--The Federal Reserve is the central bank of the United States.
--It performs five general functions to promote the effective operation of the U.S. economy and, more generally, the public interest.
--conducts the nation's monetary policy to promote maximum employment, stable prices, and moderate long-term interest rates in the U.S. economy;
--promotes the stability of the financial system and seeks to minimize and contain systemic risks through active monitoring and engagement in the U.S. and abroad;
--promotes the safety and soundness of individual financial institutions and monitors their impact on the financial system as a whole;
--fosters payment and settlement system safety and efficiency through services to the banking industry and the U.S. government that facilitate U.S. dollar transactions and payments; andÂ
--promotes consumer protection and community development through consumer-focused supervision and examination, research and analysis of emerging consumer issues and trends, community economic development activities, and the administration of consumer laws and regulations.