KUALA LUMPUR – In the United States, the Federal Reserve (the American central bank) has been reluctant to lower its short-term lending rates to major financial institutions. The Fed procrastinated for months and months. The main reason is likely that the domestic inflation rate in the US has not yet descended to the Federal Reserve's preferred level of around 2 percent, and the Fed thus feels itself obligated to maintain a high interest rate of around 5 percent to combat inflation. In other words, the Fed's determination to fight what it perceives as unacceptable inflation remains resolute.
In elite financial sectors around the world, veterans often reminisce about Alan Greenspan, who became the Fed chairman in the mid-1980s and held the position for nearly two decades. During his tenure, Greenspan carefully adjusted interest rates to largely support the rapid growth of the US economy. However, Greenspan also witnessed several rounds of economic crises that originated in the US and spread globally. He may be said to have effectively held the world's hand through one economic roller coaster after another.
Continue reading with one of these options:
Ad-free access
P 80 per month
(billed annually at P 960)
- Unlimited ad-free access to website articles
- Limited offer: Subscribe today and get digital edition access for free (accessible with up to 3 devices)