Federal Reserve

For the first time since 2007, the U.S. economy is poised to start the new year on a strong footing amid a flurry of signs that point to a recovery. From…

Alan Greenspan was often celebrated during his long chairmanship of the Federal Reserve. But Greenspan's policies have been blamed by some for the Great Recession. In an interview with NPR about his new book, The Map and the Territory: Risk, Human Nature, and the Future of Forecasting, Greenspan discusses difficulties in predicting economic calamity.

Yellen currently serves as the Federal Reserve's vice chairwoman. If confirmed she will take over for Ben Bernanke, with whom she has worked hand-in-glove with over the past few years.

If Congress doesn't raise the debt ceiling by Oct. 17, the U.S. could fail to "meet all its obligations for the first time in our history."

The central bank's unexpected move to keep rates low for now was good news for stock investors and homebuyers, but oil prices surged and savers will have longer to wait before they see higher rates. The Federal Reserve concluded that the economy is still too weak and needs its continued help.

Consumer prices rose just 0.1 percent in August and were up only 1.5 percent from a year earlier. The report seems to fit with the notion that the Federal Reserve has accomplished its objective: Give the economy enough of a lift to keep it moving, but not so much that inflation takes off.

Five years ago this week, Lehman Brothers collapsed, and America's financial crisis began. On Monday morning, President Obama will mark the anniversary with a speech in the White House Rose Garden. The White House released a new report ahead of the address, assessing how the government's efforts to stabilize the economy turned out.