【英语财经】“市场或许低估了6月加息的可能性” Markets underestimate chance of June rate rise, says Fed official

Financial markets are being overly pessimistic about the US outlook and may underestimate the chances of an interest-rate increase as soon as June, according to a senior Federal Reserve official.

Dennis Lockhart, the president of the Atlanta Fed, said recent inflation readings had been “encouraging” while early signs pointed to growth rebounding from a soft first quarter, meaning that June should be a possibility for a move.

The policymaker, who does not vote on the board this year, stressed that he had not made up his mind about whether the central bank should lift rates next month, as he gauges incoming data and risks such as the UK referendum on membership of the European Union.

But in an interview with the Financial Times, Mr Lockhart said: “The markets may be underestimating the degree of open mindedness,” about the option of a near-term increase.

He added: “If the data continue to be encouraging, I would certainly entertain some policy move in June. I don’t think June should be taken off the table. I am of the view — others, my colleagues have said this — that markets may be reading this more pessimistically than I am. The [market-implied] probability of a rate increase in June is quite low.”

美联储(Fed)高级官员表示，目前金融市场对美国经济前景过于悲观，或许低估了美国最早在6月加息的可能性。

亚特兰大联邦储备银行(Atlanta Fed)行长丹尼斯?洛克哈特(Dennis Lockhart)表示，近期的通胀数据“令人鼓舞”，同时初步迹象表明，增长较疲软的第一季度会有所反弹，这意味着，6月调整利率是一个可能性。

今年不在美联储理事会上投票的这位政策制定者强调，至于这家央行是否应在下个月加息，他还没有想好。他正在评估最新数据和英国就是否退出欧盟(EU)举行全民公决等风险。

但洛克哈特在接受英国《金融时报》采访时说，关于近期加息可能性，“市场或许低估了开放心态的程度”。

他接着说：“如果数据继续令人鼓舞，我当然会愿意考虑在6月调整政策。我认为，不应排除6月加息的可能性。在我看来——其他人，我的同事们已说过这些——市场对此的解读或许比我更悲观。（市场数据暗示的）6月加息可能性是相当低的。”

译者/邢嵬