미국 연방준비제도이사회(FRB)는 26일(현지시간) 통화정책회의인 연방공개시장회의(FOMC)를 열고 제로금리와 자산 매입 규모를 동결했다.
이날 연준은 6000억 달러 규모의 국채 매입 프로그램, 이른바 '2차 양적완화' 정책을 예정대로 2011년6월까지 실시할 것이라 밝혔다.
제로수준(0~0.25%)의 기준 금리도 다시 한 번 동결했다. 연준은 2008년 12월부터 25개월째 초저금리를 유지하고 있다.
이날 연준은 "원자재 값이 상승하고 있으나 장기적 인플레이션 기대는 안정적이며 기저 인플레이션을 측정하는 지표들은 하향하고 있다"고 밝혔다.
또 연준은 "경기 회복세가 노동 시장 상황을 개선하기엔 불충분"하고 "주택 시장이 여전히 침체 돼 있다"며 이전과 유사한 경기 판단을 밝혔다.
다음은 성명 전문.
Release Date: January 26, 2011
For immediate release
Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in December confirms that the economic recovery is continuing, though at a rate that has been insufficient to bring about a significant improvement in labor market conditions. Growth in household spending picked up late last year, but remains constrained by high unemployment, modest income growth, lower housing wealth, and tight credit. Business spending on equipment and software is rising, while investment in nonresidential structures is still weak. Employers remain reluctant to add to payrolls. The housing sector continues to be depressed. Although commodity prices have risen, longer-term inflation expectations have remained stable, and measures of underlying inflation have been trending downward.
Consistent with its statutory mandate, the Committee seeks to foster maximum employment and price stability. Currently, the unemployment rate is elevated, and measures of underlying inflation are somewhat low, relative to levels that the Committee judges to be consistent, over the longer run, with its dual mandate. Although the Committee anticipates a gradual return to higher levels of resource utilization in a context of price stability, progress toward its objectives has been disappointingly slow.
To promote a stronger pace of economic recovery and to help ensure that inflation, over time, is at levels consistent with its mandate, the Committee decided today to continue expanding its holdings of securities as announced in November. In particular, the Committee is maintaining its existing policy of reinvesting principal payments from its securities holdings and intends to purchase $600 billion of longer-term Treasury securities by the end of the second quarter of 2011. The Committee will regularly review the pace of its securities purchases and the overall size of the asset-purchase program in light of incoming information and will adjust the program as needed to best foster maximum employment and price stability.
독자들의 PICK!
The Committee will maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 0 to 1/4 percent and continues to anticipate that economic conditions, including low rates of resource utilization, subdued inflation trends, and stable inflation expectations, are likely to warrant exceptionally low levels for the federal funds rate for an extended period.
The Committee will continue to monitor the economic outlook and financial developments and will employ its policy tools as necessary to support the economic recovery and to help ensure that inflation, over time, is at levels consistent with its mandate.
Voting for the FOMC monetary policy action were: Ben S. Bernanke, Chairman; William C. Dudley, Vice Chairman; Elizabeth A. Duke; Charles L. Evans; Richard W. Fisher; Narayana Kocherlakota; Charles I. Plosser; Sarah Bloom Raskin; Daniel K. Tarullo; Kevin M. Warsh; and Janet L. Yellen.
