A comparison of the Federal Reserve's statements from its meeting on Nov. 2-3 and the meeting that ended Tuesday.
TREASURY SECURITIES
November: The Fed said it would purchase an additional $600 billion in Treasury securities by the end of June 2011.
December: The Fed repeated its intention to purchase an additional $600 billion in Treasury securities by the end of June 2011.
RECOVERY SPEED
November: "The pace of recovery in output and employment continues to be slow."
December: "The economic recovery is continuing, though at a rate that has been insufficient to bring down unemployment."
INFLATION
November: "Longer-term inflation expectations have remained stable, but measures of underlying inflation have trended lower in recent quarters."
December: "Longer-term inflation expectations have remained stable, but measures of underlying inflation have continued to trend downward."
INTEREST RATES
November: Left the federal funds rate target unchanged at a record low of zero to 0.25 percent, where it has been since December 2008, and repeated pledge to keep rates "exceptionally low" for "an extended period."
December: Left the funds rate target unchanged at zero to 0.25 percent and repeated pledge to keep rates "exceptionally low" for "an extended period."
