WASHINGTON — A majority of Federal Reserve policymakers want to continue extraordinary bond purchases to help boost the U.S. economy at least through the middle of the year, according to minutes from the Fed’s last meeting released Wednesday. But many ...

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WASHINGTON — A measure of the U.S. economy intended to signal future activity rose only slightly last month, suggesting growth could stay weak. The Conference Board says its index of leading indicators increased 0.2 percent in October after a 0.5 ...

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WASHINGTON — The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment aid fell to a four-year low last week, bolstering the view that the job market is strengthening. The Labor Department said Thursday that weekly applications dropped 5,000 to a seasonally adjusted ...

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WASHINGTON — In in the latest sign that the U.S. economy is surging at year’s end, unemployment claims have dropped to the lowest level since April 2008, long before anyone realized that the nation was in a recession. Claims fell ...

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WASHINGTON — A gauge of future economic activity rose at solid pace in October, offering hope that the economy may see stronger growth in coming months. The Conference Board reported Friday that its index of leading economic indicators rose 0.9 ...

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WASHINGTON — We may be into the second year of the economic recovery, but Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and his colleagues are still facing plenty of challenges as they try to keep a fragile expansion on track. A host ...

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NEW YORK — A private research group forecasts that the economy will grow modestly over the next few months, recovering from a late-spring slump. The Conference Board says its index of leading economic indicators rebounded in May, rising 0.8 percent. ...

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LONDON — Global stocks were steady Wednesday ahead of a raft of U.S. economic figures which will culminate in the key monthly jobs data at the end of the week, while the euro held on to recent gains on hopes ...

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WASHINGTON — For all the talk of recovery, Americans are growing increasingly pessimistic about the economy as soaring gas costs strain already-tight budgets. So far, people aren’t taking it out on President Barack Obama, a new Associated Press-GfK poll shows. ...

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WASHINGTON — The unemployment rate dropped sharply last month to 9 percent, the lowest level in nearly two years. But the economy generated only 36,000 net new jobs, the fewest in four months. The January report illustrates how job growth ...

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