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The Influence Of The Federal Reserve On The Economy

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The first tool the Federal Reserve has for influencing the economy is through the federal funds rate. This allows a change in interest rates which means that banks may have to pay a higher or lower interest rate to the Federal Reserve for borrowing money. If the rate is increased it slows down the economy because the cost for money and credit is increased as well, but if the rate is decreased the economy is more likely to grow because money then becomes more available for investment and growth. The second tool used to influence the economy is through the purchasing or selling of federal debt. Selling federal debt tends to slow down the economy because people are less likely to invest. Buying federal debt tends to help the economy grow by allowing

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