Over time, market participants have learned how to translate that sort of statement into expectations for market and economic conditions. When we began large-scale purchases of mortgage-backed securities and agency debt, however, that decision was much more difficult to interpret. So we communicated that we expected to purchase x amount of securities over y amount of time.
Both private consumption and total investment have rebounded, although the latter remains below the  6  For an identification of obstacles to productivity growth in Mexico and the potential of reforms, see Hanson, G.H. (2011), Understanding Mexico’s economic underperformance. Washington, DC: Migration Institute Policy; Arias, J., et al.