News Highlights: Top Global Markets News of the Day

Fed Holds Rates Steady, Sees 'Solid' Economic Gains

The Federal Reserve held short-term interest rates steady Wednesday and said it would continue along its path of gradual increases aimed at keeping the economy on track.

U.S. Stocks Rebound, on Pace for Monthly Gains

U.S. stocks held their gains after the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged, rebounding from their worst two-day stretch in months.

Bitcoin Is Having Its Worst Month in Three Years

The cryptocurrency's price is down by about 30% in January. It's down by about half from its all-time high of close to $20,000, reached in December.

Treasury to Rely On More Short-Term Borrowing as Deficit Seen Climbing

The Treasury Department said it will need to issue more debt this quarter to accommodate rising budget deficits, and it also plans to adjust the size of its debt auctions beginning next month in response to the Fed's moves to shrink the size of its bond portfolio.

U.S. Private Sector Added 234,000 Jobs in January

Firms across the country added 234,000 workers in January, according to payroll processor Automatic Data Processing Inc. and forecasting firm Moody's Analytics.

Oil Fluctuates On Inventory Data

Oil prices swung between gains and losses on Wednesday, as investors evaluated steady demand for oil products against a larger-than-expected build in crude stockpiles.

Appeals Court Rules CFPB Structure Is Constitutional

A federal appeals court upheld the single-director structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, created after the financial crisis, but threw out the penalties it levied against a mortgage-service company.

U.S. Oil Inventories Rise as Refineries Slow Down

U.S. inventories of crude oil rose by 6.8 million barrels to 418.4 million barrels, much more than expected, for the week ended Jan. 26 as refinery activity hit the brakes.

Private-Sector Wages Help Drive Up Employment Costs in 2017

Compensation for American workers accelerated in 2017, signaling that historically low unemployment might be starting to put upward pressure on wages and benefits.

Canada GDP Mounted a Comeback in November

The Canadian economy rebounded in November after stalling in October, led by a manufacturing sector that recorded its best performance in nearly four years as some auto-assembly plants resumed production following a brief shutdown.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 31, 2018 15:15 ET (20:15 GMT)