The substantial reduction in short-term interest rates effected during 2001 was facilitated in that the growth rates of the monetary aggregates did not signal a threat to long-term price stability. The money stock M3, which – overall – had grown only marginally from 1997 to mid-1999, increased steadily during 2001, but growth remained moderate. In the fourth quarter, M3 exceeded the previous year’s level by 4.8% on average.