• Central banks are “bankers’ banks.” They communicate with commercial banks and securities dealers in carrying out their essential public policy functions.. • The U.S. central bank is[r]
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Roles and Services of The Federal Reserve & Other Central
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Money and Capital Markets, 9/e © 2006 The McGrawHill Companies, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
Learning Objectives
• To explore the many roles and functions of the central banks
around the world
• To see how and why the Federal Reserve System came to be established as the U.S. central bank
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Money and Capital Markets, 9/e © 2006 The McGrawHill Companies, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
Learning Objectives
• To discover how important central bank independence from
the dictates of governments is in carrying out effective money and credit policy
• To understand the concept of legal reserves and how the
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McGrawHill/Irwin
Money and Capital Markets, 9/e © 2006 The McGrawHill Companies, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
Introduction
• A central bank is a government agency that monitors the
operation of its financial system and controls the growth of the nation’s money supply
• Central banks are “bankers’ banks.” They communicate with commercial banks and securities dealers in carrying out their essential public policy functions
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Money and Capital Markets, 9/e © 2006 The McGrawHill Companies, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
The Roles of Central Banks
Control of the money supply, which is closely linked to
economic activity and price inflation
Stabilizing the money and capital markets, by fostering their
development and ensuring a stable flow of funds through them
Lender of last resort for financial institutions squeezed by
severe liquidity pressures
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Money and Capital Markets, 9/e © 2006 The McGrawHill Companies, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
The Roles of Central Banks
Maintaining and improving the payments mechanism a
(9)12 9 McGrawHill/Irwin Money and Capital Markets, 9/e © 2006 The McGrawHill Companies, Inc., All Rights Reserved. The Goals of Central Banking • Central banking in the U.S. and in most other nations is directed toward the goals of: Achieving maximum sustainable output and employment; and
Promoting stable prices.
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Money and Capital Markets, 9/e © 2006 The McGrawHill Companies, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
The Goals of Central Banking
• Through its influence over interest rates and the growth of the
money supply, the central bank is able to influence the economy’s progress toward each of the goals