GlossaryFederal funds rate

Federal funds rate

The federal funds rate is the interest rate at which banks lend money to each other overnight in the United States, set within a target range by the . It is 's primary tool for influencing broader interest rates across the economy.

Changes to the federal funds rate ripple out to mortgage rates, savings account yields, corporate , and the investors use to value future cash flows, which is why Fed decisions on this rate are closely watched by the market.