Alasdair Macleod - Bernanke boxed in

``... there is a crucial difference today compared with 30 years ago. The level of private sector debt is substantially higher, and shows a strong tendency towards contraction. High interest rates are not actually needed to reduce demand, because bank credit, which is the counterpart of private sector debt, has been contracting of its own accord. It is this that frightens the Fed most, because contracting bank balance sheets are very difficult to manage without risking a full-blown banking crisis.''