Bernanke 'hints' at end of tenure

US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S Bernanke said he's "spoken to the President a bit" about his future and that he feels no personal responsibility to stay at the helm until the Fed winds down its unprecedented policies to stimulate the economy.

"I don't think that I'm the only person in the world who can manage the exit," Bernanke said when asked at a news conference in Washington if he's discussed his plans with President Barack Obama. His term expires at the end of January.

Bernanke's comments yesterday meshed with the views of some of Obama's economic and political advisers who said Bernanke, 59, after spending most of his seven years on the job battling a financial crisis and its aftermath, is exhausted and wants to return to private life. The current and former administration officials asked to not be identified to describe the private conversations.

Yesterday's remarks were a departure from Bernanke's previous statements that he hasn't discussed his plans with Obama.