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Release Date: January 29, 2003

For immediate release
The Federal Open Market Committee decided today to keep its target for the federal funds
rate unchanged at 1-1/4 percent.
Oil price premiums and other aspects of geopolitical risks have reportedly fostered
continued restraint on spending and hiring by businesses. However, the Committee believes
that as those risks lift, as most analysts expect, the accommodative stance of monetary
policy, coupled with ongoing growth in productivity, will provide support to an improving
economic climate over time.
In these circumstances, the Committee believes that, against the background of its long-run
goals of price stability and sustainable economic growth and of the information currently
available, the risks are balanced with respect to the prospects for both goals for the
foreseeable future.
Voting for the FOMC monetary policy action were Alan Greenspan, Chairman; William J.
McDonough, Vice Chairman; Ben S. Bernanke, Susan S. Bies; J. Alfred Broaddus, Jr.;
Roger W. Ferguson, Jr.; Edward M. Gramlich; Jack Guynn; Donald L. Kohn; Michael H.
Moskow; Mark W. Olson, and Robert T. Parry.
2003 Monetary policy
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Last update: January 29, 2003