Fed raises discount rate to 0.75 percent

The Federal Reserve said on Thursday it was raising the interest rate it charges banks for emergency loans, citing improvement in financial market conditions.

The Fed said the discount rate would be increased to 0.75 percent from 0.50 percent, effective Friday.

Like the closure of a number of extraordinary credit programs earlier this month, these changes are intended as a further normalization of the Federal Reserve's lending facilities, the Fed said in a statement.

The modifications are not expected to lead to tighter financial conditions for households and businesses and do not signal any change in the outlook for the economy or for monetary policy, it said.

(Reporting by Emily Kaiser; Editing by Andrea Ricci)