This activity will no longer be maintained after June 16, 2025. Current lessons are available in the K-12 Classroom Activities Gallery.

This activity uses Map Viewer. ResourcesMapTeacher guide Student worksheetGet startedOpen the map.Use the teacher guide to explore the map with your class or have students work through it on their own with the worksheet.New to GeoInquiriesTM? See Getting to Know GeoInquiries.Social Studies standardsC3: D2.Civ.6.9-12 – Critique relationships among governments, civil societies, and economic markets.C3:D2.Civ.13.9-12 – Evaluate public policies in terms of intended and unintended outcomes, and related consequences.Learning outcomesStudents will be able to identify the structure and function of the Federal Reserve system.More activitiesAll Government GeoInquiriesAll GeoInquiries

The Federal Reserve's balance sheet has undergone significant changes since 2007, reflecting its response to major economic crises. From a modest *** trillion U.S. dollars at the end of 2007, it ballooned to approximately **** trillion U.S. dollars by May 2025. This dramatic expansion, particularly during the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic - both of which resulted in negative annual GDP growth in the U.S. - showcases the Fed's crucial role in stabilizing the economy through expansionary monetary policies. Impact on inflation and interest rates The Fed's expansionary measures, while aimed at stimulating economic growth, have had notable effects on inflation and interest rates. Following the quantitative easing in 2020, inflation in the United States reached * percent in 2022, the highest since 1991. However, by *************, inflation had declined to *** percent. Concurrently, the Federal Reserve implemented a series of interest rate hikes, with the rate peaking at **** percent in ***********, before the first rate cut since ************** occurred in **************. Financial implications for the Federal Reserve The expansion of the Fed's balance sheet and subsequent interest rate hikes have had significant financial implications. In 2023, the Fed reported a negative net income of ***** billion U.S. dollars, a stark contrast to the ***** billion U.S. dollars profit in 2022. This unprecedented shift was primarily due to rapidly rising interest rates, which caused the Fed's interest expenses to soar to over *** billion U.S. dollars in 2023. Despite this, the Fed's net interest income on securities acquired through open market operations reached a record high of ****** billion U.S. dollars in the same year.

In this paper we model and explain US macroeconomic outcomes subject to the discipline that monetary policy is set optimally. Exploiting the restrictions that come from optimal policymaking, we estimate the parameters in the Federal Reserve's policy objective function together with the parameters in its optimization constraints. For the period following Volcker's appointment as chairman, we estimate the implicit inflation target to be around 1.4% and show that policymakers assigned a significant weight to interest rate smoothing. We show that the estimated optimal policy provides a good description of US data for the 1980s and 1990s.

Graph and download economic data for Personal Saving Rate (PSAVERT) from Jan 1959 to Apr 2025 about savings, personal, rate, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Loan Loss Reserve to Total Loans for U.S. Banks with average assets under $1B (DISCONTINUED) (US1LLRTL) from Q1 1984 to Q3 2020 about gains/losses, reserves, assets, loans, banks, depository institutions, and USA.

The Federal Reserve uses this event-driven survey to obtain information specifically tailored to the Federal Reserve's supervisory, regulatory, and operational responsibilities. The Federal Reserve conducts the survey as needed up to 24 times per year. The frequency and content of the questions depend on changing economic, regulatory, supervisory, or legislative developments. Respondents comprise financial businesses. This survey may be mandatory for financial institutions regulated by the Federal Reserve and voluntary for all other respondents.

Graph and download economic data for 10-Year Real Interest Rate (REAINTRATREARAT10Y) from Jan 1982 to Jun 2025 about 10-year, interest rate, interest, real, rate, and USA.

A primary purpose of the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 was to prevent banking panics by establishing the Federal Reserve System to function as a lender of last resort. Other types of financial crisis require a similar response, however, and the Federal Reserve has repeatedly used its capacity to generate liquidity to insulate the economy from crises in financial markets. The Fed's response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, is the most recent example of this. This paper reviews the Fed's responses to crises and potential crises in financial markets: the stock market crash of 1987, the Russian default, and the September 11th attacks.

On August 23, 2013, the Federal Reserve published a final rule in the Federal Register (78 FR 52391). This final rule implements section 318 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which directs the Federal Reserve to collect assessments, fees, or other charges equal to the total expenses the Federal Reserve estimates are necessary or appropriate to carry out the supervisory and regulatory responsibilities of the Federal Reserve for bank holding companies and savings and loan holding companies with total consolidated assets of $50 billion or more and nonbank financial companies designated for Federal Reserve supervision by the Financial Stability Oversight Council. Each assessed company would have thirty calendar days from June 30 or, for the 2012 assessment period, thirty calendar days from the Board’s issuance of a notice of assessment for that assessment period, to submit a written statement to appeal the Board’s determination (1) that the company is an assessed company or (2) of the company’s total assessable assets. These reporting requirements are found in section 246.5(b) of the final rule.

The survey data are used to gather information specifically tailored to the Federal Reserve’s policy and operational responsibilities. The frequency and content of the questions, as well as the entities contacted, vary depending on developments in the economy.

Abstract (en): A primary purpose of the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 was to prevent banking panics by establishing the Federal Reserve System to function as a lender of last resort. Other types of financial crisis require a similar response, however, and the Federal Reserve has repeatedly used its capacity to generate liquidity to insulate the economy from crises in financial markets. The Fed's response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, is the most recent example of this. This paper reviews the Fed's responses to crises and potential crises in financial markets: the stock market crash of 1987, the Russian default, and the September 11th attacks. Files submitted are the data file 0403cnd.xls and the program file 0403cnp.prg. These data are part of ICPSR's Publication-Related Archive and are distributed exactly as they arrived from the data depositor. ICPSR has not checked or processed this material. Users should consult the investigator(s) if further information is desired.

United States - Import Price Index (Harmonized System): Machines and Mechanical Appliances Having Individual Functions, Not Specified or Included Elsewhere in This Chapter; Parts Thereof; Parts Thereof was 103.00000 Index Dec 2016=100 in April of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Import Price Index (Harmonized System): Machines and Mechanical Appliances Having Individual Functions, Not Specified or Included Elsewhere in This Chapter; Parts Thereof; Parts Thereof reached a record high of 106.70000 in January of 2021 and a record low of 98.80000 in May of 2017. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Import Price Index (Harmonized System): Machines and Mechanical Appliances Having Individual Functions, Not Specified or Included Elsewhere in This Chapter; Parts Thereof; Parts Thereof - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Federal Surplus or Deficit [-] as Percent of Gross Domestic Product (FYFSGDA188S) from 1929 to 2024 about budget, federal, GDP, and USA.

Under the Bank Holding Company Act, submission of this application is required for any company organized under the laws of a foreign country seeking to acquire a U.S. subsidiary bank or bank holding company. Applicants must provide financial and managerial information, discuss the competitive effects of the proposed transaction, and discuss how the proposed transaction would enhance the convenience and needs of the community to be served. The Federal Reserve uses the information, in part, to fulfill its supervisory responsibilities with respect to foreign banking organizations in the United States.

Graph and download economic data for Federal Net Outlays as Percent of Gross Domestic Product (FYONGDA188S) from 1929 to 2024 about outlays, federal, Net, GDP, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Federal Government: Current Expenditures (FGEXPND) from Q1 1947 to Q1 2025 about expenditures, federal, government, GDP, and USA.

The Payments Systems Surveys are used to obtain information specifically tailored to the Federal Reserve’s operational and fiscal agency responsibilities. The Payments Systems Surveys family of surveys is currently comprised of the following: Ad Hoc Payments Systems Survey (FR 3054a), Currency Quality Sampling Survey (FR 3054b), Currency Quality Survey (FR 3054c), Currency Functionality and Perception Survey (FR 3054d), and Currency Education Usability Survey (FR 3054e).

United States - Export Price Index (Harmonized System): Machines and appliances having individual functions, not elsewhere specified or included; parts thereof was 101.80000 Index 2000=100 in May of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Export Price Index (Harmonized System): Machines and appliances having individual functions, not elsewhere specified or included; parts thereof reached a record high of 136.60000 in June of 2019 and a record low of 89.90000 in August of 1994. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Export Price Index (Harmonized System): Machines and appliances having individual functions, not elsewhere specified or included; parts thereof - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

The Board uses this collection to inform consumer-focused research, implement statutory requirements, and facilitate community development. The surveys in this collection inform the Board’s work by identifying emerging risks and providing additional data on the issues that affect the well-being of consumers and communities and how the financial services marketplace functions. The surveys in this collection gather quantitative and qualitative information directly from individual consumers or households (consumer surveys) on consumer finance topics. This collection also gathers quantitative and qualitative information on current and emerging community economic issues from stakeholders (stakeholder surveys). Examples of stakeholders include community groups, community development organizations, nonprofit service providers, faith-based service organizations, public sector agencies, small business owners, health care organizations, food banks, K–12 public and private schools, community colleges, community development financial institutions, credit unions, banks, and other financial institutions and companies offering financial products and services. While these surveys are ongoing, the frequency and content of the questions may change depending on economic conditions, regulatory or legislative developments, as well as changes in technology, business practices, and other factors affecting consumers, stakeholders, and communities. The Board conducts the FR 3073 as needed, up to 30 times per year. While the Board estimates that while FR 3073 may be conducted up to 30 times per year, history suggests a lower frequency is more likely.

Graph and download economic data for Federal Surplus or Deficit - from 1901 to 2024 about budget, federal, and USA.