Business and Finance news

Federal Reserve officials on Thursday downplayed the consequences of the falling U.S. dollar, underscoring that deflation is still a threat, especially with commercial real estate prices falling.
Dallas Fed President Richard Fisher said in an interview with Market News International that the weakening dollar, which hit a 15-month low against major currencies on Monday, is […]

Wal-Mart’s much-awaited Black Friday deals will focus on a gamut of gadgets such as high-definition TVs, laptops and Blu-ray players, as well as holiday gift favorites such as toys and DVDs, according to a copy of the retailer’s circular obtained by CNNMoney.com.
While not confirming the entire circular, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman confirmed some of the […]

Intel Corp, the world’s biggest chip-maker, expects the launch of Microsoft’s new Windows 7 operating system to prompt corporate buyers to replace hardware in 2010, a company executive said on Tuesday.
“With Windows 7 coming along, you’re going to see that as a factor in corporate computer purchasing. That stuff will start moving the PC […]

World governments should consider urgently a levy on banks to fund future bailouts, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Saturday, departing from London’s longstanding resistance to a global tax.
France and Germany have led the way in Europe on seeking to force the financial sector to return some of the billions of public dollars […]

When hunting for cash, desperate small business owners may find themselves sucked into buying books and software packages promising "Billions in Free Grants!" from Web sites with names like NeverPayItBack.com, or hiring consultants who promise to find them gads of money. All they’re likely to get, though, are empty promises.
Grants are rare, but the […]

Norges Bank raised its key interest rate a quarter point from a record low and signaled steeper increases than it previously forecast over the next three years as inflation accelerates and unemployment remains low.
The Oslo-based bank raised the overnight deposit rate to 1.5 percent, becoming the first European central bank to reverse its […]

China’s government should keep fiscal stimulus spending intact for another year to allow for a “full recovery in 2011,” central bank adviser Fan Gang said.
Investment in China’s real estate sector is starting to resume and some industries are beginning to utilize previously idled capacity, Fan said. The government’s stimulus is needed to keep […]

U.S. bank regulators, saying losses on souring commercial real-estate loans pose the biggest risk to lenders, will issue guidelines to help the institutions modify the agreements.
Reduced demand for space has led to falling rental rates, adding to losses on the loans, leaders of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., Office of the Comptroller of […]

Hong Kong Monetary Authority Chief Executive Norman Chan said he will maintain the city’s fixed exchange rate, after the central bank intervened under his watch for the first time to stop the Hong Kong dollar gaining.
Chan, who began work as the head of the HKMA today, said his first task was “to keep […]

An Australian court has ruled that local governments can pursue financial claims against collapsed U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers in Australia and elsewhere, a firm that is funding the litigation said on Monday.
IMF (Australia) Ltd said the Federal Court ruled on Friday in favor of town councils and others which had lost money in […]