Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says turmoil in financial markets has eased, but the situation is still not back to normal.

The central bank has taken a number of unconventional steps, especially since March, when the credit crisis intensified, to help banks and big investment firms overcome problems and try to get credit flowing more freely again.

Bernanke, in prepared remarks today, says those efforts appear to be paying off and "have contributed to some improvement in financing markets."