Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke released a statement predicting that the global economy will be down well into 2009 and hinted at a possible future rate cut. The next scheduled meeting is October 28-29, but there is a possibility of an emergency meeting.
CNN story
I don't believe another rate cut is warranted at this point as it is not rates holding people back from borrowing money, but the banks refusal to make the loans in this uncertain climate. There are also less funds to loan with the collapse of the secondary mortgage market, further restricting banks ability to approve loans. Hopefully the Fed's plan to buy up short-term debt (as well as troubled mortgage backed securities) will help unfreeze the credit market.
Rates are still historically low, at least in the mortgage lending market.
