Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan has announced he would be delighted to stay on for a fifth term.
His announcement came a day after President Bush surprised financial markets by stating his desire to have Mr Greenspan stay.
"The president and I have not discussed this, but I greatly appreciate his confidence," Mr Greenspan (77) said in a brief statement. "If President Bush nominates me, and the Senate confirms his choice, I would have every intention of serving".
Mr Bush's announcement and Mr Greenspan's quick reply were seen by analysts as an orchestrated effort to send a strong signal to financial markets, where Mr Greenspan enjoys near cult status, that there will be no change any time soon at the head of the central bank.
Mr Bush said he believed Mr Greenspan was doing a good job and deserved another term. The comment came a few hours before Mr Greenspan had surgery to correct a non-cancerous enlarged prostate.
The Fed said Mr Greenspan, who was treated for the same prostate condition in 1994, returned home Wednesday after an overnight hospital stay and planned to be back at work later this week.
Mr Greenspan's current term as chairman does not end until June 20th, 2004, meaning that if Mr Bush waited to make his choice, the matter could have become embroiled in the presidential election campaign.