The Impact of Banks’ Cumulative Reserve Position on Federal Funds Rate Behavior

We analyze the impact that reserve levels accumulated through the preceding day in a reserve maintenance period have on the level of the federal funds rate each morning prior to when open-market operations are arranged. Our empirical results and other evidence provided about intraday patterns of the federal funds rate demonstrate that the pace at which reserves are supplied over a maintenance period to meet banks’ total reserve requirements is an important determinant of federal funds rate behavior.