Interest Rate Determination

Here, you will learn about determining interest rates and how supply and demand play a role in determining interest rates. Pay attention to the Fed's role in this determination and to the effects of the increase of money supply on interest rates. What are the determinants of interest rates?

Introduction

Money is a critical component of a modern economy because it facilitates voluntary exchanges. What exactly money is and how it fulfills this role is not widely understood. This chapter defines money and explains how a country's central bank determines the amount of money available in an economy. It also shows how changes in the amount of money in a country influence two very important macroeconomic variables: the interest rate and the inflation rate.


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