Question

Which of the following statement(s) is(are) true?

I) The real rate of interest is determined by the supply and demand for funds.
II) The real rate of interest is determined by the expected rate of inflation.
III) The real rate of interest can be affected by actions of the Fed.
IV) The real rate of interest is equal to the nominal interest rate plus the expected rate of inflation

Answer 1

I) The real rate of interest is determined by the supply and demand for funds.

III) The real rate of interest can be affected by the actions of the Fed.

Explanation: The interest rate is determined by the interaction of the demand and supply of loanable funds. Increases in supply will decrease the interest rate and increase the total amount of borrowing and lending. Decreases in supply will increase the interest rate and decrease the total amount of borrowing and lending.

When the Fed cuts interest rates, consumers usually earn less interest on their savings. Banks will typically lower rates paid on cash held in bank certificates of deposits (CDs), money market accounts and regular savings accounts. The rate cut usually takes a few weeks to be reflected in bank rates.