Documents show how Fed missed housing bust (AP)
AP - Ben Bernanke presided over his first meeting as Federal Reserve chairman in March 2006 believing the nation's economy could pull off a "soft landing" from falling home prices. Three months later, Bernanke had begun to grasp that he and others had underestimated the risk housing posed to the economy.
US Chamber sees limp economy, high unemployment rate in election year (The Christian Science Monitor)
The Christian Science Monitor - US Chamber of Commerce President Thomas Donohue offered a grim outlook for cutting the politically sensitive unemployment rate ahead of Election 2012, citing a forecast for relatively weak economic growth.
ECB sees "substantial" effect from cheap money (Reuters)
Reuters - The European Central Bank's flood of cheap three-year money is helping the euro zone's banking system substantially and supporting confidence in the bloc's economy which is showing some signs of stabilization, its president said on Thursday.
Fed survey shows economy ended 2011 with strength (AP)
AP - The final weeks of 2011 were among the economy's strongest as Americans shopped and traveled more, ending the year with a shot of optimism for 2012.
Fed says economy expanding moderately (Reuters)
Reuters - The Federal Reserve said on Wednesday the economy continued to expand modestly through the end of 2011 as holiday spending proved robust, but a weak job market was still preventing incomes from rising.
Chicago Fed’s Evans: Need to see better housing market (Reuters)
Reuters - The president of the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank said on Wednesday that a more vibrant housing market will be necessary to boost home prices and provide a lift to the overall economy.
Bumpy earnings season ahead for banks (AP)
AP - You can usually tell a lot about the health of the U.S. economy by looking at the financial results of banks. They're the people who finance new factories, plant expansions and fatter payrolls.
Benchmark oil price rises above $102 per barrel (AP)
AP - Oil prices climbed Tuesday on expectations that China's economy — and its appetite for petroleum — will continue to grow in 2012.
China trade growth slows to 2-year lows in December (Reuters)
Reuters - China's exports and imports grew at their slowest pace in more than two years in December as foreign and domestic demand ebbed, data showed on Tuesday, bolstering expectations of more policy action from Beijing to support the world's number two economy.
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