Federal Reserve's Monetary Policy

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Federal Reserve’s Monetary Policy Established by Congress in 1913, the Federal Reserve is a central bank and was mainly created to supervise effectively banking in the United States. The central bank manages the nation’s monetary system. In this document the reader will examine the most recent direction of the United States’ monetary policy, and steps the Federal Reserve is taking to maintain direction. Upon completion of the document, the reader will have an understanding of the purpose and function of money, and of the effects of monetary policy on our economy’s employment and production. Money Functions Money is defined as assets accepted I exchange for goods and services or debt repayment. An asset is anything that has a value,…show more content…
Although paper monies, such as certificates, stocks, currency, or bonds, are normally kept in financial institutions because of safety or convenience, the popularity to maintain possession of valuables is on the rise. The lack of hassle and ease of liquidity are two reasons for the rise. Standard of Deferred Payment - Money can be used to purchase goods and services, and pay at a later date or with a series of payments. For example, some furniture or electronic stores offer “buy now, pay later” specials as an incentive for purchasing. Federal Reserve and Monetary Policy The Federal Reserve is considered independent because, although it is accountable to Congress, its decisions do not have to be ratified by Congress or the President. The System consists of seven members who sit on the Board of Governors, and 12 regional Federal Reserve Banks in major cities throughout the United States (U.S. Federal Reserve, 2010). An indispensable element of the Federal Reserve System is the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). The FOMC uses three tools to affect money: * Open market operations – Buying and selling U.S. government securities. * Altering reserve requirements – The amount of funds commercial bank are required to hold in reserve…show more content…
The Federal Open Market Committee utilizes three tools to affect money and to manipulate the market; open market operations, altering reserve requirements, and adjusting the discount. Money is an asset and functions as a medium of exchange, a unit of account, a store of value, or a standard of deferred payment. Monetary policies affect labor employment and production in a fluctuating market. International trade is on the rise and though the past two years have been tough, the economy is showing a few signs of
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