How keeping down borrowing costs for mortgages and other loans is built into the Fed’s ‘dual mandate’

By: Arabinda Basistha, West Virginia University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: December 8, 2025

Words: 1,158

Last Updated: 1 month ago

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By Arabinda Basistha, West Virginia University

What’s the point of monetary policy?

For most of us, the main impact tends to be how much we have to pay to borrow to buy a house or car. But for the Federal Reserve, the purpose of its monetary policy is mandated by Congress.

This is widely known as the Federal Reserve’s dual mandate: promoting maximum employment and stable prices. The Fed itself refers to these …

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