US 利益／興味 率 削減（する） to 1.75%

By THIS IS MONEY
Updated: 00:00 BST, 11 December 2001

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UNITED 明言する／公表するs central bank policymakers have 削減（する） 利益／興味 率s for the 11th time this year. Today's ４半期/4分の1 of a 百分率 point 削減 was 正確に／まさに what the markets and 財政上の commentators had 推定する／予想するd.

It means that the 重要な 連邦の 基金s lending 率 now stands at 1.75% - its lowest level since July 1961 - as the 連邦の Reserve Bank keeps trying to 支える an economy that was losing steam even before the 11th September attacks bu t showed worrying 調印するs of 崩壊するing afterward -- shedding 799,000 職業s in October and November alone.

'With 失業 still rising and a very uncertain holiday shopping period ahead for retailers, the Fed can't afford to look like it's 持つ／拘留するing 支援する,' said Gary Thayer, an 経済学者 with A.G. Edwards and Sons in St. Louis.

'A ４半期/4分の1-百分率 point 削減（する） when the fed 基金s 率 was at 6.5% (as it was when 2000 ended) is 比較して small, but a ４半期/4分の1-point 削減（する） when it's 負かす／撃墜する to 2% can have やめる a 重要な 衝撃,' he said.

There have been some flickers of hope in 最近の 経済的な data, which the Fed 目的（とする）s to fan as much as it can through 率 削減s. The University of Michigan's 消費者 感情 索引 rose for a third 連続した month in December, while factory orders climbed 堅固に in October.

That leads most 分析家s to 予知する a 穏やかな 後退，不況, ending by 中央の-2002, with some 説 the 下降 is already 底（に届く）ing out. 'This will be one of the mildest 後退，不況s during the 戦後の period,' said 経済学者 Sung Won Sohn of 井戸／弁護士席s Fargo in Minneapolis, 公式文書，認めるing the 普通の／平均（する） 後退，不況 lasts for 11 months.