Federal funds rate
Definition
The interest rate that banks charge each other for the use of Federal funds. It changes daily and is a sensitive indicator of general interest rate trends. The Federal funds rate is one of the of two interest rates controlled by the Fed. While the Fed can't directly affect this rate, it effectively controls it in the way it buys and sells Treasuries to banks. This is the rate that reaches individual investors, though the changes usually aren't felt for a period of time.
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Related Terms
Federal Reserve Discount Rate, Federal Open Market Committee, Fed funds rate
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