Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's prepared speech to the Kansas City Fed Bank's annual retreat in Jackson, Wyoming

Here're the latest video reports from Jackson Hole, Wyo., where Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is talking this morning about housing and monetary policy. The speech is being eagerly awaited by investors for some sign that the Fed will soon cut interest rates.

CEOs, politicians and economists are bringing up the "R" word these days. And nearly all of them have a simple solution: the Fed should cut interest rates--and soon.

On Friday, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will address the annual monetary conference held in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Amid the U.S. subprime mortgage mess, tightening global credit and a volatile market, everyone is waiting on what Bernanke will say -- and do.

Economics is known as an imprecise science and one might need look no further than the business of calling recessions to see that. Unlike the weather, recessions arrive before you know it and depart under the same circumstances.