The Economist: “The Fed's have-it-both-ways policy”

R.A., regarding Bernanke’s Jackson Hole speech, your column notes that you “found the tone on monetary policy to be confusing and timid.” Expectations now turn to what President Obama will say next week and what the Fed will do (or not do) when they next meet. Uncertainty again prevails.

Alexander Mirtchev

Euro-Zone Consumer Mood Continues to Lighten

Consumers in the 17 countries that share the euro continued to become less pessimistic in September, but with unemployment still close to record highs and wages growing more slowly than inflation, that is unlikely to herald a sharp pickup in spending.

Euro-Zone Wages Lag Inflation

Workers in some of the euro zone's hardest-hit economies suffered steep falls in pay in real terms in the second quarter, as earnings growth across the 17-nation currency bloc sank to a near three-year low.

Securing global economic security

Inflation is a significant factor of global economic security and has the innate capacity to upend carefully laid plans

Merkel Rejects Joint Euro Debt, Promises to Stay Hard Course

German Chancellor Angela Merkel told supporters she’ll stand as a bulwark against joint debt in the euro area if she’s re-elected in four days and continue to extract conditions from indebted nations.