Jan 2008 | 3:23 PM ET

  

  As I stood outside the Labor Department this morning, fighting to speak through the freezing temps, and cursing the reporter who usually covers that beat but who is busy freezing himself in New Hampshire today, I couldn’t help but think that the numbers played out before me had to be wrong. I know, I know, how can a government report be wrong?? .

• Stocks End Ugly Week With Steep Loss Friday, 4 Jan 2008 | 2:58 PM ET

  Stocks ended the first week of the new year with steep losses as Friday's weak employment report spurred fears of a looming recession.

• Markets: Can Earnings Move Them Off Bad Jobs Report? Friday, 4 Jan 2008 | 1:08 PM ET

  The markets will quickly move from the debacle of the jobs report to earnings, and here the picture is a bit precarious as well. Fourth quarter earnings estimates have been coming down fast. We're expecting earnings for the S&P 500 as a whole to be down 9.5 percent (estimates from Thomson).