MARTIN CRUTSINGER

AP Economics Writer
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Bernanke to deliver 4 college lectures on Fed

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will take a brief step back into his former life as a college professor.

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Economic gauge rises 0.4 percent in December

A gauge of future economic activity rose in December, providing evidence the economy was gaining strength as the year ended.

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Durable goods orders rise as business ups spending

A rebound in business spending on machinery and equipment lifted orders for long-lasting manufactured goods in December, offering more evidence that the economy is gaining momentum at the start of the year.

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Geithner: Obama won't ask me to stay in a 2nd term

Timothy Geithner said Wednesday that he doesn't expect to serve a second term as Treasury secretary. He said he doesn't think President Barack Obama would ask him to remain if Obama won re-election.

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Bernanke: Interest rate hike in 2014 "best guess"

The Federal Reserve's announcement that it is unlikely to raise its benchmark interest rate until late 2014 is simply its "best guess," Ben Bernanke said Wednesday.

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Bernanke opening the door to the Fed a bit wider

What's next — cameras in the Federal Reserve's meetings?

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Fed: Slightly lower growth, unemployment in 2012

The Federal Reserve has slightly reduced its outlook for U.S. economic growth this year but is a little more optimistic about the unemployment rate.

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New Fed voters likelier to back help for economy

If Chairman Ben Bernanke decides the economy needs more help from the Federal Reserve this year, he probably won't face as much resistance as he did last year.

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Fed says full recovery could take 3 more years

The Federal Reserve signaled Wednesday that a full economic recovery could take nearly three more years, and it went further than ever to assure consumers and businesses that they will be able to borrow cheaply well into the future.

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Fed spells out how it will forecast rate changes

The Federal Reserve has specified how it will begin signaling when its benchmark interest rate will rise and what the rate will be at points in the future.

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Foreign holdings of US Treasurys hits record high

Foreign demand for U.S. Treasury debt rose in November to the highest level ever, even as China trimmed its purchases for a second straight month.

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November trade deficit hits $47.8 billion

The U.S. trade deficit widened in November for the first time in five months, largely because of a spike in the price of imported oil.

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Documents show how Fed missed housing bust

Ben Bernanke presided over his first meeting as Federal Reserve chairman in March 2006 believing the nation's economy could pull off a "soft landing" from falling home prices. Three months later, Bernanke had begun to grasp that he and others had underestimated the risk housing posed to the economy.

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Rising factory output gives economy a lift

U.S. factories are roaring back from the depths of the recession, cranking out more machinery, vehicles and energy.

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Business stockpiles rose 0.3 percent in November

Businesses increased their stockpiles in November to meet rising consumer demand, a gain that likely boosted economic growth in the final months of last year.

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Retail sales inched up in Dec., ending record year

Retail sales barely rose in December, but the gain was enough to lift sales to a record level for 2011. It marked the largest annual increase in more than a decade.

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Highlights from the Fed's latest economic survey

The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that all but one of its 12 banking districts experienced some growth from late November through the end of the year.

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Fed reports payment of $76.9 billion to government

The Federal Reserve paid the federal government $76.9 billion in 2011, the second highest amount in history. The central bank earned the money from investments made to bolster the U.S. economy.

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Wholesale stockpiles rose slightly in November

Wholesale businesses barely increased their stockpiles in November, even though their sales grew strongly.

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Consumer borrowing surges as economy improves

Americans are feeling confident enough in the economy to go back to a time-honored tradition — taking on a little extra debt.

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US service firms grew at faster pace in December

U.S. service companies grew at a faster pace in December, helped by an economy that gained strength in the final months of the year.

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Geithner to travel to China and Japan next week

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner will travel to Beijing and Tokyo next week for discussions about the global economy and Iran sanctions.

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Factory orders rise, but business investment slips

Orders for factory-made goods that signal business investment plans fell for a second straight month, part of a mixed report on manufacturing in November.

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Fed to regularly forecast interest-rate changes

In a major shift, the Federal Reserve will start announcing four times a year how long it plans to keep short-term interest rates at existing levels, according to minutes from its December policy meeting.

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November construction spending rose 1.2 percent

Construction spending jumped in November as builders spent more on single-family homes, apartments and remodeling projects.

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