Fed Debated Options to Provide More Economic Support

Federal Reserve officials reviewed how to design more support for an economy reeling from the coronavirus pandemic after they had earlier cut interest rates to zero and sharply expanded their asset portfolio, minutes from their most recent meeting show. 


 
S&P 500 Edges Up to Start Third Quarter

The S&P 500 rose in the first session of July after data showed the labor market continued to improve last month. 


 
Saudis Threaten New Oil-Price War With OPEC Brethren

Saudi Arabia has threatened to ignite an oil-price war unless fellow OPEC members make up for their failure to abide by the cartel's recent production cuts. 


 
House Passes $1.5 Trillion Infrastructure Bill

The House passed a broad, $1.5 trillion effort to rebuild the nation's roads, railways and schools, as Democrats pursued their own infrastructure legislation without the bipartisan deal discussed for years during the Trump administration. 


 
South Korea Inflation Accelerates Slightly

South Korea's inflation accelerated slightly, but still remained subdued in June as the coronavirus pandemic continued to weigh on price growth. 


 
Hedge Fund Star John Paulson Calls It Quits

John Paulson made billions of dollars anticipating the 2008 financial collapse. But after running into difficulties in recent years, Mr. Paulson will now convert his hedge fund firm into a private investment firm. 


 
Fed's $600 Billion Main Street Lending Program Sees Lukewarm Interest

The government is offering to lend up to $600 billion to help small and midsize businesses weather the coronavirus-induced recession, but so far interest has been sparse. 


 
Junk Bonds Underperform as Covid Cases Climb

Worry about a second wave of Covid-19 cases is pushing junk bond yields to their highest levels in a month, causing the risky debt to underperform other credit markets. 


 
Oil Prices Climb After Inventory Data

Prices are near their highest level since early March, buoyed by recovering fuel demand and supply cuts. Wednesday's rally was supported by declining U.S. crude inventories and production. 


 
U.S. Crude-Oil Inventories Fall From Record-High

Crude-oil supplies fell by 7.2 million barrels in the latest week, which was much more than analysts expected, but gasoline supplies unexpectedly increased, government data showed.