Federal Reserve holds rates steady citing need to monitor global economy

미 연준, 기준 금리 동결..."미 경제 둔화" 경고
The Federal Reserve has kept interest rates unchanged,... citing the need to monitor the global economy and inflation.
And it did not hint at any possible hikes down the road.
We begin this morning with Park Jong-hong.
It was the third consecutive rate freeze of the year.
The Federal Reserve's policy-setting committee decided to keep the lending rates at the current range of zero-point-two-five percent to zero-point-five percent.
While the committee noted U.S. employment and the housing market appear to be improving it added that the country's exports remain lackluster.
In particular, the Fed warned that the U.S. economy is slowing down along with the rest of the world.
Reflecting this trend, the Fed's first quarter economic growth estimate was downgraded to the zero percent level from the two-plus percent forecast at the beginning of the year.
The Fed also left the door open to a hike in June implying that it was in no hurry to raise rates.
It said inflation was expected to remain low in the near term, but expressed confidence it would rise to its two percent target over the medium term.
Some analysts speculate the first rate increase of 2016 may happen in September.
Others say that, unless there's a rate hike in June, there's a chance it would be pushed back until after the U.S. presidential election.
That would mean December at the earliest.
Park Jong-hong, Arirang News.

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