【英语财经】美联储官员表示暂时不宜加息 Fed member Bullard cites weak growth for caution on rate rises

Soggy US growth in the early months of the year has raised new questions over the next Federal Reserve interest rate rise as policymakers balance evidence of strong corporate hiring against softer activity and inflation numbers.

James Bullard, president of the St Louis Federal Reserve, said in an interview on Friday that weak first-quarter growth numbers were “somewhat concerning” and supported arguments for patience as the central bank assessed the pace at which it lifts rates.

He spoke a day after Dennis Lockhart, president of the Atlanta Fed, signalled he would no longer be pushing for an interest rate move this month as soft spending and price growth “gives me pause”.

Janet Yellen, Fed chair, last month sent a strong message that she wanted to proceed cautiously given the overseas risks confronting the central bank.

A rate move at the Fed’s April 26-27 meeting now appears to be off the table, and some analysts question whether the central bank will be ready to pull the trigger on a second rate increase as soon as June.

今年头几个月美国疲软的增长为美联储(Fed)下次加息打上了问号，政策制定者们需要在强劲的企业用工证据与更疲软的经济活动及通胀数字之间进行权衡。

上周五，圣路易斯联邦储备银行(St Louis Federal Reserve)行长詹姆斯?布拉德(James Bullard)在访谈中表示，疲软的美国一季度增长数字“有些令人担忧”，在美联储评估其加息节奏之际，他支持要耐心一些的理由。

在他发表讲话一天之前，亚特兰大联邦储备银行行长丹尼斯?洛克哈特(Dennis Lockhart)曾释放信号表示，他不会再推动在本月调整利率，原因是疲软的支出和价格上涨“让我犹豫”。

上个月，美联储主席珍妮特?耶伦(Janet Yellen)曾传递出强烈信号表示，考虑到美联储面临的境外风险，她希望谨慎从事。

现在看来，美联储在4月26日到27日的议息会议上不会把调整利息提上议程。部分分析师质疑美联储能否准备好在6月份就进行第二次加息。

译者/简易