Fed Officials Signal Little Need Now for Further Bond Purchases

Three Federal Reserve regional bank presidents voiced diverging views on whether to end a plan to buy $600 billion in bonds early or be open to doing more, while signaling little pressing need for additional purchases.

Dallas Fed President Richard W. Fisher said today he might vote to cut short the bond buying before the scheduled end in June if he deems it to be “counterproductive.” Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart said he is “very cautious” about further asset purchases, while not ruling out the possibility. Charles Evans, president of the Chicago Fed, told CNBC he believes the hurdle for altering the plan is “pretty high.”