http://thefinanceweblog.com Business and Finance Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:52:16 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en German exports fell four times more than economists forecast in December as the sovereign debt crisis damped growth across the euro region. Exports slumped 4.3 percent from November, when they rose 2.6 percent, the Federal Statistics Office in Wiesbaden said today. Economists predicted a decline of 1 percent, ... http://thefinanceweblog.com/german-exports-slump-faster-than-forecast-as-crisis-damps-growth-economy-bloomberg/ China http://thefinanceweblog.com/china-risks-4-point-growth-rate-cut-in-case-of-europe-worsening-economy-bloomberg/ The U.S. jobless rate unexpectedly fell in January to the lowest in three years as payrolls climbed more than forecast, casting doubt on the Federal Reserve http://thefinanceweblog.com/payrolls-jump-casts-doubt-on-feds-rate-pledge-economy-bloomberg/ Facebook has finally filed to raise $5 billion through a public offering. But it hardly needs the cash: The company already has almost $4 billion stashed in its piggy bank.In its IPO filing, Facebook gave standard (boring) boilerplate explanation of what it'll do with the cash it raises: ... http://thefinanceweblog.com/what-will-facebook-do-with-9-billion/ Global manufacturing picked up in January, with factory indexes from China to Germany and the U.S. showing growth. Chinese manufacturing indexes rose as the world http://thefinanceweblog.com/manufacturing-showing-growth-worldwide-as-slump-in-europe-eases-economy-bloomberg/ Home prices in 20 U.S. cities probably fell at a slower pace in the year to November, pointing to limited improvement in the residential real estate market, economists said before reports today. The S&P/Case-Shiller index of property values in 20 cities dropped 3.3 percent from November 2010, the ... http://thefinanceweblog.com/home-prices-in-20-us-cities-probably-fell-at-a-slower-rate-bloomberg/ Treasury five-year note yields fell to the lowest level ever after Federal Reserve officials unexpectedly said their benchmark interest rate will stay low until at least late 2014. Yields on the securities set three consecutive records after Fed Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said Jan. 25 that the central ... http://thefinanceweblog.com/treasury-five-year-yield-falls-to-record-low-on-federal-reserve-strategy-bloomberg/ U.S. economic growth may not top 2 percent this year and a third round of quantitative easing by the Federal Reserve would have little effect, said Martin Feldstein, a professor of economics at Harvard University. http://thefinanceweblog.com/harvards-feldstein-sees-slow-growth-while-doubting-fed-easing-bloomberg/ Claims for U.S. jobless benefits rose last week, displaying the usual volatility around holidays that has masked an improvement in the labor market. Applications (INJCJC) for unemployment insurance payments climbed by 21,000 to 377,000 in the week ended Jan. 21, up from an almost four-year low in the ... http://thefinanceweblog.com/jobless-claims-in-us-rise-displaying-seasonal-volatility-bloomberg/ Hungarian Premier Viktor Orban pledging to yield in a row with the European Union helped the central bank leave the European Union http://thefinanceweblog.com/orbans-imf-reversal-fends-off-hungarian-rate-increase-as-forint-rebounds-bloomberg/