Final answer:
Monetary policy affects interest rates through shifts in the supply of loanable bank funds; expansionary policy decreases rates and increases funds loaned, while contractionary policy does the opposite.
Step-by-step explanation:
The effect of monetary policy on interest rates can be understood through the market for loanable bank funds. When the central bank employs an expansionary monetary policy, it increases the supply of money, which shifts the supply curve of loanable funds to the right. This action lowers the equilibrium interest rate and increases the quantity of funds loaned. For example, a shift from the original supply curve (So) to a new supply curve (S₁) can decrease the interest rate from 8% to 6% while increasing the quantity loaned from $10 billion to $14 billion. Conversely, a contractionary monetary policy results in reducing the money supply, shifting the supply curve to the left, leading to a higher equilibrium interest rate and a decreased quantity of funds loaned. An example here would be a shift from the original supply curve (So) to a new supply curve (S₂), raising the interest rate from 8% to 10% and reducing the quantity loaned to $8 billion.