WHITE HOUSE SAYS INTEREST RATES REFLECT MARKET The White House said the rise in interest rates was "unfortunate in a general sense" but reflected market forces. "There's always movement up and down and the basic fact is that we believe the economy is strong and growing and there will always be fluctuations in the interest rate, but the economy is sound and in good shape," spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said. Citibank raised its prime rate by one quarter of a point and the move was followed by other banks.