Economic News

Black Friday Spending Hit Record $11.8B, Up 9%

American shoppers spent a record $11.8 billion online on Black Friday, up 9.1% from last year, final data from Adobe Analytics showed.

France's Pasteur Institute: Bird Flu Could Risk Pandemic Worse Than COVID If it Mutates

The bird flu virus that has been spreading among wild birds, poultry and mammals could lead to a pandemic worse than COVID-19 if it mutates to transmit between humans, the head of France's Pasteur Institute respiratory infections center said.

Hassett at the Fed Helm Could Pressure the Dollar

Beneath the U.S. bond markets' composure around the prospect of White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett becoming the next Federal Reserve chair lies a niggling worry that his bias for interest rate cuts will undermine the dollar.

Fed: Job Market Weakening, Spending Declining

U.S. economic activity was little changed in recent weeks, though employment was weaker in about half of the Federal Reserve's 12 districts and consumer spending declined, the U.S. central bank said Wednesday.

Divided Fed Sparks Surge in Rate Options Hedging

Conflicting signals from the Federal Reserve on the timing and magnitude of U.S. interest rate cuts have accelerated hedging flows into swaptions and derivatives tied to overnight rates, with investors seeking protection against heightened policy uncertainty.