Fed says banks can withstand economic downturn, clears way for dividend hikes

Fed says banks can withstand economic downturn, clears way for dividend hikes

Twenty-two of the largest banks in the U.S. are well-positioned to weather a hypothetical severe economic downturn and continue lending, with firms maintaining robust capital levels even after suffering hundreds of billions of dollars in losses, the Federal Reserve reported on Friday. The results of the U.S. central bank’s annual “stress test” of large banks’ … Read more

Dollar gets limited lift from jobs, trade questions linger

Dollar gets limited lift from jobs, trade questions linger

The dollar was struggling to hold its ground on Monday even as concerns about a U.S. recession eased just a little, while investors awaited actual evidence of a thaw in Sino-U.S. trade relations, as opposed to just hints from officials. The solid March payrolls report had offered the dollar support by lengthening the odds on … Read more

Fed survey finds inflation fading as a risk next to debt, trade wars

Fed survey finds inflation fading as a risk next to debt, trade wars

President-elect Donald Trump may have campaigned hard against high inflation, but by the time of his Nov. 5 election victory financial professionals had moved on from rising prices and begun worrying about rising U.S. debt, possible recession, and risks to global trade as among the top threats to the stability of the financial sector, according … Read more