Balancing Economic Growth and Inflation: The Federal Reserve’s Approach to Interest Rates
The Federal Reserve (Fed) plays a pivotal role in shaping the U.S. economy by balancing two critical objectives: promoting economic growth and controlling inflation. This balancing act is essential because both objectives can sometimes conflict with one another. Too much focus on growth can lead to high inflation, while tightening policies to curb inflation can slow down economic growth. The primary tool the Fed uses to manage this delicate balance is interest rate adjustments.