Fed more confident in US recovery, unhappy on jobs
WASHINGTON, Feb 16 (Reuters) - U.S. Federal Reserve officials raised their forecasts for economic growth last month but remained unhappy with the job market's recovery.
Minutes of the Fed's Jan. 25-26 policy session released on Wednesday suggested the consensus was still firmly aligned with completing the planned purchase of $600 billion in government bonds. A few Fed members questioned whether continued stronger data would call for curtailing the program.
PRECIOUS-Gold draws safe-haven bid from M.East turmoil
LONDON, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Gold rose for a fourth day in a row on Thursday, in its strongest run since September, helped by a softer dollar and by the unrest spreading across the Middle East that lured investors to safe-haven assets.
Investors are closely watching the growing turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa, especially after police in Bahrain attacked demonstrators camped out in the capital, killing three, and riots broke out in Libya.
FOREX-Euro steady vs dollar; safety bid lifts Swiss franc
LONDON, Feb 17 (Reuters) - The euro was steady versus the dollar on Thursday, with solid demand at a Spanish debt auction offset by broader euro zone banking and sovereign debt concerns, while concern about tension in the Middle East lifted the Swiss franc.
Spain and France sold a combined 11.87 billion euros of debt at auctions which analysts said fared well, with a longer-dated Spanish bond notably attracting good bids as it looked cheap on the Spanish curve.
US wheat recovers on weaker dollar, firmer oil price
SYDNEY, Feb 17 (Reuters) - U.S. wheat futures rose 0.8 percent as traders took encouragement from a weaker dollar, advances in Asian stock markets, and oil prices extending gains on concerns about Middle East unrest.
"Outside markets are providing a very solid footing for agricultural products right now," said Luke Mathews, an agricultural commodities strategist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
World stocks hit 30-month high; oil dips
LONDON, Feb 17 (Reuters) - World stocks hit a 30-month high driven by strong corporate earnings and cautious optimism on the U.S. economy from the Federal Reserve, while oil prices eased after hitting a 28-month high the previous day.
"Many people are still optimistic about the market because the global economy is doing well and earnings for large U.S. companies have been quite good," said Heinz-Gerd Sonnenschein, equity markets strategist at Deutsche Postbank in Bonn.
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