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open-market operation, any of the purchases and sales of government securities and sometimes commercial paper by the central banking authority for the purpose of regulating the money supply and credit conditions on a continuous basis. Open-market operations can also be used to stabilize the prices of government securities, an aim that conflicts at times with the credit policies of the central bank. When the central bank purchases securities on the open market, the effects will be (1) to increase the reserves of commercial banks, a basis on which they can expand their loans and investments; (2) to increase the price of government securities, equivalent to reducing their interest rates; and (3) to decrease interest rates generally, thus encouraging business investment. If the central bank should sell securities, the effects would be reversed.
Open-market operations are customarily carried out with short-term government securities (in the United States, frequently Treasury bills). Observers disagree on the advisability of such a policy. Supporters believe that dealing in both short-term and long-term securities would distort the interest-rate structure and therefore the allocation of credit. Opponents believe that this would be entirely appropriate because the interest rates on long-term securities have more direct influence on long-run investment activity, which is responsible for fluctuations in employment and income.
