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Post by bot on Nov 20, 2013 1:45:37 GMT -5
Yellen defends QE3 in letters to senators WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- A "strong majority" on the Federal Reserve's policy-setting committee believes that the central bank's unprecedented asset purchase programs have been effective, said Janet Yellen, President Barack Obama's nominee to be the first chairwoman of the central bank. In response to a written question from Sen. David Vitter, a Louisiana Republican, Yellen said the benefits of asset purchases continue to outweigh the costs. The letters were released on Tuesday. Yellen repeated the Fed's statement that asset purchases are "not on a preset course" and the decision on whether to reduce the pace of the purchases will remain contingent on the economic outlook and the Fed's assessment of the costs and benefits. In a separate letter to Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, Yellen said that Fed policy would likely remain very easy for a long time after the unemployment rate falls below the central bank's 6.5% interest rate hike threshold.
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