VENTURE CAPITAL POST

The Federal Reserve is preparing to consider interest rate hikes "on a meeting-by-meeting basis," Fed Chair Janet Yellen told a congressional committee on Tuesday, a subtle shift of emphasis that helps lay the groundwork for the Fed's first rate hike since 2006.

As the technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index closes in on the all-time high it reached in March 2000, investors are facing a market that barely resembles the go-go era of 15 years ago.

Japanese stocks rose to a fresh 15-year high on Friday with the dollar boosted by upbeat U.S. data, but continuing uncertainty over the Greek debt negotiations weighed on the euro.

The Federal Reserve on Thursday awarded $30.0 billion of seven-day term fixed-rate reverse repurchase agreements to 34 bidders at an interest rate of 0.06 percent, the New York Federal Reserve said on its website.

Federal Reserve policymakers expressed concern last month that raising interest rates too soon could pour cold water on the U.S. economic recovery, and fretted over the impact of dropping "patient" from the central bank's rate guidance.

Asian equities tracked a mild bounce on Wall Street, edging higher on Wednesday as pessimism about the Greek debt saga receded somewhat, while the dollar strengthened against the yen thanks to higher U.S. debt yields.

U.S. wholesale inventories barely rose in December, the latest suggestion that economic growth in the fourth quarter was even slower than initially thought.

Big U.S. banks say that a proposed Federal Reserve rule on higher capital requirements would penalize them if the dollar remains strong against the euro, as it would make their dollar-denominated assets and operations look larger relative to their European peers, the Wall Street Journal reported.

America has added more than a million jobs in the space of three months but wages, especially for blue-collar workers, are showing few signs of gains.

Sharp gains in the U.S. dollar are good for the U.S. labor market, a top Federal Reserve official said on Friday, downplaying a crescendo of complaints from top executives over the dent to their profits.

For months now Federal Reserve policymakers have watched the economic turmoil overseas, from Ebola to Russia to the ongoing travails of the euro, and largely held their tongue.

Asian shares retreated on Thursday after the Federal Reserve unexpectedly lifted its view on the economy, signaling that the U.S. central bank remains firmly on track with plans to raise interest rates this year.

The Federal Reserve is expected to signal it remains on track to begin raising interest rates later this year, as the central bank shows confidence that low inflation and rising risks from abroad have yet to derail the U.S. economic recovery.

Asian stocks showed some resilience on Wednesday as investors speculated whether the Federal Reserve could take a dovish turn in its post-meeting statement later in the session, amid signs a stronger dollar was hurting U.S. corporate profits.

The Federal Reserve could be key for Wall Street next week as investors get to hear from the U.S. central bank for the first time since a series of moves by its global peers, including the European Central Bank's massive stimulus plan.