Loose Credit

Loose credit

Policy by the Federal Reserve Board to make loans less expensive and more available by reducing interest rates through market operations.

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Cheap Money

A monetary policy in which a central bank sets low interest rates so that credit is easily attainable. This makes borrowing easy for business, which stimulates investment and expansion of operations. The immediate result of cheap money is a boost in stock prices; in the medium term, cheap money promotes economic growth. However, if cheap money remains in the economy for too long, it can lead to a situation in which there is a glut of currency or too many dollars chasing too few goods and services leading to inflation. For this reason, most central banks alternate between policies of cheap money and tight money in varying degrees to encourage growth while keeping inflation under control.

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Loose credit. In order to combat a sluggish economy, the Federal Reserve's Open Market Committee (FOMC) may institute a loose credit policy.

In that case, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York buys large quantities of Treasury securities in the open market, which gives banks additional money to lend at lower interest rates. This abundance, or looseness, of credit is intended to stimulate borrowing and invigorate the economy.

Tight money is the opposite of loose credit. It's the result of the Fed's decision to sell securities in the open market, which reduces bank reserves and makes borrowing more expensive. A tight money policy is designed to slow down a rapidly accelerating economy.