Fed flirts with leaving taper on the table
Breakfast with Benjamin: The end of QE? Not so fast. Plus: Gold gets the cold shoulder, most European banks pass stress tests, and why you shouldn't get too excited about stock buyback plans.
- No matter what the Fed says this week, quantitative easing will be with us for a long time. But letting the bond-buying continue will say volumes about the overall weakness of the U.S. economy. Doves are running the show
- Gold feels the flipside of stronger global economic data. Gold bugs might grumble, but the rest of us should be a little happier about not needing a safe-haven asset at the moment. Prices of the commodity steadied, but still coming off a three-day slide
- The latest stress test finds the list of failing European banks is shrinking. This is European-style progress. Beggars can’t be choosers. The delicate balance of curing the economy without killing it
- Before getting too giddy about stock buyback announcements, consider a few possible downsides. Sorry for raining on the parade. They can hurt profits, and they can be driven by executive compensation
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