What Is the Purpose of the Fed?

With all the history, lore and media spotlight the Federal Reserve receives, how many people stopped to ask: What is the Fed’s purpose?

According to their website’s FAQs, the Federal Reserve system exists to:

provide the nation with a safer, more flexible, and more stable monetary and financial system.

It aims to carry this out through free market intervention including:

The Fed Says the Federal Budget Is Unsustainable

Tuesday’s speech by Fed Chair Jerome Powell began with the usual nod to the pandemic for making life difficult for the masses, followed by the various pats on the back for the central bankers and what they have done in fighting the problems caused by COVID. Powell even praised the government, noting “the fiscal response was truly extraordinary,” thanks to the $3 Trillion of “economic support” under the CARES Act as well as several other lesser known bills.

An IMF Official Describes the “Long Ascent” Ahead

The ascent refers to the difficult climb nations face as they “come back from the depths of crisis.” It promises to be “long, uneven and uncertain,” as explained by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, at an event hosted by the London School of Economics (LSE). This “path forward” for the 189 member countries serves as a precursor to the IMF’s 2020 Annual Meetings which commenced this week.