Bernanke: Economic weakness to continue

Trader Gregg Russo looks up at the closing numbers on the board from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, December 1, 2008. US stocks stayed near session lows on Monday after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said that the US economy remained under considerable stress. [Agencies]

A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, December 1, 2008. US stocks stayed near session lows on Monday after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said that the US economy remained under considerable stress. [Agencies]

U.S Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson arrives to speak about the economy at the Fortune 500 Forum in Washington December 1, 2008. Paulson said on Monday that more programs were being developed to stimulate lending but warned a severe financial crisis is stubbornly persisting. [Agencies]

The final numbers for the Dow Jones Industrial Average are seen on a board at the New York Stock Exchange, December 1, 2008. US stocks stayed near session lows on Monday after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said that the US economy remained under considerable stress. [Agencies]

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke speaks during a luncheon of the Austin Chamber of Commerce Monday, December 1, 2008, in Austin, Texas. He said that further interest-rate cuts are 'certainly feasible,' but he warned there are limits to how much such action would revive an economy likely to stay weak well into next year. [Agencies]

NEW YORK -- Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said on Monday that the United States' economic weakness will persist for some time, even if the government's efforts to boost lending help restore the credit markets to normal.

"The likely duration of the financial turmoil is difficult to judge, and thus the uncertainty surrounding the economic outlook is unusually large," said Bernanke.

Bernanke, addressing business leaders in Austin, Texas, said the Fed will continue to use the tools it has been given to fight the financial crisis. He hinted at further aggressive actions like the ones taken recently to prop up the short-term commercial paper market or buy $600 billion in securities and debt held by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

In fact, Bernanke said that cutting rates may not be the Fed's most effective method for tackling the financial crisis.

"Although conventional interest rate policy is constrained ... the second arrow in the Federal Reserve's quiver, the provision of liquidity, remains effective," he said.

The Fed cut its key funds rate to an all-time low of 1% in October in response to deterioration in the global financial system. Rate cuts tend to drive up inflation, but falling prices have given the Federal Reserve more wiggle room to lower interest rates. Core inflation is now at its lowest point since October 2007, according to a recent Department of Labor report.

Bernanke said that while further reductions in the Fed's benchmark rate are "certainly feasible," the central bank doesn't have much left to trim.

Still, many economists expect the Fed to cut interest rates again when it meets Dec. 15-16.

"I wouldn't count out a half-percentage point cut," said former Federal Reserve Governor Lyle Gramley. "It may be a good thing to do at this point, because you want to tell the public you're using all the tools at your command."

Rate-cut Alternatives

Instead of cutting rates, the Fed could take further steps to unfreeze credit markets, Bernanke said.

Since last December, the Fed has lent out trillions of dollars to banks, businesses, mutual funds and foreign central banks in an effort to boost liquidity in the financial markets and keep the economy from collapsing.

In addition, Bernanke said the Fed could help achieve financial stability by continuing to buy up asset-backed securities and by backstopping liquidity in financial markets.

(Agencies)