Bernanke

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Bernanke Prepared to `Act' to Stem Credit-Rout Impact (Update1)

By Craig Torres and Scott Lanman

Aug. 31 (Bloomberg) -- The Federal Reserve will do what's necessary to limit damage to consumer spending and economic growth that may arise from a deepening housing recession, Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said.

The Fed ``continues to monitor the situation and will act as needed to limit the adverse effects on the broader economy that may arise from the disruptions in financial markets,'' he said at the Kansas City Fed's annual symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. ``Further tightening of credit conditions, if sustained, would increase the risk that the current weakness in housing could be deeper or more prolonged than previously expected.''

The remarks are Bernanke's first since a sell-off in credit markets forced the Fed to cut the interest rate on direct loans to banks and shift its policy focus toward economic growth, rather than inflation. The chairman suggested the Fed is prepared to cut the discount rate further or use additional tools to ease the strains in markets.

``The Federal Reserve stands ready to take additional actions as needed to provide liquidity and promote the orderly functioning of markets,'' Bernanke said.

The speech suggests Fed officials are considering all options between now and the Sept. 18 policy meeting, and are likely to lean against the risks of a slowdown in growth even though current economic data is relatively strong. Bernanke also made it clear that the central bank won't rescue investors from bad decisions.

Market Reaction

Stocks pared gains after Bernanke's remarks while Treasury securities remained lower. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 0.8 percent to 1,469.23 at 10:09 a.m. in New York, after advancing as much as 1.3 percent earlier. The yield on the benchmark 10-year note was at 4.55 percent.

``It is not the responsibility of the Federal Reserve --nor would it be appropriate -- to protect lenders and investors from the consequences of their financial decisions,'' Bernanke said. ``But the developments in financial markets can have broad economic effects felt by many outside the markets, and the Federal Reserve must take those effects into account when determining policy.''

Bernanke spoke as President George W. Bush prepared to unveil measures his administration plans to alleviate the crisis among homeowners unable to pay their loans. Bush will let the Federal Housing Administration, which insures mortgages for low- and middle-income borrowers, guarantee loans for delinquent borrowers, an administration official said before the president's speech.

Delinquencies

Delinquencies in adjustable-rate subprime mortgages originated in late 2005 and 2006 ``are likely to rise further,'' Bernanke said. The Fed's mountainside gathering is attended this year by central-bank officials from some 30 countries and almost all of the Fed's policy-setting Open Market Committee.

The speech comes amid the most tumultuous period of Bernanke's 19-month tenure, after a sudden increase in corporate borrowing costs resulting from the contamination of asset-backed securities linked to subprime mortgages, which are home loans to borrowers with low credit scores or limited credit histories.

``Investor uncertainty has increased significantly, as the difficulty of evaluating the risks of structured products that can be opaque or have complex payoffs has become more evident,'' Bernanke said. ``Investors may have become less willing to assume risk.''

On Aug. 7, the Federal Open Market Committee voted to leave the main interest rate at 5.25 percent for the ninth straight time and reiterated that inflation was its main concern, though risks to economic growth had increased ``somewhat.''

BNP Shock

Two days later, BNP Paribas SA, France's biggest bank, was forced to halt withdrawals from three of its investment funds, and money market rates rose worldwide, leading central banks to pump cash into the banking system. The Fed followed actions by the European Central Bank with its biggest cash infusion since the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

The moves weren't enough to stem the crisis of confidence in credit markets. On Aug. 17, after an emergency videoconference, the Fed cut the cost of direct loans to banks and revised its economic outlook, opening the door to lowering the benchmark federal funds rate, which covers overnight loans between banks.

Yields Drop

Still, since then, financing has remained costly or constrained for riskier securities and loans. Investors have fled to Treasuries, pushing yields on two-year notes to more than 1 percentage point below the Fed's 5.25 percent benchmark rate, a sign buyers anticipate a series of rate cuts.

The collapse of the U.S. housing-market boom in the first half of the decade is taking its toll on the broader economy. Residential construction has subtracted from economic growth for six straight quarters, the longest streak since 1982, and lopped 0.6 percentage point off the expansion in the three months through June.

Gross domestic product rose at a 4 percent annual rate in the second quarter, the Commerce Department said yesterday, up from an initial estimate of 3.4 percent.

In the FOMC's Aug. 17 statement, the panel omitted references to inflation and said risks of slower growth had increased ``appreciably.''

``The committee is monitoring the situation and is prepared to act as needed to mitigate the adverse effects on the economy arising from the disruptions in financial markets,'' the Fed said Aug. 17.

Lawmakers' Criticism

The Fed and other bank supervisors have been criticized by lawmakers for failing to enforce underwriting standards as Americans borrowed $2.87 trillion in mortgage debt from 2004 to 2006, a record for any three-year period.

While many of the abuses and fraud occurred at lightly regulated mortgage-finance companies, the Fed has broad rule- writing powers that cover these lenders as well. The Fed can define certain lending practices as abusive, and impose safeguards for consumers on some types of loans. The Fed can also dictate disclosure rules for financial companies.

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd, a presidential candidate and Connecticut Democrat, has threatened to impose rules on lenders through legislation if the Fed doesn't use its authority. Representative Barney Frank of Massachusetts, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, has warned he might give the Fed's authority to other regulators.

After the threats and several hearings, Bernanke took the unusual step of dedicating half of his semi-annual testimony on the economy in July to consumer protection issues. He said the Fed planned to issue new rules to protect consumers this year.

Last Updated: August 31, 2007 10:13 EDT

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