The Federal Reserve cut a key short term interest rate today. The federal funds rate, one of the Fed's two benchmark short-term interest rates, was lowered by a quarter percentage point to 5.25 percent. The Fed calculates the move will cushion the US economy from a worsening global economic situation, and a domestic credit crunch. Jim Paulson, the Chief investment officer of Norwest Investment Management in Minneapolis , says the rate cut is extremely welcome news on many fronts.