Fed's balance sheet at $6.7 trln, but growth pace down sharply

The Federal Reserve's balance sheet increased to a record $6.70 trillion this week, but the pace of expansion slowed dramatically as key credit markets have calmed since a firestorm of volatility sparked by the coronavirus pandemic drove the central bank to take emergency measures last month.

The central bank's balance sheet as of Wednesday was about $81.75 billion higher than the $6.62 trillion a week earlier, data released by the Fed on Thursday showed.

In all the Fed's stash of bonds and other assets is up nearly 60% from just $4.2 trillion in the first week of March.