Jan 15, 2008 9:00 am US/Eastern
Fed Auctions $30B To Battle Credit Crunch
WASHINGTON (AP) ―
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Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke testifies before the Joint Economic Committee on the economic outlook Nov. 8, 2007 in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill. (File)
Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images
The Federal Reserve, working to combat the effects of a serious credit crisis, said Tuesday it had auctioned $30 billion in money to commercial banks at an interest rate of 3.95 percent.
It marked the third in a series of innovative auctions the Fed began last month as a way to provide cash-strapped banks with the reserves they need. The hope is that the increase in resources will keep banks lending to consumers and businesses and prevent the credit turmoil that hit in August from pushing the country into a recession.
There are indications the Fed's efforts are having an impact. The 3.95 percent interest rate was the lowest of any of the three auctions it has held. The other two auctions saw rates of 4.65 percent and 4.67 percent.
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