Interest rates are a fee that lenders charge borrowers for lending money. For example, homeowners are charged an interest rate on the mortgage they take from a bank.
Interest rates fluctuate based on a number of key factors, of which two of the most important are inflation and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve determines the interest rate charged between financial institutions via the federal funds rate, which is the key interest rate charged by commercial banks to other banks borrowing money, typically overnight.
By controlling interest rates, the Federal Reserve can control inflation in times of economic growth. The Federal Reserve can also modify interest rates to inject stimulus during an economic slowdown, as it did during three rounds of quantitative easing starting in late 2008.
By increasing interest rates during a period of economic growth, the Federal Reserve discourages borrowing. When interest rates are high, businesses and individuals generally take more time to consider the high cost to borrow before borrowing and spending.
By contrast, when the economy is underperforming, lowering the interest rate makes it cheaper for businesses and consumers to borrow. As a result, in theory, they spend more and stimulate economic growth.
By changing interest rates, central banks essentially change the demand for money. When the Federal Reserve pegs interest rates lower, the monetary policy is expanding—meaning money is cheaper. When interest rates are raised, it makes money more expensive and slows the rate at which the prices for goods and services increase.
Yields on Japanese bonds have plunged further into negative territory, leaving income-hungry income investors struggling to catch up. On Wednesday, the 20-year Japanese bond yield fell to negative 0.005%, down from a one percent yield as recently as last December..
Brexit Could Send Yields Plunging If the U.K. votes to leave the European Union, income investors across the pond could be collateral damage. At least that’s according to Francesco Garzarelli, co-head of global macro markets research at Goldman Sachs Group.
Flight to Safety Sends Yields Plunging The yield on 10-year German bunds has sunk below zero percent, leaving yield-hungry income investors struggling to catch up. According to financial information provider FactSet, the yield on 10-year German government notes fell as.
Yellen: Rate Hike Coming Soon As we saw on Friday, every word Janet Yellen speaks can move markets. While giving a speech at Harvard University, the chair of the Federal Reserve dropped hints about where interest rates might be headed..
Negative Interest Rates Could Hit Here Next Central bank bond purchases have sent yields plunging, leaving some income investors struggling to catch up. In a desperate bid to jumpstart the economy, the European Central Bank (ECB) announced in March that.
BoC Maintains Interest Rates As a struggling oil sector continues to weigh down Canada’s economy, the Bank of Canada (BoC) has surprisingly elected to do…nothing. The BoC kept interest rates unchanged, locking them in at a prime rate of 0.5%..
Flat Yield Curve Is a Worrying Sign The spread between the two-year and 10-year yields has shrunk to its narrowest point in nearly a decade, signaling the U.S. economy could be heading for a recession. The price of short-term government.