Archive For "January, 2010"

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) – The Senate voted on Thursday to confirm Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke to a second four-year term. The vote on final confirmation was 70 to 30. The final vote came minutes after Bernanke easily cleared a procedural vote to end debate that required 60 votes.

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Federal Reserve board chairman Bern Bernanke cleared a key test vote on his nomination for a second four-year term at the helm of the central bank. By a vote of 77 to 23, the Senate agreed to end the debate on his nomination. The Senate will immediately move to a final confirmation vote. Only a simple majority of the Senate is needed in the second vote.

The dollar rises to the highest since July against the euro, as investors around the globe signal approval of the Federal Reserve’s more upbeat outlook for the U.S. economy.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says he has an agreement to allow for the final vote on Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke’s nomination to a second term to take place later in the day.

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — The Senate agreed Thursday that the final confirmation vote on Federal Reserve Board chairman Ben Bernanke would come just after a procedural vote set for 3:20 p.m. Eastern, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced. Senators agreed to waive the rules that require 30 hours of debate to follow the procedural measure. As a result, if Bernanke receives the 60 votes needed on the procedural vote, the Senate will immediately proceed to confirmation, Reid said.

Canadian stocks on Thursday fell to the lowest levels since November as financials and metals producers fell.

Economists continue to forecast a range of prospective dates for when the Federal Reserve will make its first move to tighten U.S. monetary policy and bring higher interest rates to bear.

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday that he is seeking agreement to allow for the final vote on Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke’s nomination to a second term to take place later in the day. On the Senate floor, Reid said he is asking opponents of Bernanke’s nomination to waive the requirement for 30 hours of debate between a procedural vote and a final up-or-down vote. A few hours later, a spokesman for Reid said no agreement has been reached yet. The test vote on Bernanke is expected this afternoon. Bernanke will need 60 votes to clear this hurdle. The second vote requires a simple majority of 50 Senators. Analysts now think Bernanke has the votes he needs to be confirmed.

Greece has no intention of seeking loans from fellow European Union members and remains committed to making the sacrifices required to put its finances in order and eliminate a damaging fiscal “credibility gap,” Prime Minister George Papandreou said Thursday.

Poland’s economy expanded 1.7% last year, the only one in the European Union to register growth, as strong domestic consumption offset the impact of the global crisis.