Two Fed Officials Signal Possible Need for Faster Rate-Hike Path
- Boston Fed chief warns against pushing unemployment too low
- San Francisco’s Williams won’t rule out steeper 2017 path
Fed's Rosengren Says Four Hikes May Be Needed in 2017
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Two Federal Reserve policy makers discussed the possible need for a faster pace of interest-rate increases than currently mapped out by the U.S. central bank, as the economy progresses toward goals for full employment and 2 percent inflation.
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston President Eric Rosengren argued Wednesday that four hikes in 2017 may be needed to guard against economic overheating, and San Francisco’s John Williams said he “would not rule out more than three increases total for this year.” The median estimate of Fed officials in their mid-March forecasts was for three quarter-point rate increases in 2017.