Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says the U.S. economy has weakened and that the central bank is ready to take further action to bolster growth if conditions don’t improve. But Bernanke gave Congress no clue today about what steps the Fed might take or whether any action was imminent. Many investors were hoping Bernanke would signal that the Fed was ready to launch another round of bond purchases, which aim to drive down long-term interest rates and encourage more borrowing and spending. Bernanke, giving the Fed’s midyear economic update to Congress, says the economy will likely continue to expand moderately. But he says the economy’s meager growth would slow further if Europe’s debt crisis worsens or if Congress doesn’t address an impending budget crisis before the end of the year.
Today’s poll question: Do you think any action taken by the Fed in the near future can have a significant positive impact on the nation’s economic recovery?
