Commercial Banks and Money Supply

1. The fundamental explanation of why commercial banks can create money lies in:
A)fractional reserves.
B)The Federal Reserve or other central banks.
C)Private ownership.
D)The consumption function.
E)Maintaining a marginal propensity to consume less than 1.

2. A reduction in reserve requirements of member banks tends to counter a recession by:
A)Raising interest rates.
B)Reducing excess reserves.
C)Increasing excess reserves.
D)Decreasing outstanding loans.
E)Decreasing aggregate demand.

3. By purchasing government securities in the open market, the Federal Reserve authorities hope ultimately to accomplish:
A)An increase in bank reserves larger than the original purchases by the appropriate multiple.
B)An increase in bank reserves by the amount of the original purchase.
C)A decrease in bank reserves.
D)An equal increase in bank reserves and Federal Reserve notes.
E)An increase in Federal Reserve notes larger than the original purchases by
Appropriate multiple.

4. If the Fed has correctly interpreted economic conditions, a contraction in the money-supply could:
A)reduce aggregate demand.
B)increase unemployment.
C)reduce output.
D)lower inflation.
E)any one of the above, depending upon circumstance.

5. Raising the discount rate, if effective, tends to:
A)expand the money supply and lower interest rates.
B)expand the money supply and raise interest rates.
C)contract the money supply and raise interest rates.
D)contract the money supply and lower interest rates.
E)Do none of the above.

6.During a period of high inflation:
A)Borrowers are better off because they can pay off their loans with currency that is worth less.
B)Borrowers are worse off because they have to pay off their loans with currency that is worth more.
C)Lenders are worse off because they cannot find anyone who wants a loan.
D)Lenders are worse off because they are repaid with currency that is worth more.
E)None of the above.

7. If banks hold a 20 percent reserve ratio, an initial increase in deposits of $20 will lead to an eventual:
A)Increase in the money supply of $400.
B)Increase in the money supply of $80.
C)Increase in the money supply of $100.
D)Increase in loans of $100.
E)Increase in loans of $400.

8. The real rate of interest:
A)Equals the nominal rate plus the rate of inflation.
B)Equals the rate of inflation minus the nominal rate.
C)Equals the nominal rate minus the rate of inflation.
D)Tends to increase when inflation rises.
E)None of the above.

9. In recent years, probably the most important mechanism of the Federal Reserve System's monetary control has been:
A)The discount rate.
B)Legal reserve requirements.
C)Open-market operations involving government securities.
D)Moral suasion.
E)Consumer credit and margin requirements.

10. A discretionary fiscal action involves

A)Changes in tax revenues that result from changes to tax rates
B)Payment of unemployment insurance
C)A Congressionally mandated change in the level of government spending
D)Payment of social security benefits to retirees
E)All of the above