View original document

The full text on this page is automatically extracted from the file linked above and may contain errors and inconsistencies.

Release Date: March 11, 2008
For immediate release
Since the coordinated actions taken in December 2007, the G-10 central banks have continued to
work together closely and to consult regularly on liquidity pressures in funding markets. Pressures
in some of these markets have recently increased again. We all continue to work together and will
take appropriate steps to address those liquidity pressures.
To that end, today the Bank of Canada, the Bank of England, the European Central Bank, the
Federal Reserve, and the Swiss National Bank are announcing specific measures.
Federal Reserve Actions
The Federal Reserve announced today an expansion of its securities lending program. Under this
new Term Securities Lending Facility (TSLF), the Federal Reserve will lend up to $200 billion of
Treasury securities to primary dealers secured for a term of 28 days (rather than overnight, as in the
existing program) by a pledge of other securities, including federal agency debt, federal agency
residential-mortgage-backed securities (MBS), and non-agency AAA/Aaa-rated private-label
residential MBS. The TSLF is intended to promote liquidity in the financing markets for Treasury
and other collateral and thus to foster the functioning of financial markets more generally. As is the
case with the current securities lending program, securities will be made available through an
auction process. Auctions will be held on a weekly basis, beginning on March 27, 2008. The
Federal Reserve will consult with primary dealers on technical design features of the TSLF.
In addition, the Federal Open Market Committee has authorized increases in its existing temporary
reciprocal currency arrangements (swap lines) with the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Swiss
National Bank (SNB). These arrangements will now provide dollars in amounts of up to $30 billion
and $6 billion to the ECB and the SNB, respectively, representing increases of $10 billion and $2
billion. The FOMC extended the term of these swap lines through September 30, 2008.
The actions announced today supplement the measures announced by the Federal Reserve on Friday
to boost the size of the Term Auction Facility to $100 billion and to undertake a series of term
repurchase transactions that will cumulate to $100 billion.
Information on Related Actions Being Taken by Other Central Banks
Information on the actions that will be taken by other central banks is available at the following
websites:
Bank of Canada
Bank of England
European Central Bank
Swiss National Bank (61 KB PDF)

Statements by Other Central Banks
Bank of Japan
Sveriges Riksbank
Term Securities Lending Facility
Terms and conditions
Frequently asked questions