Economic and financial indicators

摘要

In a co-ordinated action, the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank (ecb), together with the central banks of Britain, Canada, Sweden and Switzerland, cut their benchmark interest rates by half a percentage point on October 8th. The Bank of Japan expressed its support, but kept its rate at 0.5%. The reduction took to the Fed's key rate down to 1.5%. The ecb's main interest rate was lowered to 3.75%, the first cut since 2003. Britain's benchmark rate fell to 4.5%, Canada's to 2.5% and Sweden's to 4.25%. Switzerland's range came down to 2-3%.