What is ‘Federal Agencies’
Special government organizations set up for a specific purpose such as the management of resources, financial oversight of industries or national security issues. These organizations are typically created by legislative action, but may initially be set up by a presidential order as well. The directors of these agencies are typically selected by Presidential appointment. A number of these organizations issue securities such as stocks and bonds that have been historically popular with investors.
Explaining ‘Federal Agencies’
At last count, there were over 125 different government agencies and commissions, only a small portion of which directly affect investors. Some organizations, such as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA) have their operations explicitly backed by the U.S. Treasury. Other organizations, such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Sallie Mae are only provided with an implied guarantee from the U.S. Treasury.
Further Reading
- Trends in park tourism: Economics, finance and management – www.tandfonline.com [PDF]
- The financial market effects of the Federal Reserve's large-scale asset purchases – www.ijcb.org [PDF]
- Financial literacy and education research priorities – papers.ssrn.com [PDF]
- Economic analysis by federal financial regulators – heinonline.org [PDF]
- Crisis and responses: the Federal Reserve in the early stages of the financial crisis – www.aeaweb.org [PDF]
- Voluntary financial disclosure by Mexican corporations – www.jstor.org [PDF]
- Contract design, complexity, and incentives: Evidence from US federal agencies – journals.sagepub.com [PDF]
- The Federal Reserve position on restructuring of financial regulation responsibilities – heinonline.org [PDF]
- A needs-assessment process for designing geospatial data management systems within federal agencies – www.tandfonline.com [PDF]
- Solar Photovoltaic Financing: Deployment by Federal Government Agencies – www.osti.gov [PDF]
