Since December 2008, the Federal Reserve's traditional policy instrument, the target federal funds rate, has been effectively at its lower bound of zero. In order to further ease the stance of monetary policy as the economic outlook deteriorated, the Federal Reserve purchased substantial...

In this study, authors Joseph Gagnon, Matthew Raskin, Julie Remache and Brian Sack review the Federal Reserve’s experience with implementing the LSAPs between late 2008 and March 2010. They explain that the target fed funds rate was set as low as possible in December 2008. Thus, to further...