Fed Joins Other Banks in Measure To Inject More Funds Into Markets
By GREG IP
December 12, 2007 9:10 a.m.
The Federal Reserve has joined with four other major central banks to announce a series of measures designed to inject added cash into global money markets in hopes of thawing a credit freeze that threatens their economies.
The Fed said today it would create a new "term auction facility" under which it would lend at least $40 billion and potentially far more, in four separate auctions starting this week. The loans would be at rates far below the rate charged on direct loans from the Fed to banks from its so-called "discount window." But the new loans can still be secured by the same, broad variety of collateral available that banks pledge for discount window loans. (Read the full statement.)
The European Central Bank, Bank of England, Bank of Canada and Swiss National Bank simultaneously announced parallel measures.
The Fed also said it had created reciprocal "swap" lines with the European Central Bank, for $20 billion, and the Swiss National Bank, for $4 billion. These will enable the ECB and SNB to make dollar loans to banks in their jurisdiction, in hopes of putting downward pressure on interbank dollar rates in the offshore markets, principally the London Interbank Offered Rate, or Libor, market. The inability of foreign central banks to inject funds in anything other than their own currency has been a factor creating the squeeze on bank funding in those markets.
The Fed has worried that banks' growing reluctance to lend either to other financial institutions or to businesses and consumers could cause the flow of credit to dry up and drag the weak economy into recession.
The new "term auction facility" overcomes the principal obstacles the Fed has faced using its two main tools for injecting liquidity. Open market operations can be used to inject cash at the federal funds rate, which is relatively cheap, but only against a limited range of collateral. The discount rate, on the other hand, is half a point higher than the federal funds rate and banks are reluctant to access it for fear of the stigma of being seen to be desperate for funds.
The new loans will be auctioned off with a minimum rate linked to the expected actual federal funds rate over the duration of the loan. Since the federal funds rate is expected to decline over the next two months, when the loans will be outstanding, the loan rate could end up being close to or even below the current federal funds rate.
The ECB, SNB and Bank of Canada are all taking separate actions to tackle the squeeze on funding in their respective markets.
"By allowing the Federal Reserve to inject term funds through a broader range of counterparties and against a broader range of collateral than open market operations, this facility could help promote the efficient dissemination of liquidity when the unsecured interbank markets are under stress," the Fed said.
The Fed indicated that the new facility could become a permanent addition to its monetary policy toolkit. "Experience gained under this temporary program will be helpful in assessing the potential usefulness of augmenting the Federal Reserve's current monetary policy tools--open market operations and the primary credit facility--with a permanent facility for auctioning term discount window credit."
The Fed "would seek public comment on any proposal for a permanent term auction facility."
The announcement reflects months of preparation and study within the Fed on how to deal with the shortcomings it met in August when it lowered the discount rate in an effort to push added cash into financial markets.
Nonetheless, its potential importance has grown given Wall Street's negative reaction to the quarter-point cuts the Fed announced Tuesday in the federal funds rate target and discount rate, to 4.25% and 4.75%, respectively. Blue chip stocks tumbled 2% and treasury yields plunged as investors bet the Fed would ultimately have to cut rates far more to catch up with a sinking economy.
It remains unclear whether the new operation will do the trick. But the early reaction was favorable: Treasury bond prices plunged and their yields shot up in early trading, a sign that investors are abandoning the relative safety of Treasurys and preparing to bid up riskier debt. Futures markets suggested stocks would rise at the opening.
Write to Greg Ip at greg.ip@wsj.com
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Press Release
Release Date: December 12, 2007
For immediate release
Today, the Bank of Canada, the Bank of England, the European Central Bank, the Federal Reserve, and the Swiss National Bank are announcing measures designed to address elevated pressures in short-term funding markets.
Federal Reserve Actions
Actions taken by the Federal Reserve include the establishment of a temporary Term Auction Facility (approved by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System) and the establishment of foreign exchange swap lines with the European Central Bank and the Swiss National Bank (approved by the Federal Open Market Committee).
Under the Term Auction Facility (TAF) program, the Federal Reserve will auction term funds to depository institutions against the wide variety of collateral that can be used to secure loans at the discount window. All depository institutions that are judged to be in generally sound financial condition by their local Reserve Bank and that are eligible to borrow under the primary credit discount window program will be eligible to participate in TAF auctions. All advances must be fully collateralized. By allowing the Federal Reserve to inject term funds through a broader range of counterparties and against a broader range of collateral than open market operations, this facility could help promote the efficient dissemination of liquidity when the unsecured interbank markets are under stress.
Each TAF auction will be for a fixed amount, with the rate determined by the auction process (subject to a minimum bid rate). The first TAF auction of $20 billion is scheduled for Monday, December 17, with settlement on Thursday, December 20; this auction will provide 28-day term funds, maturing Thursday, January 17, 2008. The second auction of up to $20 billion is scheduled for Thursday, December 20, with settlement on Thursday, December 27; this auction will provide 35-day funds, maturing Thursday, January 31, 2008. The third and fourth auctions will be held on January 14 and 28, with settlement on the following Thursdays. The amounts of those auctions will be determined in January. The Federal Reserve may conduct additional auctions in subsequent months, depending in part on evolving market conditions.
Depositories will submit bids through their local Reserve Banks. The minimum bid rate for the auctions will be established at the overnight indexed swap (OIS) rate corresponding to the maturity of the credit being auctioned. The OIS rate is a measure of market participants’ expected average federal funds rate over the relevant term. The minimum rate for the December 17 auction along with other auction details will be announced on Friday, December 14. Noncompetitive tenders may be accepted beginning with the third auction. The results of the first auction will be announced at 10 a.m. Eastern Time on December 19. The schedule for releasing the results of later auctions will be determined subsequently. Detailed terms of the auction and summary auction results will be available at federalreserve.gov.
Experience gained under this temporary program will be helpful in assessing the potential usefulness of augmenting the Federal Reserve’s current monetary policy tools--open market operations and the primary credit facility--with a permanent facility for auctioning term discount window credit. The Board anticipates that it would seek public comment on any proposal for a permanent term auction facility.
The Federal Open Market Committee has authorized temporary reciprocal currency arrangements (swap lines) with the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Swiss National Bank (SNB). These arrangements will provide dollars in amounts of up to $20 billion and $4 billion to the ECB and the SNB, respectively, for use in their jurisdictions. The FOMC approved these swap lines for a period of up to six months.
Information on Related Actions Being Taken by Other Central Banks
Information on the actions that will be taken by other central banks is available at the following websites.
Bank of Canada (http://www.bankofcanada.ca/)
Bank of England (http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/)
European Central Bank (http://www.ecb.int/)
Swiss National Bank (http://www.snb.ch/)
Statements by Other Central Banks
Bank of Japan (http://www.boj.or.jp/)
Swedish Riksbank (http://www.riksbank.com/)
Federal Register Notice (33 KB PDF) |
