WASHINGTON – The Federal Reserve signaled Wednesday that it will keep its key short-term interest rate near zero for the foreseeable future as part of its extraordinary efforts to bolster an economy that is sinking into its worst crisis since the 1930s As part of its emergency steps, the Fed said it will also keep buying Treasury and mortgage bonds to help keep rates low and ensure that companies can continue to lend easily to each other amid a near-paralysis of the economy caused by the coronavirus.
It did not specify any amounts or timing for its bond purchases. “The Federal Reserve is committed to using its full range of tools to support the U.S.