The average price of regular gasoline has reached a new record in United States but adjusted to inflation and linked to the GDP, the bill is still lower than that of 1981, according to the US Energy Information agency, EIA.
Former U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said on Wednesday he feared a dramatic contraction in Chinese stocks but said the global economy may be able to shrug off a drop in asset prices. U.S. and Japanese stock markets slipped following his remarks.
President George W. Bush said this week he wants a United States citizen to succeed Paul Wolfowitz as president of the World Bank, playing down speculation he might turn to departing British Prime Minister Tony Blair for the job.
United States Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson urged China to address persistent trade and financial imbalances as bilateral high-level discussions kicked off in Washington.
The White House and key senators agreed Thursday to reshape United States immigration laws and give millions of illegal immigrants' legal status, a compromise that carries heavy potential risks because it still must pass the test of approval.
United States consumer prices increased by 0.4% in April, down from 0.6% in March with prices of goods such as clothing offsetting higher petrol costs, according to the latest release from the US Labor Department.
The United States trade deficit widened by more than expected in March, as higher oil and petrol prices sent imports to the second-highest level on record.
United States Democratic-controlled Congress wrestled major trade concessions from the Republican administration to make international labor and environment standards binding for US free-trade agreements.
In a move widely expected the United States Federal Reserve kept its main interest rate on hold at 5.25%, but warned that its predominant policy concerns remains the risk that inflation will fail to moderate as expected.
The dollar fell to an all-time low against the euro Friday, after a government report showed the U.S. economy slowed to a real annualized growth rate of 1.3% in the first quarter, marking the weakest expansion in four years.