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How Far Does The Federal Reserve Affect The Economy

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As prescribed in the U.S. Federal Reserve Act of 1913, the Federal Reserve was given the authority to set the monetary policy for the betterment of employment and stabilization of market prices (Keefe, 2016; Kidwell, Blackwell, Whidbee, & Sias, 2016, p. 82). The monetary policy can somehow “control” the money supply. It can be called as “expansionary” if it can able to enhance the money supply, thereby resulting to a decrease in interest rate. On the other hand, it can be called as “contractionary” if it can lower the money supply that can consequently increase the interest rate (Keefe, 2016; Kidwell, 2016, pp. 72,75). Furthermore, the Federal Reserve can somehow affect the supply and demand of reserve balances of commercial banks via a central bank (through open market operations, discount rate and reserve) and can eventually alter the federal funds rate. The federal funds rate refers to the interest rate that banks can use in lending their extra reserve funds from the Federal Reserve to other banks that are deficient with reserve based on the system’s quota (Keefe, 2016). …show more content…

It can also remedy some of the adverse conditions in certain business operations. The Federal Reserve can lower the interest rates during economic recession and weakening of product / service demand to “stimulate” the economy as temporary remedy and stabilize the volume of production in the longer-term (Keefe, 2016; Kidwell, 2016, 88). It may not control the over-all economy “perfectly (Keefe, 2016); however, it can act as a stabilizing factor or remedial intervention for significant unbalances or negative conditions in an

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