...fedrThe Federal Reserve Policy from 1999 to the Present: The monetary policy of the United States has two basic goals that are outlined in a 1977 amendment to the Federal Reserve Act. These basic goals are: to promote "maximum" sustainable output and employment while promoting "stable" pricing [1]. It has become the responsibility of the Federal Reserve Board to try in: Maintaining the stability of financial systems and contain risk that may arise in financial markets. Regulating banking to ensure safety and soundness protecting the consumer from harm while using credit and banking services. Overseeing the nation's payment systems providing financial services to financial institutions, the U.S. government, and foreign institutions. Stabilizing world pricing and creation sustainable employment. While the Federal Reserve Board is in a constant challenge to perform these above tasks. The economy goes through business cycles where the output of goods and services and the employment rate of the country are above or below their long running levels. The term "monetary policy" refers to what the nation's central bank or Federal Reserve happens to administer so that they may influence the amount of money and credit in the U.S. economy. What happens to this money or the credit during this time will directly affect the interest rates and the performance of the U.S. economy and its people. Stabilizing the U.S. economy has become paramount for the Federal Open Market Committee...
Words: 1749 - Pages: 7
...------------------------------------------------- About the FOMC The term "monetary policy" refers to the actions undertaken by a central bank, such as the Federal Reserve, to influence the availability and cost of money and credit to help promote national economic goals. The Federal Reserve Act of 1913 gave the Federal Reserve responsibility for setting monetary policy. The Federal Reserve controls the three tools of monetary policy--open market operations, the discount rate, and reserve requirements. The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System is responsible for the discount rate and reserve requirements, and the Federal Open Market Committee is responsible for open market operations. Using the three tools, the Federal Reserve influences the demand for, and supply of, balances that depository institutions hold at Federal Reserve Banks and in this way alters the federal funds rate. The federal funds rate is the interest rate at which depository institutions lend balances at the Federal Reserve to other depository institutions overnight. Changes in the federal funds rate trigger a chain of events that affect other short-term interest rates, foreign exchange rates, long-term interest rates, the amount of money and credit, and, ultimately, a range of economic variables, including employment, output, and prices of goods and services. Structure of the FOMC The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) consists of twelve members--the seven members of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; the president...
Words: 408 - Pages: 2
...Eventually, people lost faith in the notes and they quickly became worthless. This would lead to three failed attempts to decentralized US Banking in an effort to restore trust and avoid economic disaster, after the failed attempts, The Federal Reserve Act was established in 1913 by Congress. This, at the time secured and stabilized the nation’s economy. From December 1912 to December 1913, the proposal underwent heated debates, a lot compromising, molding, and reshaping. By December 23, 1913, when President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act into law. This was the first accepted decentralized central bank that balanced the competing interests of private banks and populist sentiment. The Federal Reserve or the “Feds” has the authority to make bank loans and back the notes printed. The purpose of the Federal Reserve System is to regulate banks and to manage the amount of money that is accessible within the economy. The Feds uses two of its tools to accomplish this, one, it can change the interest rates on the money it lends to banks. A higher interest rate makes money more expensive, thus discouraging banks to lend. Lowering interest rates causes the opposite effect. Two, they have the authority to change reserve requirements. A reserve requirement is the percentage banks must keep in their vaults of their total loan portfolio. Obviously, if the Fed lowers this requirement, the banks can increase their leverage and lend out more. By controlling...
Words: 3835 - Pages: 16
...FEDERAL RESERVE • In 1913 the Federal Reserve Act was passed, establishing reserve requirements for those commercial banks that chose to become members. • There are 12 Districts across America • It earns most of its income in the form of interest on its holding on US. Government securities as well as providing services to financial institutions. • The income earned is transferred to the Treasury • It regulates commercial banks and conducts monetary policy, adjusting the money supply to achieve full employment and price stability ( low inflation) • Has five major components o Federal Reserve District Banks o Member Banks o Board of Governors o Federal Open Market Committee o Advisory Committees Federal Reserve District Banks • Federal Reserve District Cities: o 1. Boston, Massachusetts o 2. New York, New York (Most important District City) o 3. Philadelphia. Pennsylvania o 4. Cleveland, Ohio o 5. Richmond, Virginia o 6. Atlanta, Georgia o 7. Chicago, Illinois o 8.St. Louis, Missouri o 9. Minneapolis, Minnesota o 10. Kansas City, Kansas o 11. Dallas, Texas o 12. San Francisco, California • Commercial banks that become members must purchase stock in the FED • Each District has 9 members o 6 are elected by member banks in which 3 are professional bankers and 3 are engaged in business o The remaining 3 are appointed by the Board of Governors o All nine directors appoint their Fed district bank president • District banks facilitate...
Words: 1233 - Pages: 5
...tools of monetary policy – Control of money supply by Federal Reserve (in circulation) 1) Federal reserve can change the reserve requirement ration ( % of each dollar bank must hold on reserve) a. To increase money supply in circulation, the Federal Reserve decrease reserve requirement ratio EX) reserve requirement ratio .10 is 10% you an lower it to .09 or 9% b. To decrease money supply in circulation the federal reserve increases reserve requirement ratio EX) If the reserve requirement ratio is 10% raise it to 11% 2) Federal reserve committee ( Federal Open Market Committee) FOMC conducts Open Market Operations OMO (OMO is the buying and selling of government bonds to and from the public) a. To increase the money supply, Feds FOMC says buy government bonds from the public (Fed writes a check on its own account – means print money added “to” circulation – the banks can give loans & borrowers create additional demand deposits, to create more loans. b. To decrease the money supply, the Feds FOMC says sell government bonds to the public (Fed will receive the publics (our) checks written against the publics account (your own account) made out to the “Feds” they keep it outside the system. 3) The Discount Rate: Rate Fed charges its member (other banks) banks for loans (Fed is a LAST resort for banks) a. To increase the money supply, the Fed will lower discount rate, which encourages banks to borrow more reserves from Fed. i. Bans can then make more loans, which increases...
Words: 273 - Pages: 2
...Chapter 15: 1- The Fed Holds Depository Institutions’ Reserves & Provides Payment Clearing Systems- This acts as a regional clearinghouse to exchange or clear checks that have been deposited at one institution but written on another. The Fed settles checks by moving the funds required from a payee to payer institution, (credit union, savings institution or commercial banks). 2- Fed Acts as Government Fiscal Agent- The main services are insurance & redemption of securities on behalf of the Treasury, Federal agencies, other entities and the processing of payments to & from the Federal government. The Treasury & Reserve banks implement new web base technology to improve the Fed government’s provision with services in areas of security & payments, collections with government finance reports. The challenge is to manage complex & rapid information technologies while still being able to maintain high standards of security, efficiency and reliability. 3- Fed Conducts Monetary Policy- This is done by the nation’s central bank (Federal Reserve System) & influences demand mainly by raising & lowering short term interest rates. The Fed conducts monetary policy to fight inflation & promote economic growth. One of the most important tools for the Fed to conduct monetary policy is to open markets operations options to conduct monetary policy. 4- Fed Intervenes in Foreign Currency Markets- This is the most common reason because any sharp or sudden...
Words: 781 - Pages: 4
...The Federal Reserve Term Paper The Federal Reserve After several periods of economic and banking problems, the United States of America was searching for a fix. In December of 1913, the American Congress approved the Federal Reserve, which President Woodrow Wilson signed into law. By 16 November 1914, a working Federal Reserve was set up in 12 cities chosen as regional Reserve Bank sites. These reserve banks were privately owned banks. The Federal Reserve wielded unprecedented power, which was noticed during the beginning of World War I (WW-I) when the Federal Reserve set interest rates for American banks and helped finance Europe’s war efforts until 1917, when the U.S. declared war on Germany and financing America’s war efforts became paramount (Education, 2013). “I am a most unhappy man. I have unwittingly ruined my country. A great industrial nation is controlled by its system of credit. Our system of credit is concentrated. The growth of the nation, therefore, and all our activities are in the hands of a few men. We have come to be one of the worst ruled, one of the most completely controlled and dominated Governments in the civilized world no longer a government by free opinion, no longer a Government by conviction and the vote of the majority, but a Government by the opinion and duress of a small dominate men.” Woodrow Wilson (History of the Federal Reserve, 2013). As you can decipher from President Woodrow Wilson’s quote about the Federal Reserve...
Words: 3118 - Pages: 13
...Federal Reserve Monetary Policy ECO/372 University of Phoenix The American economy has been through Hell and back in the new millennium, and for some time economist speculated of the dismal circumstances to affect the U.S financial structure as a whole. This paper is going to highlight a variety of current macroeconomic indicators by specifically defining the objectives of the Federal Open Markets Committee and stating the economic projections for 2015 in hopes of painting a clear picture of the current financial state of the U.S economy. With growth reported in GDP and incomes this past year, there is still concern surrounding overall consumer opinions on the state of our nation’s economy. The results of the Michigan surveys index of consumer sentiment as included as well within the Monetary Policy (2014). This demonstrates the country continues to feel the economy is strengthening as well, as their overall confidence of their own financial situations. However, we are still well below average on the index report which also is reported without much change in the last year. Although we have improved our outlook since the recession that occurred in 2008, we remain guarded and safe in our observations. With slowly increasing consumer sentiment, housing starts continue to increase slowly along with our post housing bubble recession recovery (Monetary Policy, 2014). Single family and multifamily starts show a very slow trending increase but at a .6 high index for 2014...
Words: 1719 - Pages: 7
...bringing economic devastation to their families and to the region. In order to put an end to this monetary madness, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act in 1913 creating a central bank for the United States known as the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve was put in place in order to establish and maintain the publics’ confidence in our nation’s monetary and banking system as well as maintaining a stable, healthy, growing economy. The Federal Reserve consists of two parts, the Board of governors, which guides most of our monetary policies and twelve regional Federal Reserve Banks and their branches. The primary role of these twelve regional banks is to act as a sort of “operating arm” for the banks in their regions. They work together with the board of governors to create and implement monetary policies, supervise the actions of banks and bank holding companies, as well as providing financial services like clearing checks between private banks, providing currency and loans, and holding bank reserves to provide greater security and so the Fed can monitor the actual level of each bank’s reserve. But all of this is done in order to fulfill their main goal: “A stable economy characterized by higher employment and production, steady growth, and overall stable prices.” As supervisors, the twelve Federal Reserve Banks review bank’s financial statements, assess the risk level of their investments, and confirms they are following the law. This is done in order to...
Words: 846 - Pages: 4
...The Federal Reserve Denise Hammer ECO/212 July 11, 2011 Professor Hulya Arik The Federal Reserve Money was invented to expedite the exchange of values from person to person. It began through a barter system. That is, people would trade one thing for another. For example, Bill has a cow Bob wants. Bob has 10 extra bushels of wheat. Bill needs the wheat so his wife can make bread. Bill will accept the 10 bushels of wheat for the cow. However, barter is limited. In order for a barter to work, “each person must want what the other one has” (Hubbard & O’Brien, 2010). For a government to be more efficient, the medium of exchange must be one thing that is recognized by everyone. That is why paper is used for money in today’s society. Paper money has specific values so it is easier to determine what a person can get with the value of their paper. Four functions must be satisfied for anything to be used as money. The first function is medium of exchange. The seller must be willing to accept what is offered in exchange for his goods or services. A medium of exchange allows a seller to sell his or her goods or services for money and use that money to buy whatever he or she desires. The second function is a unit of account. A unit of account is a way of determining the value of the money. With barter, one item could be worth many prices. A plow could be worth a cow, 20 ears of corn, or a horse. When a single good is used for the first time as money, the item no longer has several...
Words: 1199 - Pages: 5
...goals is by being in charge of setting the right levels of taxation, government budgets, money supply and interest rates in the economy. All of these actions that the government takes influence the economy in some way. “Some types of economic policy actions can include setting interest rates through a federal reserve, regulating the level of government expenditures, creating private property rights and setting tax rates” (economic policy). Economic policy has many goals. Economic growth is one goal. If incomes of consumers and businesses are increasing over time then economic policy is working well for the economy and its people. Full employment is another goal. This goal for economic policy is to ensure that every member of the labor force who wants to work will find work. The last goal to mention is price stability. The goal of price stability is to stop both deflation and inflation from occurring. If inflation is set too high then prices of goods in the economy will be too high and not sold as much because consumers will not be able to afford them. “In an effort to eliminate uncertainty, the Fed has set a target rate of a steady 2% inflation rate” (McMahon). The Federal Government has an involved role in maintaining America's economy; they need to find the right balance working with numbers and economic expertise. When discussing economic growth, supply-side economics focuses attention on the government adjusting and monitoring the tax rate and spending levels that influence...
Words: 2113 - Pages: 9
...June 2008 to December 2008. This was the midst of the Great Recession, though by looking at the statements from the FED, one wouldn’t tell. The statements from the Federal Open Market Committee in the months June, August and September show relatively ‘calm economic weather’ with a mildly negative outlook. It’s not until the unscheduled meeting of October 8 2008 that the committee mentions a financial crisis. In this narrative, you’ll find the statements from the first three months grouped together and the statements from the second three months grouped together. June – September 2008 The press releases in June, August and September of 2008 are largely similar in terms of the message they convey, and even use the same sentences in big parts of the statements. In the following tables you’ll find a summary of the description of the current economic activity, the future economic expectations and the policies pursued by the FED. In the paragraphs below you’ll find further detail to the economic situation described in each statement. Current economy: | June 2008 | August 2008 | September 2008 | Economic activity | Continues to expand | Expanded in the second quarter | Economic growth appeared to have slowed | Labor markets | Continue to soften | Have softened further | Have weakened further | Financial markets |...
Words: 2374 - Pages: 10
...The Federal Reserve and Money William L. Reed University of Phoenix Economics 212 Watson Ragin April 20, 2010 The Federal Reserve and Money “Money is the set of assets in the economy that people regularly use to buy goods and services from other people” and money serves three functions as a unit of account, a store of value, and as a medium of exchange. (Mankiw, 2006) A unit of account is unstable over time due to inflation and is unpredictable whereas a store of value must be able to be stored and retrieved at a later date similar to gold, silver, or real estate. Today’s money does not have a good store of value because most monies or currency are guaranteed as a medium of exchange by the government’s word which may also be unpredictable. The best description and function of money is that it is a good that acts as a medium of exchange for transactions between a buyer and a seller. There are two basic types of money the first is commodity money that have intrinsic value because the money would value even if it were not used for money such as gold. Gold has intrinsic value because it can be used in other ways than using it for money. The other type of money is called fiat money that does not have any intrinsic value. It cannot be used for any other purpose than as a medium of exchange such as currency. A central bank or reserve bank is an institution given the authority to manage exclusively a government’s spending and monetary system. The Federal Reserve System...
Words: 1005 - Pages: 5
...One of the financial committee in the United States that has influence and control by the Federal Reserve System, is the Federal Open Market Committee, FOMC. I think the Federal Open Market Committee is one of the most important information about economy for the people to know and to understand. Getting to know how the Fed controls the money can give you input in what to expect for a change. The Federal Open Market Committee set the monetary policy. The Fed engages in open market operations, which is the power in buying and selling of government securities. What the banks use to lend to each other overnight, which is the interest rate, is the federal fund's rate that is stored in a particular place by the FOMC. The main and very vital job of...
Words: 413 - Pages: 2
...The Federal Reserve Katherine Streit ECO/212 June 19, 2011 Ashlie Warnick The Federal Reserve In 1913, Congress passed the Federal Reserve Act, setting up the Federal Reserve System, commonly known as “the Fed” (Hubbard & O’Brien, 2010). The Federal Reserve sets the nation’s monetary policy, which in turn affects the nation’s productivity and employment levels. Money’s Function and Purpose Money is defined as assets that people are generally willing to accept in exchange for goods and services or for payment of debts (Hubbard & O’Brien, 2010). Broadly speaking, money serves four general purposes. As a medium of exchange, sellers accept it in exchange for their goods or service. Used as a unit of account, it is a way of measuring value in the economy. Money also acts as a store of value, as it can be stored away for future use and has a liquidity value that other assets do not possess. We also use money as a standard of deferred payment; money facilitates exchange at a given time by providing a unit of account in exchange for goods and services, but is also used to facilitate exchange over time by acting as a store of value. This is most commonly seen when we ‘buy’ something, promising to pay for it later. Management by a Central Bank The central bank manages monetary policy using three main monetary policy tools: open market operations, discount policy, and reserve requirements (Hubbard and O’Brien, 2010). Open market operations are the buying and selling...
Words: 957 - Pages: 4
