The Federal Reserve delivered a vote of confidence in the economy Wednesday, saying it would slow the pace of an emergency rescue program as the recession appears to be ending. ...more

August 13, 2009

The era of the consumer-driven economy may be over. After powering U.S. and global growth for more than a generation, the American consumer has run out of gas. Burdened by debt and no longer able to borrow against rising home and stock values, U.S. households have begun a retreat in spending that will require the nation and the world to find new economic drivers, economists say. ...more

March 24, 2009

Turning more upbeat, President Barack Obama said Friday his administration is working to create a "post-bubble" model for solid economic growth once the recession ends. He said that means the days of overheated housing markets and "people maxing out on their credit cards" are over. ...more

March 14, 2009

The number of laid-off workers receiving unemployment benefits has jumped to an all-time high near 5 million while new jobless claims remain well above 600,000. Both figures were worse than expected and new projections from the Federal Reserve show unemployment rising for the rest of this year. ...more

February 20, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - An alarming half-million American jobs vanished virtually in a flash last month, the worst mass layoffs in over a third of a century, as economic carnage spread ever faster and the U.S. hurtled toward what could be the hardest hard times since the Great Depression. ...more

December 7, 2008

An alarming half-million American jobs vanished last month, the worst mass layoffs in more than a third of a century, as economic carnage spread ever faster and the nation hurtled toward what could be the hardest hard times since the Great Depression. ...more

December 6, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) - The worst monthly drop on record for retail sales set off new alarm bells about the U.S. economy Friday, stepping up pressure on policymakers to figure out how to combat what increasingly looks to be a severe recession. ...more

November 16, 2008

The worst monthly drop on record for retail sales set off new alarm bells about the economy Friday, stepping up pressure on policymakers to figure out how to combat what increasingly looks to be a severe recession. ...more

November 15, 2008

Questions and answers about the housing bill signed by President Bush on Wednesday to help as many as 400,000 struggling homeowners facing foreclosure: ...more

July 31, 2008

Cash-strapped homebuyers and borrowers facing foreclosure will get some relief from a housing bill passed by the House on Wednesday but the bill won't solve the deep-rooted ills of the U.S. housing market. ...more

July 24, 2008