Gold prices, which have already soared to record levels in recent weeks, could get a further boost from a new investor: central banks.

The Bank of Japan upgraded its economic assessment on Friday, setting itself up for a confrontation with a government pressing for a policy response to deflation and a possible return to recession.

The dollar rose for a second straight session Friday as risk tolerance declined, with investors cutting exposure to assets and currencies perceived as higher risk ahead of a holiday-shortened week in the United States.

A British charity is pioneering the idea of reducing the country's bulging debt by encouraging people to buy gift vouchers that will be sent to the Treasury.

The coroner’s report left no doubt as to the cause of death: toxic loans. That was the conclusion of a financial autopsy that federal officials performed on Haven Trust Bank, a small bank in Duluth, Ga., that collapsed last December, the New York Times reported.

U.S. crude futures fell more than 2 percent Thursday as a stronger dollar weighed and weaker equities raised concern about the economy and a potential rebound in energy demand.

Taiwan's central bank said there is still about T$350 billion ($11 billion) worth of foreign
funds, or speculative "hot money", in Taiwan, even after some outflows, as the authority tries to curb forex speculation.

The dollar and yen rose Thursday as a pullback in risk appetite amid declines in equity and commodity markets revived safe-haven demand for the U.S. and Japanese currencies.

The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee was split three ways in November, with seven members backing the 25 billion pound boost to the economy, one wanting more and another calling for no increase at all.

Indonesia's central bank on Wednesday played down the immediate threat of curbs on foreign ownership of short-term debt after its earlier mention of controls hit the rupiah currency.

Oil prices rose on Wednesday as a drop in U.S. oil and fuel inventories outweighed wider economic concerns.

The dollar fell against most major currencies Wednesday as dealers took profits on the currency's biggest rise in three weeks, with fresh data doing little to alter the view that U.S. interest rates will remain at record lows well into 2010.

The Federal Reserve may rely principally on a largely untested monetary policy tool when the time comes to raise borrowing costs.

Oil prices rose Tuesday as demand for oil products supported crude, outweighing pressure from a stronger dollar.

The dollar rebounded Tuesday from a 15-month low after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's rare comments on the currency spurred traders to trim long-term bets against the greenback.