The full text on this page is automatically extracted from the file linked above and may contain errors and inconsistencies.
Meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee
March 31, 1987
Minutes of Actions
A meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee was held in
the offices of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
in Washington, D. C., on Tuesday, March 31, 1987 at 9:00 a.m.
PRESENT:
Volcker, Chairman
Corrigan, Vice Chairman
Angell
Boehne
Boykin
Heller
Johnson
Keehn
Seger
Stern
Messrs. Black, Forrestal, and Parry, Alternate Members
of the Federal Open Market Committee
Messrs. Guffey, Melzer, and Morris, Presidents of the Federal
Reserve Banks of Kansas City, St. Louis, and Boston,
respectively
Mr. Kohn, Secretary and Staff Adviser
Mr. Bernard, Assistant Secretary
Mrs. Loney, Deputy Assistant Secretary
Mr. Bradfield, General Counsel
Mr. Kichline, Economist
Mr. Truman, Economist (International)
Messrs. Lang, Lindsey, Prell, Rolnick, Rosenblum,
Scheld, Siegman, and Simpson, Associate Economists
Mr. Sternlight, Manager for Domestic Operations, System
Open Market Account
Mr. Cross, Manager for Foreign Operations, System
Open Market Account
3/31/87
- 2 -
Mr. Coyne, Assistant to the Board of Governors
Mr. Gemmill, Staff Adviser, Division of International
Finance, Board of Governors
Mrs. Low, Open Market Secretariat Assistant, Office of
Staff Director for Monetary and Financial Policy,
Board of Governors
Messrs. Hendricks and Powell, First Vice Presidents,
Federal Reserve Banks of Cleveland and San Francisco,
respectively
Messrs. Broaddus, Burger, J. Davis, T. Davis, Ms. Munnell,
Messrs. Scadding and Thieke, and Ms. Tschinkel,
Senior Vice Presidents, Federal Reserve Banks of
Richmond, St. Louis, Cleveland, Kansas City, Boston,
San Francisco, New York, and Atlanta, respectively
Mr. R. Davis, Senior Economic Adviser, Federal Reserve
Bank of New York
In the agenda for this meeting, it was reported that advices of the
election of the following members and alternate members of the Federal Open
Market Committee for the year commencing March 1, 1987, had been received
and the named individuals had executed their oaths of office.
The elected members and alternate members were as follows:
E. Gerald Corrigan, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, with
Thomas M. Timlen, First Vice President of the Federal Reserve Bank of
New York, as alternate;
Edward G. Boehne, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, with
Robert P. Black, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, as
alternate;
Silas Keehn, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago;
Robert H. Boykin, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, with
Robert P. Forrestal, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta,
as alternate;
Gary H. Stern, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, with
Robert T. Parry, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco,
as alternate.
- 3 -
3/31/87
By unanimous vote, the following officers of the Federal Open Market
Committee were elected to serve until the election of their successors at the
first meeting of the Committee after February 29, 1988, with the understanding
that in the event of the discontinuance of their official connection with the
Board of Governors or with a Federal Reserve Bank, they would cease to have
any official connection with the Federal Open Market Committee:
Paul A. Volcker
E. Gerald Corrigan
Chairman
Vice Chairman
Donald L. Kohn
Normand R. V. Bernard
Rosemary R. Loney
Michael Bradfield
James H. Oltman
James L. Kichline
Edwin M. Truman
Secretary and Staff Adviser
Assistant Secretary
Deputy Assistant Secretary
General Counsel
Deputy General Counsel
Economist
Economist (International)
Peter Fousek, Richard W. Lang,
David E. Lindsey, Michael J. Prell,
Arthur J. Rolnick, Harvey Rosenblum,
Karl A. Scheld, Charles J. Siegman,
and Thomas D. Simpson
Associate Economists
By unanimous vote, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York was selected
to execute transactions for the System Open Market Account until the adjourn
ment of the first meeting of the Committee after February 29, 1988.
By unanimous vote, Peter D. Sternlight and Sam Y. Cross were
selected to serve at the pleasure of the Committee in the capacities of
Manager for Domestic Operations, System Open Market Account, and Manager for
Foreign Operations, System Open Market Account, respectively, on the under
standing that their selection was subject to their being satisfactory to the
Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
Secretary's note: Advice was subseqently received
that the selections indicated above were satisfactory
to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
- 4 -
3/31/87
Secretary's note: On March 9, 1987, certain continuing
rules, regulations, authorizations, and other instruments
of the Committee had been distributed with the advice
that, in accordance with procedures approved by the
Committee, they were being called to the Committee's
attention before the March 31 organization meeting to
give members an opportunity to raise any questions they
might have concerning them. Members were asked to so
indicate if they wished to have any of the instruments
in question placed on the agenda for consideration at
this meeting, and no such requests were received.
Accordingly, the instruments remained in effect in
their existing forms. They are listed below:
1.
Procedures for allocation of securities in the
System Open Market Account.
2.
Authority for the Chairman to appoint a Federal
Reserve Bank as agent to operate the System Account
in case the New York Bank is unable to function.
3.
Resolutions providing for the continued operation of the
Committee and for certain actions by the Reserve Banks
during an emergency.
4.
Resolution relating to examinations of the System Open
Market Account.
5.
Guidelines for the conduct of System operations in
Federal agency issues.
6.
Regulation relating to Open Market Operations of Federal
Reserve Banks.
7.
Rules of Organization, Rules Regarding Availability of
Information, and Rules of Procedure.
8.
Agreement with the U.S. Treasury to Warehouse Foreign
Currencies.
9.
Program for Security of FOMC Information.
- 5 -
3/31/87
By unanimous vote the Authorization for Domestic Open Market Operations
shown below was reaffirmed:
AUTHORIZATION FOR DOMESTIC OPEN MARKET OPERATIONS
Reaffirmed March 31, 1987
1. The Federal Open Market Committee authorizes and directs the Federal
Reserve Bank of New York, to the extent necessary to carry out the most
recent domestic policy directive adopted at a meeting of the Committee:
(a) To buy or sell U. S. Government securities, including securities
of the Federal Financing Bank, and securities that are direct obligations
of, or fully guaranteed as to principal and interest by, any agency of
the United States in the open market, from or to securities dealers and
foreign and international accounts maintained at the Federal Reserve Bank
of New York, on a cash, regular, or deferred delivery basis, for the System
Open Market Account at market prices, and, for such Account, to exchange
maturing U. S. Government and Federal agency securities with the Treasury or
the individual agencies or to allow them to mature without replacement;
provided that the aggregate amount of U. S. Government and Federal agency
securities held in such Account (including forward commitments) at the
close of business on the day of a meeting of the Committee at which action
is taken with respect to a domestic policy directive shall not be
increased or decreased by more than $6.0 billion during the period com
mencing with the opening of business on the day following such meeting and
ending with the close of business on the day of the next such meeting;
(b) When appropriate, to buy or sell in the open market, from or
to acceptance dealers and foreign accounts maintained at the Federal
Reserve Bank of New York, on a cash, regular, or deferred delivery basis,
for the account of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York at market discount
rates, prime bankers acceptances with maturities of up to nine months at
the time of acceptance that (1) arise out of the current shipment of
goods between countries or within the United States, or (2) arise out
of the storage within the United States of goods under contract of sale or
expected to move into the channels of trade within a reasonable time and
that are secured throughout their life by a warehouse receipt or similar
document conveying title to the underlying goods; provided that the
aggregate amount of bankers acceptances held at any one time shall not
exceed $100 million;
(c) To buy U. S. Government securities, obligations that are direct
obligations of, or fully guaranteed as to principal and interest by, any
agency of the United States, and prime bankers acceptances of the types
authorized for purchase under 1(b) above, from dealers for the account of
the Federal Reserve Bank of New York under agreements for repurchase of
such securities, obligations, or acceptances in 15 calendar days or less,
at rates that, unless otherwise expressly authorized by the Committee,
shall be determined by competitive bidding, after applying reasonable
3/31/87
- 6 -
limitations on the volume of agreements with individual dealers; provided
that in the event Government securities or agency issues covered by any
such agreement are not repurchased by the dealer pursuant to the agreement
or a renewal thereof, they shall be sold in the market or transferred to the
System Open Market Account; and provided further that in the event bankers
acceptances covered by any such agreement are not repurchased by the seller,
they shall continue to be held by the Federal Reserve Bank or shall be sold
in the open market.
2. In order to ensure the effective conduct of open market operations,
the Federal Open Market Committee authorizes and directs the Federal
Reserve Banks to lend U. S. Government securities held in the System Open
Market Account to Government securities dealers and to banks participating
in Government securities clearing arrangements conducted through a Federal
Reserve Bank, under such instructions as the Committee may specify from
time to time.
3. In order to ensure the effective conduct of open market operations,
while assisting in the provision of short-term investments for foreign and
international accounts maintained at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York,
the Federal Open Market Committee authorizes and directs the Federal Reserve
Bank of New York (a) for System Open Market Account, to sell U. S. Govern
ment securities to such foreign and international accounts on the bases
set forth in paragraph 1(a) under agreements providing for the resale by
such accounts of those securities within 15 calendar days on terms com
parable to those available on such transactions in the market; and (b)
for New York Bank account, when appropriate, to undertake with dealers,
subject to the conditions imposed on purchases and sales of securities in
paragraph l(c), repurchase agreements in U. S. Government and agency
securities, and to arrange corresponding sale and repurchase agreements
between its own account and foreign and international accounts maintained
at the Bank. Transactions undertaken with such accounts under the pro
visions of this paragraph may provide for a service fee when appropriate.
By unanimous vote paragraph 1D of the Authorization for Foreign
Currency Operations was amended to raise from $10 billion to $12 billion the
limit on the overall open position in all foreign currencies.
With this
amendment, the authorization reads as follows:
AUTHORIZATION FOR FOREIGN CURRENCY OPERATIONS
As Amended March 31, 1987
1. The Federal Open Market Committee authorizes and directs the Federal
Reserve Bank of New York, for System Open Market Account, to the extent
necessary to carry out the Committee's foreign currency directive and
express authorizations by the Committee pursuant thereto, and in conformity
with such procedural instructions as the Committee may issue from time to
time:
3/31/87
- 7 -
A. To purchase and sell the following foreign currencies in the form of
cable transfers through spot or forward transactions on the open market at
home and abroad, including transactions with the U. S. Treasury, with the
U. S. Exchange Stabilization Fund established by Section 10 of the Gold
Reserve Act of 1934, with foreign monetary authorities, with the Bank
for International Settlements, and with other international financial
institutions:
Austrian schillings
Belgian francs
Canadian dollars
Danish kroner
Pounds sterling
French francs
German marks
Italian lire
Japanese yen
Mexican pesos
Netherlands guilders
Norwegian kroner
Swedish kronor
Swiss francs
B. To hold balances of, and to have outstanding forward contracts to
receive or to deliver, the foreign currencies listed in paragraph A above.
C. To draw foreign currencies and to permit foreign banks to draw dollars
under the reciprocal currency arrangements listed in paragraph 2 below,
provided that drawings by either party to any such arrangement shall be
fully liquidated within 12 months after any amount outstanding at that time
was first drawn, unless the Committee, because of exceptional circumstances,
specifically authorizes a delay.
D. To maintain an overall open position in all foreign currencies not
exceeding $12.0 billion. For this purpose, the overall open position in all
foreign currencies is defined as the sum (disregarding signs) of net posi
tions in individual currencies. The net position in a single foreign
currency is defined as holdings of balances in that currency, plus out
standing contracts for future receipt, minus outstanding contracts for
future delivery of that currency, i.e., as the sum of these elements
with due regard to sign.
2. The Federal Open Market Committee directs the Federal Reserve Bank of
New York to maintain reciprocal currency arrangements ("swap" arrangements)
for the System Open Market Account for periods up to a maximum of 12 months
with the following foreign banks, which are among those designated by the
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System under Section 214.5 of
Regulation N, Relations with Foreign Banks and Bankers, and with the approval
of the Committee to renew such arrangements on maturity:
- 8 -
3/31/87
Foreign bank
Austrian National Bank
National Bank of Belgium
Bank of Canada
National Bank of Denmark
Bank of England
Bank of France
German Federal Bank
Bank of Italy
Bank of Japan
Bank of Mexico
Netherlands Bank
Bank of Norway
Bank of Sweden
Swiss National Bank
Bank for International Settlements:
Dollars against Swiss francs
Dollars against authorized European
currencies other than Swiss francs
Amount of arrangement
(millions of dollars
equivalent)
250
1,000
2,000
250
3,000
2,000
6,000
3,000
5,000
700
500
250
300
4,000
600
1,250
Any changes in the terms of existing swap arrangements, and the proposed
terms of any new arrangements that may be authorized, shall be referred
for review and approval to the Committee.
3. All transactions in foreign currencies undertaken under paragraph
1(A) above shall, unless otherwise expressly authorized by the Committee,
be at prevailing market rates. For the purpose of providing an investment
return on System holdings of foreign currencies, or for the purpose of
adjusting interest rates paid or received in connection with swap drawings,
transactions with foreign central banks may be undertaken at non-market
exchange rates.
4. It shall be the normal practice to arrange with foreign central banks
for the coordination of foreign currency transactions. In making operating
arrangements with foreign central banks on System holdings of foreign
currencies, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shall not commit itself
to maintain any specific balance, unless authorized by the Federal Open
Market Committee. Any agreements or understandings concerning the
administration of the accounts maintained by the Federal Reserve Bank of
New York with the foreign banks designated by the Board of Governors under
Section 214.5 of Regulation N shall be referred for review and approval to
the Committee.
3/31/87
- 9 -
5. Foreign currency holdings shall be invested insofar as practicable,
considering needs for minimum working balances. Such investments shall be
in liquid form, and generally have no more than 12 months remaining to
maturity. When appropriate in connection with arrangements to provide
investment facilities for foreign currency holdings, U. S. Government
securities may be purchased from foreign central banks under agreements
for repurchase of such securities within 30 calendar days.
6. All operations undertaken pursuant to the preceding paragraphs shall
be reported promptly to the Foreign Currency Subcommittee and the Committee.
The Foreign Currency Subcommittee consists of the Chairman and Vice Chairman
of the Committee, the Vice Chairman of the Board of Governors, and such other
member of the Board as the Chairman may designate (or in the absence of
members of the Board serving on the Subcommittee, other Board Members
designated by the Chairman as alternates, and in the absence of the Vice
Chairman of the Committee, his alternate). Meetings of the Subcommittee
shall be called at the request of any member, or at the request of the
Manager for Foreign Operations, for the purposes of reviewing recent or
contemplated operations and of consulting with the Manager on other
matters relating to his responsibilities. At the request of any member
of the Subcommittee, questions arising from such reviews and consultations
shall be referred for determination to the Federal Open Market Committee.
7.
The Chairman is authorized:
A. With the approval of the Committee, to enter into any needed
agreement or understanding with the Secretary of the Treasury about the
division of responsibility for foreign currency operations between the
System and the Treasury;
B. To keep the Secretary of the Treasury fully advised concerning
System foreign currency operations, and to consult with the Secretary on
policy matters relating to foreign currency operations;
C. From time to time, to transmit appropriate reports and information
to the National Advisory Council on International Monetary and Financial
Policies.
8. Staff officers of the Committee are authorized to transmit pertinent
information on System foreign currency operations to appropriate officials
of the Treasury Department.
9. All Federal Reserve Banks shall participate in the foreign currency
operations for System Account in accordance with paragraph 3 G(1) of the
Board of Governors' Statement of Procedure with Respect to Foreign
Relationships of Federal Reserve Banks dated January 1, 1944.
- 10 -
3/31/87
By unanimous vote, the Foreign Currency Directive shown below was
reaffirmed:
FOREIGN CURRENCY DIRECTIVE
Reaffirmed March 31, 1987
1. System operations in foreign currencies shall generally be directed at
countering disorderly market conditions, provided that market exchange rates
for the U. S. dollar reflect actions and behavior consistent with the IMF
Article IV, Section 1.
2.
To achieve this end the System shall:
A.
Undertake spot and forward purchases and sales of foreign exchange.
B. Maintain reciprocal currency ("swap") arrangements with selected
foreign central banks and with the Bank for International Settlements.
C. Cooperate in other respects with central banks of other countries
and with international monetary institutions.
3.
Transactions may also be undertaken:
A. To adjust System balances in light of probable future needs for
currencies.
B. To provide means for meeting System and Treasury commitments in
particular currencies, and to facilitate operations of the Exchange
Stabilization Fund.
C. For such other purposes as may be expressly authorized by the
Committee.
4.
System foreign currency operations shall be conducted:
A. In close and continuous consultation and cooperation with the United
States Treasury;
B.
In cooperation, as appropriate, with foreign monetary authorities;
and
C. In a manner consistent with the obligations of the United States
in the International Monetary Fund regarding exchange arrangements under the
IMF Aticle IV.
3/31/87
- 11 By unanimous vote, the Procedural Instructions with respect to
Foreign Currency Operations shown below were reaffirmed:
PROCEDURAL INSTRUCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO
FOREIGN CURRENCY OPERATIONS
Reaffirmed March 31, 1987
In conducting operations pursuant to the authorization and direction
of the Federal Open Market Committee as set forth in the Authorization for
Foreign Currency Operations and the Foreign Currency Directive, the Federal
Reserve Bank of New York, through the Manager for Foreign Operations, System
Open Market Account, shall be guided by the following procedural understandings
with respect to consultations and clearance with the Committee, the Foreign
Currency Subcommittee, and the Chairman of the Committee. All operations
undertaken pursuant to such clearances shall be reported promptly to the
Committee.
1. The Manager for Foreign Operations shall clear with the Subcommittee
(or with the Chairman, if the Chairman believes that consultation with
the Subcommittee is not feasible in the time available):
A. Any operation that would result in a change in the System's overall
open position in foreign currencies exceeding $300 million on any day or
$600 million since the most recent regular meeting of the Committee.
B. Any operation that would result in a change on any day in the
System's net position in a single foreign currency exceeding $150 million,
or $300 million when the operation is associated with repayment of swap
drawings.
C. Any operation that might generate a substantial volume of trading
in a particular currency by the System, even though the change in the System's
net position in that currency might be less than the limits specified in lB.
D. Any swap drawing proposed by a foreign bank not exceeding the
larger of (i) $200 million or (ii) 15 percent of the size of the swap arrange
ment.
2. The Manager for Foreign Operations shall clear with the Committee (or
with the Subcommittee, if the Subcommittee believes that consultation with
the full Committee is not feasible in the time available, or with the Chair
man, if the Chairman believes that consultation with the Subcommittee is
not feasible in the time available):
A. Any operation that would result in a change in the System's overall
open position in foreign currencies exceeding $1.5 billion since the most
recent regular meeting of the Committee.
B. Any swap drawing proposed by a foreign bank exceeding the larger
of (i) $200 million or (ii) 15 percent of the size of the swap arrangement.
- 12 -
3/31/87
3. The Manager for Foreign Operations shall also consult with the Sub
committee or the Chairman about proposed swap drawings by the System, and
about any operations that are not of a routine character.
By unanimous vote, the minutes of actions taken at the meeting of
the Federal Open Market Committee held on February 10-11, 1987, were approved.
By unanimous vote, System open market transactions in foreign
currencies during the period February 11 through March 30, 1987, were ratified.
By unanimous vote, System open market transactions in government
securities and agency obligations during the period February 11 through
March 30, 1987, were ratified.
By unanimous vote, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York was authorized
and directed, until otherwise directed by the Committee, to execute transactions
in the System Account in accordance with the following policy directive:
The information reviewed at this meeting suggests
on balance that economic activity has been expanding
at a faster pace than in the fourth quarter, with
output apparently strengthened by a rebuilding of
business inventories and some improvement in foreign
trade. Total nonfarm payroll employment rose strongly
again in February. The civilian unemployment rate
remained at 6.7 percent for the third consecutive
month. Industrial production also increased appreciably
further in February. Total retail sales have continued
to fluctuate substantially from month to month, largely
reflecting the uneven pattern of automobile sales, but
on balance overall consumer spending has been relatively
flat over the past several months. Housing starts
strengthened further in February after rising in
December and January to their highest level since late
spring.
Business capital spending appears to have
weakened in early 1987. Consumer and producer prices
3/31/87
- 13 -
rose more rapidly in early 1987, primarily reflecting
sizable increases in energy prices. Labor cost in
creases have remained relatively moderate in recent
months.
Growth of M2 and M3 has slowed substantially from
the pace in December and January, and for 1987 to date
expansion of these two aggregates appears to have been
around the lower ends of their respective ranges
established by the Committee for the year. Growth of
M1,after moderating in January from an exceptionally
rapid pace in late 1986, also has slowed markedly further.
Expansion in total domestic nonfinancial debt appears to
have moderated appreciably since year-end. Interest
rates generally have fluctuated in a relatively narrow
range since the February 10-11 meeting of the Committee,
although they have firmed somewhat recently. At a
meeting in the latter part of February, the Finance
Ministers and Central Bank Governors of major industrial
countries agreed to cooperate closely to foster stability
of exchange rates around then-current levels. However,
after mid-March, the trade-weighted value of the dollar
against the other G-10 currencies declined further on
balance, including a sizable decline against the yen.
The Federal Open Market Committee seeks monetary and
financial conditions that will foster reasonable price
stability over time, promote growth in output on a
sustainable basis, and contribute to an improved pattern
of international transactions. In furtherance of these
objectives the Committee at its February meeting established
growth ranges of 5-1/2 to 8-1/2 percent for both M2 and M3,
measured from the fourth quarter of 1986 to the fourth
quarter of 1987. The associated range for growth in total
domestic nonfinancial debt was set at 8 to 11 percent for
1987.
With respect to M1,the Committee recognized that,
based on experience, the behavior of that aggregate must
be judged in the light of other evidence relating to
economic activity and prices; fluctuations in M1 have
become much more sensitive in recent years to changes
in interest rates, among other factors. During 1987,
the Committee anticipates that growth in M1 should slow.
However, in the light of its sensitivity to a variety
3/31/87
- 14 of influences, the Committee decided at the February
meeting not to establish a precise target for its growth
over the year as a whole. Instead, the appropriateness
of changes in M1 during the course of the year will be
evaluated in the light of the behavior of its velocity,
developments in the economy and financial markets, and
the nature of emerging price pressures.
In that connection, the Committee believes that,
particularly in the light of the extraordinary expansion
of this aggregate in recent years, much slower monetary
growth would be appropriate in the context of continuing
economic expansion accompanied by signs of intensifying
price pressures, perhaps related to significant weakness
of the dollar in exchange markets, and relatively strong
growth in the broad monetary aggregates. Conversely,
continuing sizable increases in M1 could be accommodated
in circumstances characterized by sluggish business
activity, maintenance of progress toward underlying price
stability, and progress toward international equilibrium.
As this implies, the Committee in reaching operational
decisions during the year, might target appropriate growth
in M1 from time to time in the light of circumstances then
prevailing, including the rate of growth of the broader
aggregates.
In the implementation of policy for the immediate
future, the Committee seeks to maintain the existing
degree of pressure on reserve positions. Somewhat
greater reserve restraint might be acceptable depending
on developments in foreign exchange markets, taking into
account the behavior of the aggregates, the strength
of the business expansion, progress against inflation,
and conditions in credit markets. This approach is
expected to be consistent with growth in M2 and M3 over
the period from March through June at annual rates of
around 6 percent or less. Growth in M1 is expected to
remain substantially below its pace in 1986. The
Chairman may call for Committee consultation if it
appears to the Manager for Domestic Operations that
reserve conditions during the period before the next
meeting are likely to be associated with a federal funds
rate persistently outside a range of 4 to 8 percent.
-
3/31/87
15
It was agreed that the next meeting of the Committee would be
held on Tuesday, May 19, 1987.
The meeting adjourned.
Secretary
Secretary's note: On April 22, 1987, the Committee
approved an increase of $3 billion, to $9 billion,
in the intermeeting limit on changes in System
holdings of U.S. government and federal agency
securities specified in paragraph 1(a) of the
Authorization for Domestic Open Market Operations.
On May 6, the Committee approved a further increase
of $2 billion, to $11 billion, in the limit. These
actions were effective immediately, for the period
ending May 19, 1987.
@FedFRASER