On Monday the Federal Reserve signed additional agreements with the four central banks, including Japan, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the European Union. To date the Fed established or expanded 14 currency swap agreements since the inception of the credit crisis. Under these arrangements the U.S. central bank provides dollars in exchange for reserves of the other nations' currencies. The Fed said that the new agreements were established from considerations of further emergency situations.

"Should the need arise, euro, yen, sterling and Swiss francs would be provided to the Federal Reserve via these additional swap agreements with the relevant central banks," according to the Fed release. "Central banks continue to work together and are taking steps as appropriate to foster stability in global financial markets."

Among other things the arrangements will allow the U.S. banks which have businesses abroad obtain foreign currency during domestic bank holidays, when overseas banking markets are operating.

The Fed said the expanded credit lines, authorized through Oct. 30, are worth the equivalent of up to $45 billion with the Bank of England, $108 billion with the European Central Bank, $99 billion with the Bank of Japan and $35 billion with the Swiss National Bank