Fed Still Seen Tapering in March Even as Job Growth Picks Up

Economists still forecast the Federal Reserve will delay tapering asset purchases until March even after a report yesterday showed employers added more jobs than forecast in October.

Policy makers will pare the monthly pace of bond buying to $70 billion at their March 18-19 meeting from the current pace of $85 billion, according to the median of 32 economist estimates in a Bloomberg News survey yesterday. The median forecast in an Oct. 17-18 survey of 40 economists also called for a reduction to $70 billion in March.