How does the fed counteract inflation?

The primary job of the Federal Reserve is to control inflation while avoiding recession. The tools it uses are: * Raising and lowering the Fed Funds rate, Although banks would like to loan out every dollar they can, the Federal Reserve mandates that they keep a certain amount of cash, or reserve balance, on deposit at their local Federal Reserve branch office at all times. The federal funds rate is the rate that banks charge each other for overnight loans of reserve balances. Each month the Fed, through its Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), targets a specific level for the federal funds rate. This rate directly influences other short-term interest rates, such as deposits, bank loans, credit card interest rates, and adjustable-rate mortgages. Longer-term interest rates are indirectly influenced. Usually, investors want a higher rate for a longer-term Treasury note or bond. * Tightening or relaxing the amount of money allowed into the market, * Raising or lowering the amount of reserves banks need to keep on hand.