[at New York Times] – The Senate unanimously confirmed Janet L. Yellen as vice chairwoman and Sarah Bloom Raskin as a Fed governor.

[AP] – The Federal Reserve is working closely with other regulators to put into effect the most sweeping overhaul of U.S. financial rules since the Great Depression, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke is telling a Senate panel.

[AP] – The Senate has confirmed Sarah Bloom Raskin of Maryland and Janet L. Yellen of California to the Federal Reserve Board. The Senate confirmed the pair unanimously Wednesday night, even though Republican Sen.

[at Reuters] – The U.S. Senate approved two of President Barack Obama s three nominees to the Federal Reserve on Wednesday, including San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank chief Janet Yellen to serve as vice chairman.

[at The Wall Street Journal] – A Bank Bailout Some Won t Exit With Monday s TARP expiration looming, more than 600 banks are sitting on about $65 billion in bailout funds, frustrating federal officials who believe some can repay the government but have chosen not to.

[at Reuters] – The Bank of Japan is considering lowering its gross domestic product forecast for the fiscal year ending next March due to a rising yen, a slowing U.S. economy and other downside risks to growth, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Thursday.

[Investor s Business Daily] – Federal Reserve policymakers differed Wednesday over whether a new round of aggressive action would help the sluggish recovery, have little impact or cause long-term harm. The central bank has already dropped interest rates to a record low near zero and swelled its balance sheet to $1.7 trillion to

[at Reuters] – A bill passed on Wednesday by the U.S. House of Representatives reflects the serious concern throughout the U.S. government about China s currency practices, a U.S. Treasury Department spokeswoman said.

[AP] – THREE FOR THREE: The Treasury hit three for three in its bond auctions this week, raising $100 billion across three auctions. Each sale of debt drew a record low yield.