What Investors Need to Know about the Fed’s Key Interest Rate Decision?

1. The Federal Reserve System (or the Fed) is the national bank and money-related power of the United States. The Fed gives the country a protected, adaptable, and stable money-related and monetary framework. The Fed is an independent, government-sponsored corporation with a dual mandate to function as a central bank. The Fed also provides financial assistance in the event of a national emergency and has control over the nation’s money supply. The Fed sets the federal funds rate by buying and selling Treasury securities, notes, and bonds with its portfolio of Treasury and agency debt. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is the body of the Fed that sets the federal funds rate. The FOMC makes decisions based on its goals for maximum employment, price stability, and stable growth. The FOMC is made up of the seven presidents of the Federal Reserve Banks. Now, what is a key interest rate? An interest rate is a price usually charged by a lender for a loan of money. It is usually expressed as a percentage of the average value of all outstanding bonds owned by the lender. The U.S. Federal Reserve controls the interest rate paid on reserve accounts. It also regulates the nation’s money supply to ensure that it meets its goal of maintaining the average value of money at a rate of 2 percent. Thus Investors need to know what the federal funds rate is because this is the key interest rate that the Fed controls. The federal funds rate is the interest rate at which banks lend money to other banks in the federal funds market. It is the primary interest rate that affects the interest rate that consumers pay on their loans and the interest rate that the government pays on its bonds. The federal funds rate is determined by the FOMC and has a great impact on the economy. As the Fed sets out on what gives off an impression of being a more extended time of raising rates, here are the victors and failures of its most recent choice.

2. CREDIT CARDS/ATM Those who maintain a low balance on their card and pay only the minimum payment each month should be fine. But if you have a large balance and make only the minimum payment each month, you will likely pay more at the ATM. It’s also worth keeping in mind that the changes to the prime rate are temporary, so if you’re considering a variable-rate card, it might make sense to lock in a fixed-rate card. SAVING ACCOUNT If you have a savings account with a high-interest rate, you will most likely earn less interest than you would have if you had a savings account with a lower interest rate. The prime rate affects the interest rate that banks offer on savings accounts, so it’s worth comparing savings accounts to see if your rate has increased. If your savings account currently has a higher interest rate, you may want to find new savings account with a lower interest rate. HOME EQUITY LOAN AND LINES OF CREDIT HOME EQUITY Loans and lines of credit are also affected by the prime rate. If your home equity loan has a fixed interest rate, the prime rate won’t affect your payment. If your home equity loan has a variable interest rate, the prime rate may affect your payment. The prime rate affects the interest rate that banks offer on home equity loans and lines of credit, so it’s worth comparing home equity loans and lines of credit to see if your rate has increased. If your home equity loan or line of credit currently has a higher interest rate, you may want to find a new loan or line of credit with a lower interest rate. MORTGAGES The run-up in rates has also slowed the economy, which has resulted in a decrease in home sales and a decrease in homebuilding. As a result, many home buyers are on the sidelines, with fewer buying homes and refinancing their existing homes. This has led to an increase in the number of homeowners with mortgages that are fixed for a longer period of time, such as 10 years instead of 5 years. This has also resulted in some homeowners refinancing their mortgages to get a lower interest rate, which will affect their payments over the next few years but will not have a major effect on their monthly payments for the next few years. On top of that, the Fed has been raising interest rates, which has made it more expensive for homebuyers to obtain a mortgage. The result: Home sales have fallen and mortgage rates have risen. The Fed has indicated that it plans to continue raising interest rates, so the impact of higher rates on the housing market will likely continue. However, if you’re in the home- buying market, it pays to keep a close eye on rates and adjust your plans accordingly. In this way to summarize you ought to be aware in the event that you employ your cash is the correct heading or not. So keep an eye open and put your yield in an extremely legitimate way!