Fed reduz os juros dos EUA para 1%

In "Jornal de Negócios":

A Reserva Federal (Fed) dos EUA reduziu em 50 pontos a taxa de juro no país para 1%. Esta é a segunda vez este mês que a autoridade monetária decide reduzir o preço do dinheiro norte-americano com o objectivo de reanimar a economia, que segundo as estimativas está à beira de uma recessão.

In "NYTimes.com":

WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve lowered its benchmark interest rate by half a percentage point on Wednesday, its second rate cut this month, as policy makers tried to fend off what could be the worst economic downturn in decades.

The move brought the overnight federal fund target rate to 1 percent, down to the new-record lows reached in 2003 and 2004. Wednesday’s vote was unanimous.

...

Since the credit crisis began in August 2007, the Federal Reserve has slashed the fed funds rate to 1.5 percent, from 5.25 percent. But interest rates for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages are about 6.3 percent, roughly where they were when the credit crisis began.

Many economists contend that the United States economy has already slipped into a recession that could well last longer and be more severe than any downturn since the early 1970s.

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