1.   Besides being responsible for restraining inflation, it also is now responsible, at least indirectly, for maintaining a sustainable growth rate as well.

2.   But until Thursday, bank officials insisted they were more worried about restraining inflation.

3.   The government provided more evidence today that the rate increases have succeeded in restraining inflation.

4.   To be sure, some investors say that Fed inaction, in the long run, will hobble economic growth and lead long-term interest rates lower by restraining inflation.