uscitizen
Villified User
Fed Cuts Discount Rate, Acknowledging Need for Action (Update7)
By Scott Lanman
Aug. 17 (Bloomberg) -- The Federal Reserve lowered the interest rate it charges banks and acknowledged for the first time today that an extraordinary policy shift is needed to contain the subprime-mortgage collapse that began roiling the world's financial markets two months ago.
The Fed, in a surprise announcement in Washington, cut the so-called discount rate by 0.5 percentage point, to 5.75 percent. Policy makers dropped language indicating their bias toward fighting inflation, and instead highlighted a rising threat to economic growth. That suggests officials will reduce their benchmark rate when they meet Sept. 18, economists said.
``This telegraphs their intention to cut rates at the next meeting,'' said Chris Rupkey, senior financial economist at Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd. in New York. ``This discount rate cut calms the market and helps financing.''
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aJv5U5SQq6BU&refer=worldwide
By Scott Lanman
Aug. 17 (Bloomberg) -- The Federal Reserve lowered the interest rate it charges banks and acknowledged for the first time today that an extraordinary policy shift is needed to contain the subprime-mortgage collapse that began roiling the world's financial markets two months ago.
The Fed, in a surprise announcement in Washington, cut the so-called discount rate by 0.5 percentage point, to 5.75 percent. Policy makers dropped language indicating their bias toward fighting inflation, and instead highlighted a rising threat to economic growth. That suggests officials will reduce their benchmark rate when they meet Sept. 18, economists said.
``This telegraphs their intention to cut rates at the next meeting,'' said Chris Rupkey, senior financial economist at Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd. in New York. ``This discount rate cut calms the market and helps financing.''
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aJv5U5SQq6BU&refer=worldwide