FILE PHOTO OF ALAN GREENSPAN, 2002-02-27 (photo)

The Federal Reserve kept U.S. interest rates steady at four-decade lows as  expected on December 10, 2002, saving its ammunition for 2003 as it waits to  see whether the economy can weather the recent "soft spot. The unanimous  decision by the U.S. central bank's Federal Open Market Committee leaves the  trend-setting federal funds rate at 1.25 percent, the level it hit after the  Fed slashed borrowing costs by a bold half percentage point in November.  Chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve Alan Greenspan testifies before the  House Financial Services Committee to give his semi-annual Monetary Policy  Report in this February 27, 2002 file photo. REUTERS/Win McNamee/FILE    JP