Final answer:
The question is about the market for loanable funds and interest rates. If the interest rate is lower than the equilibrium level, there will be a surplus of loanable funds. Lenders will lower interest rates to attract more borrowers and move the market towards equilibrium.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject of this question is economics, specifically the market for loanable funds and interest rates.
In the given scenario, if the interest rate is 5.5%, it is lower than the equilibrium level. As a result, the quantity of loanable funds supplied will be greater than the quantity of loans demanded, creating a surplus or excess supply in the market.
This surplus of loanable funds would encourage lenders to lower the interest rates they charge in order to attract more borrowers. This adjustment would increase the quantity of loanable funds demanded and move the market towards the equilibrium interest rate.