WASHINGTON (AFP) ― Federal Reserve policymakers saw a potential threat to U.S. growth from the global slowdown and a possible decrease in inflation in their last meeting, according to the minutes published Wednesday.But they also said the sharp fall in oil prices would likely bring relief to American households and boost overall consumption, supporting the economy.The solid gains in the labor market underpinned a general sense of confidence at the Oct. 28-29 meeting of the Federal Open Market Co

An executive at Uber Technologies Inc. is facing criticism for saying that the mobile car-booking startup should hire a team of opposition researchers to dig up dirt on journalists who scrutinize the company. Emil Michael, Uber’s senior vice president of business, was speaking at a dinner in New York last week that included BuzzFeed editor-in-chief Ben Smith, who reported on the comments yesterday. Michael suggested the San Francisco-based company was willing to spend a million dollars to look i

TOKYO (AFP) ― The Bank of Japan on Wednesday kept its view that Japan’s economy was recovering, despite GDP data that showed the country had slipped into recession.Wrapping up a two-day policy meeting, the central bank kept policy unchanged ― after expanding its already huge stimulus package last month ― as investors eye BOJ governor Haruhiko Kuroda’s press briefing later in the day.Markets want to see what Kuroda says about the government’s decision to delay a sales tax rise next year, after a

Russia’s economy will sink into a recession next year if the price of oil slumps to $60 a barrel and the U.S. and its allies tighten sanctions over the conflict in Ukraine, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said. The economy of the world’s largest energy exporter won’t grow faster than 1 percent in 2015 even if oil prices hold steady and the severity of sanctions remains unchanged, Siluanov said in an interview in Singapore. The price of Brent has slumped by almost a third this year to below $80 a

WASHINGTON (AP) ― The Democratic-controlled Senate rejected legislation Tuesday aimed at forcing completion of a Canada-to Texas oil pipeline, a massive project at the center of a fierce environmental dispute.Republicans, fresh from sweeping midterm election victories, vowed resurrect the controversial issue next year, when they will control both chambers of the new Congress that takes office in January. The Keystone XL pipeline has divided Democrats, with President Barack Obama opposing the mea

With Japan’s slump into its fourth recession since 2008 threatening the failure of the Abenomics reflation program, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration is taking steps to shore up growth for the coming year.Economy Minister Akira Amari told reporters Monday in Tokyo there is a high chance of a stimulus package. Etsuro Honda, an adviser to Abe, said a 3 trillion yen ($26 billion) program was appropriate and should go toward measures that directly help households, such as child care support

NEW YORK (AP) ― In a deal that shows just how quickly falling prices can upend the energy industry, Halliburton is buying rival oilfield services company Baker Hughes for cash and stock worth $34.6 billion.Global oil prices have tumbled 31 percent over the past five months to levels not seen in four years. That has forced the industry to cut costs by delaying or scaling back drilling ― which means less work for Halliburton and Baker Hughes, companies that manage oil and gas fields for energy com

The Federal Reserve is meeting with lenders including Barclays Plc, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Bank of America Corp. and Goldman Sachs Group Inc., in addition to the Japanese and U.K. central banks, to discuss alternatives to the London interbank offered rate. The discussion at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York is aimed at developing reference rates based on risk-free or near risk-free rates, the Fed said in a statement. It follows recommendations made in a July report by the Financial Stability B

LONDON (AP) ― The European Central Bank stands ready to buy government bonds if inflation in the 18-country eurozone fails to rise as anticipated, its president said Monday in a hint that helped shore up the region’s stock markets and put pressure on the euro.Addressing lawmakers of the European Parliament, Mario Draghi said the bank’s governing council remains unanimous in its commitment to using additional unconventional instruments within its mandate.“Other unconventional measures might entai