WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve under Ben Bernanke has gone further than ever to explain its policies to the public. It’s ready to go further still. A Fed policy meeting Tuesday will likely focus, in part, on an evolving plan ...

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WASHINGTON — The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage fell below 4 percent for just the second time in history. Freddie Mac said Thursday the rate on the 30-year fixed loan fell to 3.99 percent, down from 4 percent ...

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WASHINGTON — The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 4 percent this week, nearly matching the all-time low hit just one month ago. Freddie Mac said Thursday the rate on the 30-year loan dropped from 4.10 percent ...

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WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve will use more than $400 billion to try to drive down long-term interest rates, make home and business loans cheaper and invigorate the economy. Analysts said the moves would provide only a slight economic benefit. ...

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WASHINGTON — For someone known as a consensus builder, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke sure generates — and shrugs off — a lot of dissent. Bernanke last month pushed ahead with a plan to keep short-term interest rates near zero ...

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WASHINGTON — The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage has fallen to its lowest level on records dating to 1971. The rate on the most popular mortgage dipped to 4.15 percent from 4.32 percent a week ago, Freddie Mac ...

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NEW YORK — More evidence of a slowing global economy sent stocks falling Tuesday and threatened to end the market’s three-day rally. Germany’s economy stalled last quarter and dragged down growth for Europe. In the U.S., reports painted a mixed ...

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NEW YORK — Stocks are rising at the close of trading after investors latched onto some small signs that the economy might not be headed into another recession. Fewer Americans joined the unemployment line last week, and a technology bellwether ...

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WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve guaranteed super-low interest rates for two more years Tuesday — an unprecedented step to arrest the alarming decline of the stock market and the economy. Wall Street roared its approval and finished a wild day ...

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NEW YORK — The average rate on 30-year fixed mortgages rose this week to the highest level in seven months, reflecting higher yields on long-term Treasurys. Freddie Mac says the rate increased to 4.86 percent from 4.81 percent in the ...

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