ECONOMICS (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -Contractionary. A contractionary policy increases interest rates and limits the outstanding money supply to slow growth and decrease inflation, where the prices of goods and services in an economy rise and reduce the purchasing power of money.

Detailed explanation-2: -A contractionary policy is a tool used to reduce government spending or the rate of monetary expansion by a central bank to combat rising inflation. The main contractionary policies employed by the United States include raising interest rates, increasing bank reserve requirements, and selling government securities.

Detailed explanation-3: -The Fed can increase the money supply by lowering the reserve requirements for banks, which allows them to lend more money. Conversely, by raising the banks’ reserve requirements, the Fed can decrease the size of the money supply.

Detailed explanation-4: -Open market operations (“OMOs”) are the central bank’s primary tool of monetary policy. If the central bank wants interest rates to be lower, it buys bonds. Buying bonds injects money into the money market, increasing the money supply.

Detailed explanation-5: -Expansionary monetary policy stimulates the economy. The central bank uses its tools to add to the money supply. It often does this by lowering interest rates. It can also use expansionary open market operations, called quantitative easing.