This wud affect Monday FKLI opening and rest of the week.
Paulson: Economy 'Fundamentally Healthy'
NEW YORK -(Dow Jones)- U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson Friday said the economy is "fundamentally healthy," with inflation "contained," but that the housing sector remains the largest danger.
Paulson made his comments in an appearance on CNBC.
The Treasury secretary, facing a visit to China next week, also said he wouldn't say that Chinese markets were open to the U.S.
In an appearance on the Fox Business Network, Paulson added that China's foreign exchange policy makes it increasingly difficult for that country to battle inflation.
He reiterated that a strong dollar is in the U.S.'s interests.
The Labor Department earlier in the day reported that 94,000 new jobs were created in November, topping Wall Street's expectations. Paulson, in an appearance on Bloomberg Television, said the economy would continue to grow.
In comments on the Bush administration's mortgage-relief plan, unveiled Thursday, Paulson also countered criticisms that the plan would involve taxpayer funding.
Paulson announced Thursday new guidelines by mortgage investors and servicers aimed at streamlining the process for struggling homeowners to refinance or rework their mortgages.
The streamlined procedures, which make up part of a package of government and industry measures aimed at limiting the fallout from the mortgage crisis, could help as many 1.2 million subprime borrowers get fast-track service. He told Bloomberg TV that the Treasury Department is looking at policy "prescriptions" that include the securitization process and the ratings agencies, for later consideration. He didn't elaborate.
Paulson said a much larger volume of adjustable-interest-rate increases, or resets, would be seen next year.
He also sought quick action in the House of Representatives to enact a temporary fix for the Alternative Minimum Tax. The Senate already has approved a so-called AMT patch.
The AMT, a parallel income tax, was created in 1969 to prevent a small group of very wealthy people from avoiding or greatly reducing their tax bills. Because it wasn't indexed for inflation and because recent tax cuts didn't account for it, a growing number of families would have to pay for it in the absence of legislation.
Paulson made his comments in an appearance on CNBC.
The Treasury secretary, facing a visit to China next week, also said he wouldn't say that Chinese markets were open to the U.S.
In an appearance on the Fox Business Network, Paulson added that China's foreign exchange policy makes it increasingly difficult for that country to battle inflation.
He reiterated that a strong dollar is in the U.S.'s interests.
The Labor Department earlier in the day reported that 94,000 new jobs were created in November, topping Wall Street's expectations. Paulson, in an appearance on Bloomberg Television, said the economy would continue to grow.
In comments on the Bush administration's mortgage-relief plan, unveiled Thursday, Paulson also countered criticisms that the plan would involve taxpayer funding.
Paulson announced Thursday new guidelines by mortgage investors and servicers aimed at streamlining the process for struggling homeowners to refinance or rework their mortgages.
The streamlined procedures, which make up part of a package of government and industry measures aimed at limiting the fallout from the mortgage crisis, could help as many 1.2 million subprime borrowers get fast-track service. He told Bloomberg TV that the Treasury Department is looking at policy "prescriptions" that include the securitization process and the ratings agencies, for later consideration. He didn't elaborate.
Paulson said a much larger volume of adjustable-interest-rate increases, or resets, would be seen next year.
He also sought quick action in the House of Representatives to enact a temporary fix for the Alternative Minimum Tax. The Senate already has approved a so-called AMT patch.
The AMT, a parallel income tax, was created in 1969 to prevent a small group of very wealthy people from avoiding or greatly reducing their tax bills. Because it wasn't indexed for inflation and because recent tax cuts didn't account for it, a growing number of families would have to pay for it in the absence of legislation.
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