Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.
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Ben Bernanke stays the course. He has not at all changed his dovish positions. He said, "the labor market generally remains weak" and that "overall inflation remains low," indicating he was little inclined to begin raising rates or stop asset purchases.

Lest there is any doubt about where he stands on continuing asset purchases, Bernanke said, "in the current environment, the benefits of asset purchases and of policy accommodation more generally are clear: monetary policy is providing important support to the recovery," noting the improvement in housing and auto sales.