Article Summary. In a September 2013 speech to the Independent Bankers
Association of Texas, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas president Richard Fisher
stated that the Fed’s credibility was harmed when it announced the previous week
that it would continue its large bond purchasing program. In June, Fed Chairman
Ben Bernanke had stated that that the program could begin to be cut back later in
the year, and several other Fed officials expressed being open to the announced
timing of this policy. Bernanke’s change in his announced timeline of the Fed’s
intentions regarding the bond purchasing program brought criticism that the Fed
had misled investors. In his speech, Fisher stated “I disagreed with the decision of
the committee and argued against it. Doing nothing at this meeting would increase
uncertainty about the future conduct of policy and call the credibility of our
communications into question. I believe that is exactly what has occurred, though I
take no pleasure in saying so.” Fisher has been a long-time opponent of the Fed’s
bond purchasing program, claiming it is ineffective and may well lead to future
inflation, and had been calling for the Fed to begin phasing out this program in
September.
Source: “Fisher: Standing pat on policy hurt Fed’s credibility,” Reuters,
September 23, 2013.
If the Federal Reserve’s announcements about upcoming monetary policy decisions are
not seen as credible, as Richard Fisher alludes to regarding the announcements about
the bond purchasing program, which of the following would you expect to see?
A) Inflation expectations will accurately reflect actual inflation.
B) Expansionary monetary policy will result in lower rates of inflation.
C) Firms and workers will be unable to accurately forecast changes in the rate of
inflation.
D) The Federal Reserve will have more control over the inflation rate.