How the Federal Reserve tries to balance prices and jobs

The Fed has a dual mandate to strike a delicate balance to ensure low, steady prices while setting a course for an economy that encourages everyone to get a job who wants one. But the mandate’s targets can contradict each other. Some economists think the central bank should consider a single target while others argue the current policy has worked to create a more stable economy. Here’s how the Fed tries to strike a near-impossible balance to promote both parts of this dual mandate.