US Senate confirms Janet Yellen as chair of US Federal Reserve

Then United States (US) Federal Reserve vice-chair Janet Yellen testifies during a Senate Banking Committee confirmation hearing on her nomination to be the next chairman of the US Federal Reserve, on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Nov 14, 2013.&nbsp
Then United States (US) Federal Reserve vice-chair Janet Yellen testifies during a Senate Banking Committee confirmation hearing on her nomination to be the next chairman of the US Federal Reserve, on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Nov 14, 2013. The US Senate confirmed Ms Yellen to be the new head of the world's most powerful central bank on Jan 6, 2014. She is the first woman ever to lead the Fed. -- FILE PHOTO: REUTERS 

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States Senate confirmed Federal Reserve vice-chair Janet Yellen to be the new head of the world's most powerful central bank on Monday, the first woman ever to lead the Fed.

President Barack Obama's nominee earned bipartisan support in the bitterly divided chamber, but the vote was still closer than those for her predecessor Mr Ben Bernanke, who steps down on Jan 31 after eight years in the job.

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