United States

Monday, March 22nd 2010 - 11:18 UTC
US Congress passes Barack Obama's historic health care reform bill

Barack Obama has convinced Democrats in the US Congress to pass his historic health care reform bill, handing the president a victory that will give nearly every American the right to health coverage and could define his time in office.
Saturday, March 20th 2010 - 01:56 UTC
US February consumer prices flat; producer prices fall 0.6%

United States Labour Department reported that the consumer price index was flat in February, though prices were 2.1% higher than a year ago. Core inflation - which strips away food and energy costs - saw a 0.1% rise.
Tuesday, March 16th 2010 - 21:41 UTC
Fed leaves rates unchanged in context of moderate growth and unemployment

The United States Federal Reserve left its key interest rate near 0% once again Tuesday and said rates should stay this low for the foreseeable future. In its release the Federal Open Market Committee, FOMC, policymakers repeated their prediction that economic conditions are likely to result in “exceptionally low levels of the federal funds rate for an extended period”.
Saturday, March 13th 2010 - 02:32 UTC
Lehman Brothers had been using “accounting gimmicks” for years

Former bosses at Lehman Brothers have been accused of using an “accounting gimmick” to hide billions in losses which helped bring about its collapse. The technique, called “Repo 105”, was used to temporarily remove 50 billion US dollars of assets from the US investment bank's balance sheet in 2008, according to a one-year investigation.
Saturday, March 13th 2010 - 02:23 UTC
China calls on US not to make the Yuan de facto dollar peg “a political issue”

The United States should not make a political issue out of the Yuan, a Chinese central banker said as the long running friction between the world’s two leading economies approaches a critical deadline.
Thursday, March 11th 2010 - 23:59 UTC
US February budget deficit was the largest in history: 221 billion USD

The US government recorded a budget deficit of 221 billion US dollars in February - the largest monthly deficit in its history. The total deficit since the beginning of the fiscal year in October now stands at 651.6 billon according to US Treasury figures.
Wednesday, March 10th 2010 - 06:38 UTC
US and Brazil not interested in trade war and “ready to negotiate”

Visiting US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said Tuesday that Washington was seeking talks with Brazil before it imposes retaliatory trade tariffs for US cotton subsidies the WTO ruled as discriminatory.
Tuesday, March 9th 2010 - 18:43 UTC
US advertising on digital media higher than on print in 2010

United States advertisers are spending more this year on digital media than on print according to the latest study by Outsell. Long predicted, the Madison Avenue milestone has finally arrived thanks to a 9.6% boom in digital advertising in 2010.
Tuesday, March 9th 2010 - 07:32 UTC
Brazil/US WTO cotton retaliatory dispute takes off

Brazil announced Monday it would levy a total of 591 million US dollars in retaliatory tariffs on US goods under a ruling against US cotton subsidies granted by a World Trade Organization last year. However Brazil also sent a conciliatory message.
Monday, March 8th 2010 - 07:25 UTC
Encouraging signals from US job market even when unemployment is 9.7%

Encouraging news from the United States labour market: employers shed fewer jobs than expected in February, cutting 36,000 jobs. This was better than the 50,000 analysts had been expecting.