Leading Rates
Who are they for? Borrowers and savers, especially people with
adjustable rate mortgages or variable-rate
credit cards.
What's included? The Fed Funds Rate is the primary tool that the Federal Open Market Committee uses to influence
interest rates and the economy. Changes in the Fed Funds rate have far-reaching effects by influencing the borrowing cost of banks in the overnight lending market, and subsequently the returns offered on bank deposit products such as certificates of deposit, savings accounts, and money market accounts. Changes in the Fed Funds rate and the Discount Rate also dictate changes in the Wall Street Journal Prime Rate, which is of interest to borrowers. The
prime rate is the underlying index for most credit cards,
home equity loans and lines of credit, auto loans, and personal loans. Many small business loans are also indexed to the Prime rate. The 11th District Cost of Funds is often used as an index for adjustable rate mortgages.