HOLMES: The word's financial markets, not just the U.S. ones, have one question today. How much longer will the Federal Reserve continue to prop up the U.S. economy with that bond-buying program? I just like to say quantitative easing.</s>MALVEAUX: I don't know why.</s>HOLMES: It's just something to say at dinner parties.</s>MALVEAUX: But you know what? In real language, real-speak we're talking about $85 billion a month. The answer coming in about 90 minutes, what is the Fed going to do about all of this, big public announcement? Richard Quest to break it down for us here. Quantitative easing, what the -- what is this all about? Tell me.</s>RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: For the last year or so, the Fed has been buying $85 billion a month of both U.S. government securities and mortgage-backed securities. It's a very posh way of saying "printing money." And what they've been doing is they've been doing it to try and support the economy, to keep interest rates low and to give necessary stimulus, not so that the economy doesn't slip back into recession, but to give it a boost so it gets to warp speed, or at least escape velocity. Now, we know it's coming to an end. It's an if, not a when. The question is whether that "if" begins now. Do they start to take the punch away from the party?
How Long Will Fed Continue Q.E.?