With employment and salaries improving, policymakers are focusing on inflation

Fed watchers are obsessed with two words right now: “considerable time.”

Despite, or perhaps because of, the historic drought in the Midwest, farmers are making big profits. Isaac shuts down Louisiana's ports. And all those smartphones come with a cost: more than ever, we're tethered to our jobs.

Diane Swonk, chief economist with Mesirow Financial, explains why the super committee might not reach a deal by its deadline.

The Federal Reserve has a new plan to understand the public's perception — following blogs, Facebook, and Twitter.

The Fed chairman heads to Capitol Hill to explain his policies. If Bernanke's mandate were only to control inflation, and not unemployment, he might act differently.

Has the Fed changed since Alan Greenspan's reign, or are there just more problems now?

The Federal Reserve announced that it would lower long-term interest rates to try to encourage consumer spending. But the plan may have limited impact on the economy.

Just a few hours into its life, "Operation Twist" is holding little water in global markets. We talk to Diane Swonk about why it's having the opposite of intended effect.

The Federal Reserve announced yesterday that it will implement a plan to lower interest rates and make bond-buying less attractive.