61. If Fed policymakers think the economy is growing too quickly so that inflation is threatening, they can raise the federal funds rate on overnight loans among banks. 62. In conjunction with lowering the federal funds rate, the Federal Reserve board cut the discount rate by half a percentage point. 63. Indeed, many are hoping for a one-half-point slash in the federal funds rate at the next Federal Open Market Committee meeting in November. 64. In the past decade, whenever the two-year yield has averaged less than the fed funds rate for a month, the Fed has cut rates. 65. Interest rates have fallen since the end of July, and the Federal Reserve kept the federal funds rate unchanged at its meeting this week. 66. Investors are expecting a second rise in the federal funds rate. 67. Interest rates have fallen since the end of July, and the Federal Reserve kept the federal funds rate unchanged at its meeting earlier this week. 68. Investors and traders took that to mean the central bank might not cut its federal funds rate too much more to avert a recession. 69. It sets the discount rate, but establishes only a target for the federal funds rate. 70. It was the third cut in the fed funds rate, the rate banks charge each other for overnight loans, since July. |