The Federal Reserve is about to make a momentous decision that should not be taken lightly. The central bank is widely expected to announce the start of a reduction in its $4.4 trillion balance sheet at the conclusion of its meeting on September 20. It's a move the Fed hopes will go smoothly, but which has the potential to rattle financial markets long accustomed to the Fed’s monetary largesse. The Fed bought large quantities of Treasury and mortgage bonds during the Great Recession and financial crisis of 2007 to 2009, in an effort to push down long-term borrowing costs and to stimulate an economy and credit markets ... (full story)