Dapx

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke signaled he's ready to cut interest rates to the lowest level on record should the central bank's actions fail to stem the deepening economic slump. Policy makers said yesterday that ``downside risks to growth remain'' even after their half-point reduction in the main rate to 1 percent. The Fed dropped a reference in its statement to threats from inflation, projecting ``levels consistent with price stability'' in coming quarters