The Fed threw a lot of money at the financial crisis in 2008 to unfreeze credit markets and encourage economic activity. As part of its effort to keep the interest rateâ low, the Fed purchased government bonds worthâ $300 billion between March and September 2009. Byâ October, the Fed heldâ $770 billion in governmentâ securities, nearly double itsâ pre-crisis total. Before theâ crisis, the Fed held mainly governmentâ securities, which it used to control the quantity of money in the economy. Now government securities make up justâ 35% of theâ Fed's balance sheet. Required:
If the Fed purchased the government securities on the openâ market, explain why the purchase ofâ $300 billion of government securities would influence the interest rate.