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The briefcase on the Fed
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May 16, 2000: 11:13 a.m. ET
The size of Greenspan's satchel could signal direction of interest rates
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - The question Tuesday was not if but how much.
With many on Wall Street saying the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates half a percentage point in a bid to ward off inflation, others were saying the increase will be a quarter point. But some who are said to be truly in the know were eyeing the size of Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan's briefcase as he strolled into Tuesday's meeting of the central bank's policy makers.
 Ordinarily, a thin briefcase means Greenspan wants to hold rates steady, and a bulky one means he's packing evidence to justify raising rates. So before Tuesday's meeting, does a thin briefcase mean a quarter-point raise and a fat briefcase mean a half-point raise?
That's for experts on Wall Street to decide. One thing was for certain Tuesday -- weeks of speculation will end when the Fed makes its announcement on rates, due in mid-afternoon.
After watching Greenspan carry his briefcase, why don't you decide? To take CNNfn.com's poll on what the Fed will do, click here.
For all the latest news on the Fed's decision and what it means for you, click here. 
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