Fed May Hint September Liftoff Is on Table With Statement Tweaks
Why Is the Fed Reluctant to Signal a Rate Hike?
This article is for subscribers only.
The Federal Reserve’s message for the market this week could contain hints about the timing of its first interest-rate rise that echo the advice once offered in an old teen love song popular in the 60s: “See You in September.”
With the central bank widely expected to hold policy steady at this week’s meeting, Fed watchers are looking to the statement it issues on Wednesday for clues on when liftoff will occur. By changing their assessment of the economy and the risks it faces, Chair Janet Yellen and her colleagues could suggest the central bank is closing in on its first rate increase since 2006, perhaps as early as the following meeting Sept. 16-17.