Fed's Beige Book finds signs of cooling labor market across most of the U.S.

There were signs that the labor market was cooling in nearly all regions of the country, according to a Federal Reserve survey released Wednesday. 


 
Stocks Fall on Rate-Cut Pessimism

Stronger than expected economic indicators dash hopes for aggressive Fed action. 


 
Consumers Start 2024 on Strong Footing After a Jolly Holiday

U.S. retail sales rose a seasonally adjusted 0.6% in December from a month earlier, the Commerce Department said Wednesday, a larger gain than economists expected. 


 
War, Politics Eclipse Economics on Davos Leaders' Minds

Spreading war, fragmenting trade and key elections fuel anxiety at the annual forum. 


 
OPEC Expects Global Oil Demand to Slow in 2025

OPEC said it expects global oil demand to slow next year, even as it raised its economic forecast as easing inflation spurs global growth. 


 
Faster U.K. inflation and China growth worries hit London's FTSE 100 hard

London's FTSE 100 led declines in European bourses on Wednesday as interest rate-sensitive stocks such as housebuilders, real estate and utilities felt the force of a surprise uptick in U.K. inflation. 


 
Markets Expect Rate Cuts Soon. Central Banks Say Not So Fast.

Officials will probably loosen monetary policy in 2024, but they have reasons to move more slowly than investors are betting. 


 
U.S. Likely to Levy Higher Penalties for Export-Control Violations

The Commerce Department official says businesses should expect more "big-ticket" fines for running afoul of controls on the flow of goods to Russia and China. 


 
Import prices flat in December, a stronger reading than expected

The import price index were unchanged in December, the Labor Department said Wednesday. Economists surveyed by the Wall Street Journal were expecting a 0.6% decline. 


 
U.S. manufacturing in 'rough shape' despite tick up in industrial output in December

Industrial production rose 0.1% in December, the Federal Reserve reported Wednesday. The gain was above of a 0.1% decline, according to a survey by The Wall Street Journal.


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

01-17-24 1715ET