Angela Merkel

With 24 percent of the S&P 500 companies set to report third quarter earnings this week, Apple stands out as one of the most highly anticipated. The technology giant is set to open its books to the public after the bell on Monday. After the second quarter showed a negative trend in iPad...

Microsoft’s earnings report outpaced expectations on Thursday, due in large part to sales of the company’s Office and server software. The company’s revenue rose 16 percent and profit was up 17 percent to $0.62 cents per share. Microsoft’s positive earnings indicated the company’s wide scale...

One third of the S&P 500 companies’ earnings reports have been released, of which 66.3 have come in above profit expectations. However, only 54 percent have put out better than expected revenue, which falls below the 61 percent long-term average. With US investors finally focused on...

With just two days until the US’ budget deadline, House leaders were unable to bring a GOP bill to the floor for a vote on Tuesday night. The last minute obstacle put pressure on markets as investors began to worry that defaulting was becoming a real possibility. Fitch Ratings warned that...

US Senators struck an optimistic tone following talks on Monday, leading many to believe that a deal to reopen the government and avoid default was right around the corner. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid hinted at the possibility of a deal on Tuesday saying, “We hope that with good...

With the October 17 deadline only days away, investors looked to the yen for a safety net. Asian stocks fell and US share index futures dropped on Monday morning following failed budget negotiations over the weekend. Democrats and Republicans in Washington have reopened discussions about the...

The euro traded steadily above $1.35 on Monday morning after pushing above $1.36 last week. The dollar was on shaky ground as investors began to worry that the US government shutdown was having irreversible effects on the fragile US economy. The shutdown was only expected to last a few days,...

The US government has shown no signs of progress in reaching an agreement that will restart Federal operations, adding to worries that the two sides will remain at odds through the October 17 deadline to raise the country’s borrowing limit. House Speaker John Boehner has said he will work...

The US began its fourth day without the functions of most of the Federal government while Congress continued to argue over an emergency spending bill. President Obama canceled a trip to Indonesia and Brunei due to the shutdown, and several thousand government workers have been forced to take...

Worries that political squabbling could end with a default in October if US lawmakers don’t raise the nation’s borrowing limit have kept investors from making major plays in markets across the world. Some US senators, backed by the Tea Party, have been threatening to block an...

The euro held on to gains and remained above $1.35 on Monday morning after German elections resulted in current Chancellor Angela Merkel being re-elected. However, it appeared that Merkel won't have an absolute majority within parliament, so her third term isn't likely to be a walk in the park....

Angela Merkel and her conservative party won German elections on Sunday, but she will not have an absolute majority in Germany’s lower house of parliament. Her junior coalition partner, the Christian Democratic Union fell short, leaving Merkel to find a new leftist partner. Top News In...

On Sunday, Germans will head to the polls to determine whether or not Angela Merkel and her coalition government will be returned to power. Although Merkel is widely favored to be re-elected, her coalition partners may not be so lucky. If new parties are awarded seats in parliament, the...

The euro remained above $1.35 ahead of the weekend after its spike following the announcement that the US Federal Reserve wasn't going to start tapering its stimulus spending just yet. The common currency traded at $1.3529 at 7:00 GMT on Friday morning. The eurozone has posted mostly positive...

President Obama’s top choice to replace the current Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has dropped out of the race. Lawrence Summers withdrew on Sunday after weeks of criticism for being too close to Wall Street and a reputation for being abrasive. The news put Fed Vice Chairman Janet...