Tapering

The CurrencyShares Australian Dollar Trust (NYSE: FXA), the ETF proxy for the Australian dollar, has shown itself to be sensitive to chatter about Federal Reserve Tapering of quantitative easing. Since May 20, about the time tapering talk really started, FXA is off nearly seven percent. That...

In the coming week, the FOMC minutes will take center stage as investors look for cues as to whether the Fed will taper asset purchases in September. Also, key housing indicators and housing-related stocks will be in focus. Key Earnings In the coming week, the key earnings are from Hewlett-...

Futures Higher On China Trade Data U.S. equity futures shrugged off fears of Federal Reserve tapering in early trade and moved slightly higher following a largely better than expected trade report from China for July. Also, the European Central Bank issued its monthly report, revising down growth...

Futures Lower After Asia Sell-Off U.S. equity futures were lower in early pre-market trade following a sharp sell-off overnight in Asia, which saw Japanese stocks drop 4 percent. Also, markets will have their eyes on Elon Musk as his two companies are set to report earnings today. Top News In...

Futures Flat On Relaxed China Fears, Emerging Market Rebound U.S. equity futures were flat in early pre-market trade as services data out of China showed that the economy continued to chug along at low levels in July. Also, easing fears over imminent Federal Reserve tapering led to rebounds in...

In its latest interest rate statement, the Federal Reserve kept rates on hold as expected and kept its bond-buying program at $85 billion per month. The Fed made no indication of tapering at all in its statement. Modest Recovery The Fed noted that the economy expanded at a modest pace in the first...

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's speech to the House Financial Services Committee was published an hour and a half before the speech. In the text of the upcoming speech, Bernanke once again reiterated that tapering would likely start this year if the economy moves in line with the Fed's...

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is set to speak in each of the next two days in his semi-annual Congressional testimony. He will spend Wednesday speaking in front of the House Financial Services Committee while Thursday he will testify in front of the Senate Banking Committee, with both...

On Monday, the Census Bureau announced that retail sales in the U.S. rose at a slower pace than expected in June. The move has prompted some to revise down second quarter growth estimates and decreases the likelihood that the Fed will taper purchases in September. Weak Report For the month of June...

Futures Rise Despite Weak China GDP U.S. equity futures gained in early pre-market trade despite weak GDP data from China. China reported second quarter GDP grew 1.7 percent in the quarter, worse than the expected 1.8 percent growth rate. However, the annualized figure posted at 7.5 percent growth...

Futures Higher On Dovish Bernanke U.S. equity futures rose sharply as a speech from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke after the close Wednesday was much more dovish than expected. The comments show that the Fed is not looking to end its easy money policies any time soon. Top News In other...

Futures Lower On Weak China Trade Data, Eyeing FOMC Minutes U.S. equity futures dropped slightly in early pre-market trade following some weak trade data from China for June. The world's second largest economy reported slower than expected growth in both exports and imports but a wider than...

While most Americans were eating hot dogs and celebrating the birth date of the United States, the Bank of England and the European Central Bank took unprecedented steps in launching forward guidance in their interest rate decisions. The move sent shares higher and the pound and the euro...

Non-Farm Payrolls rose faster than expected in June as teenagers began to take summer jobs. The unemployment rate remained flat in the month while manufacturing payrolls slumped. Stocks gained as bonds and precious metals sold off on the news as markets began to price in more or sooner tapering of...

Dennis Gartman, founder and editor of The Gartman Letter, talked about gold's plummet, tapering and stocks on CNBC's Squawk Box on Friday morning. "I've been very fortunately short of gold, long of stocks, and long of crude oil, a rather complicated trade that worked out reasonably well, and I...