ECONOMICS (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -By buying or selling bonds, bills, and other financial instruments in the open market, a central bank can expand or contract the amount of reserves in the banking system and can ultimately influence the country’s money supply.

Detailed explanation-2: -The Fed has essentially complete control over the size of the monetary base. The primary way the Fed controls the monetary base is through open market operations: buying or selling securities. To increase the monetary base, the Fed buys securities from any party and pays with a check.

Detailed explanation-3: -The Fed uses three primary tools in managing the money supply and pursuing stable economic growth. The tools are (1) reserve requirements, (2) the discount rate, and (3) open market operations. Each of these impacts the money supply in different ways and can be used to contract or expand the economy.

Detailed explanation-4: -If the Fed, for example, buys or borrows Treasury bills from commercial banks, the central bank will add cash to the accounts, called reserves, that banks are required keep with it. That expands the money supply.

Detailed explanation-5: -The Federal Reserve conducts the nation’s monetary policy by managing the level of short-term interest rates and influencing the availability and cost of credit in the economy. Monetary policy directly affects interest rates; it indirectly affects stock prices, wealth, and currency exchange rates.