Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said recent increases in some interest rates may signal the economy is gaining vigor, Bloomberg News reported yesterday. "The fact that interest rates have gone up a bit is actually indicative of a stronger economy," Bernanke said in testimony before the House Financial Services Committee. That indicates the Fed's stimulus is working, he said. Bernanke also said that the central bank's easing policies are helping to improve demand for homes and cars, and that the housing market is recovering.
