Data points to slow healing in labor market

(Reuters) - Companies added jobs in October at the fastest pace in eight months, a sign of modest healing in the labor market just days before a presidential election that could hinge on the economy.

Spain has successful bond sale after tough week

MADRID (AP) — Spain raised €2.1 billion ($2.62 billion) Thursday from the bond markets — but investors demanded a higher interest rate out of concern that the country's troubled banks were weighing heavily on government finances.

Air France-KLM reports $1 billion loss for 2011

PARIS (AP) — Air France-KLM on Thursday reported a multimillion euro loss for 2011, which the struggling carrier called a "tough year" beset by volatile fuel prices, political upheaval and a lackluster global economy.

China acts to crank up credit as lending, economy slow

SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) - China's central bank cut the amount of cash banks must hold in reserves on Saturday, boosting lending capacity by an estimated 350-400 billion yuan ($55.6-$63.5 billion) in a bid to crank up credit creation as the world's second-biggest economy faces a fifth successive quarter of slowing growth.

Federal Reserve ends meeting without major moves

WASHINGTON – The Federal Reserve says the U.S. economy has grown moderately as hiring and consumer spending have improved. As a result, it's holding off on any new steps to boost the economy.

Geithner Says Europe Must ‘Move Quickly’

U.S Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner said Europe remains the “central challenge” to global growth and must “move quickly” to restore financial stability.

Greece debate takes center stage at G20

Greece was the main topic of conversation here Wednesday after a surprise move by Prime Minister George Papandreou that called into question the latest effort to resolve Europe's debt crisis.

Euro crisis solution lies in political arena

WORLD VIEW: The alternative visions of economists must focus better on what is possible internationally

IRELAND BADLY needs a strategy to handle the euro zone crisis, rather than reacting defensively to all its latest twists and turns. This requires a political as well as an economic understanding of the dynamics in play at European and national levels.

Problems not yet solved

THE Financial Times reports today that euro-zone leaders have reached a deal on a series of measures designed to solve the currency area's ongoing debt crisis. At first glance, the numbers look impressive. Euro-zone members will bulk up funding levels for the European Financial Stability Fund and its post-2013 successor, the European Stability Mechanism. The plan would also give the EFSF the ability to buy some government debt. Sovereign bond yields around the periphery are down this morning, presumably as a reaction to the agreement.