Marketplace®

Daily business news and economic stories

How QE3 could help the economy

Yesterday Federal Reserve Chief Ben Bernanke laid out the Fed's new economic stimulus plan. It's round 3 of so-called quantitative easing. The Fed will buy $40 billion worth of mortgage-backed securities every month, until it decides the economy has improved.

U.S. President Barack Obama (3rd R) shakes hands with Federal Reserve Bank Chairman Ben Bernanke (C) as FDIC Chair Sheila Bair (2nd L) looks on.
U.S. President Barack Obama (3rd R) shakes hands with Federal Reserve Bank Chairman Ben Bernanke (C) as FDIC Chair Sheila Bair (2nd L) looks on.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Yesterday Federal Reserve Chief Ben Bernanke laid out the Fed’s new economic stimulus plan. It’s round 3 of so-called quantitative easing. The Fed will buy $40 billion worth of mortgage-backed securities every month, until it decides the economy has improved.

The focus is primarily on housing, says Chris Low, chief economist for FTN Financial in New York, and that has roots in a number speeches given in the past year with the theme that a housing recovery is central to a broader economic recovery.

“They seem determined to deliver on housing,” he says.

 

 

Related Topics

Latest Episodes

View All Shows
  • Marketplace
    2 days ago
    25:48
  • Make Me Smart
    2 days ago
    24:33
  • Marketplace Morning Report
    3 days ago
    6:48
  • Marketplace Tech
    3 days ago
    10:08
  • This Is Uncomfortable
    7 days ago
    4:41
  • Million Bazillion
    a month ago
    32:45