Dow Jones Industrial Average hits 17,000 for first time

The Dow Jones Industrial Average - a US stock index made up of some of the biggest global firms - has hit 17,000 for the first time.

On Thursday, investors pushed shares higher after a better-than-expected jobs report showed the US economy added 288,000 jobs in June.

Overall, low interest rates have led investors to pour money into stocks in an effort to make a profit.

That has pushed US indexes - including the S&P 500 - to new highs in 2014.

On Wednesday, the Dow closed at

Yellen strongly defends easy Fed policies, cites U.S. labour slack

Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen, on Monday said that given the halting pace of the recovery and a still moribund job market, the Federal Reserve will continue to bolster the U.S. economy

She also gave a strong defence of the central bank’s easy-money policies on Monday, saying its “extraordinary” commitment to boosting the economy, especially the still struggling labour market, will be needed for some time to come.

In her first public speech since becoming Fed chair two months ago, Yellen cited the struggles of three American workers in backing the policies of low interest rates and continued bond-buying. She said there remains