The Federal Reserve of the United States decided to keep interest rates unchanged in its June policy meeting due to uncertainty in the labour market and the United Kingdom&#39;s referendum on membership in the European Union (EU), minutes of the Fed&#39;s latest monetary policy meeting showed on Wednesday. 
 
Most (members) judged it appropriate to avoid overweighting one or two labour market reports in their consideration of the economic outlook, but they indicated that recent slowing in payroll employment gains had increased their uncertainty about the likely pace of improvements in the labour market going forward, said the minutes of the Fed&#39;s June 14-15 meeting. 
 
The UK vote was the other consideration for the US central banking system to hold off on raising interest rates. 
 
Members noted the considerable uncertainty about the outcome of the vote and its potential economic and financial market consequences, said the minutes. 
 
The minutes also showed that Fed officials disagreed in their judgment of employment, inflation, and pace of interest rate hikes in the future. 
 
Some officials judged that labour market conditions were at or close to the maximum employment, and some moderation in employment gains was to be expected, while others observed that there could be a possible downshift in the pace of improvement in the labour market, in view of the recent slow job gains, decline in labour participation rate and no reduction in part-time employees. 
 
In regard to inflation outlook, some officials observed that core inflation had risen, while several others continued to see downside risk to inflation. 
 
Some officials emphasised that it should not be delayed too long to further raise its interest rate with the employment and inflation close to the central bank&#39;s targets, while a couple of officials noted that they would need to be more convinced that the economy is strong enough and that inflation is moving closer to the target. 
 
(Reuters)

The UK 'Brexit' vote impacted the decision not to increase interest rates

The Federal Reserve of the United States decided to keep interest rates unchanged in its June policy meeting due to uncertainty in the labour market and the United Kingdom's referendum on membership in the European Union (EU), minutes of the Fed's latest monetary policy meeting showed on Wednesday. Most (members) judged it appropriate to avoid overweighting one or two labour market reports in their consideration of the economic outlook, but they indicated that recent slowing in payroll employment gains had increased their uncertainty about the likely pace of improvements in the labour market going forward, said the minutes of the Fed's June 14-15 meeting. The UK vote was the other consideration for the US central banking system to hold off on raising interest rates. Members noted the considerable uncertainty about the outcome of the vote and its potential economic and financial market consequences, said the minutes. The minutes also showed that Fed officials disagreed in their judgment of employment, inflation, and pace of interest rate hikes in the future. Some officials judged that labour market conditions were at or close to the maximum employment, and some moderation in employment gains was to be expected, while others observed that there could be a possible downshift in the pace of improvement in the labour market, in view of the recent slow job gains, decline in labour participation rate and no reduction in part-time employees. In regard to inflation outlook, some officials observed that core inflation had risen, while several others continued to see downside risk to inflation. Some officials emphasised that it should not be delayed too long to further raise its interest rate with the employment and inflation close to the central bank's targets, while a couple of officials noted that they would need to be more convinced that the economy is strong enough and that inflation is moving closer to the target. (Reuters)

Uncertainty makes US Fed hold off interest rate hike

The Federal Reserve is expected to keep interest rates unchanged and signal if it still plans to double the rates in 2016 amid concerns about a US hiring slowdown and Britain&#39;s possible exit from the European Union. 
 
The Fed had raised its key overnight lending rate in December for the first time in nearly a decade, but it has backed away from further monetary policy tightening this year largely due to a global economic slowdown and financial market volatility. 
 
The US central bank is scheduled to issue its latest policy statement and updated economic projections following a two-day meeting at 2 p.m. EDT (1800 GMT). Fed Chair Janet Yellen will hold a news conference today.&nbsp; 
 
The Fed&#39;s targeted overnight lending rate is forecast to remain in the current range of 0.25 per cent to 0.50 per cent, according to a Reuters poll of 151 economists. 
 
Fed forecasts in March pointed to two rate rises in 2016, but a sharp slowdown in US job gains in May and the prospect that Britain could vote next week to leave the EU have added to doubts about the economic outlook. 
 
With US hiring expected to bounce back in June and no financial meltdown from the Brexit vote currently seen, economists now expect the Fed to tighten monetary policy in July or September. 
 
Yellen, however, recently warned that a British exit from the EU could have a significant economic impact, a concern shared by other Fed policymakers. 
 
&quot;We shouldn&#39;t expect the Fed to be prepared to send a clear signal about a timing of rate hikes,&quot; said Roberto Perli, an economist at Cornerstone Macro. 
 
The Fed telegraphed December&#39;s rate increase by saying in October it would consider tightening at its next meeting. While such clarity appears unlikely today, policymakers could provide guidance through their updated economic forecasts. 
 
Perli and other analysts expect those forecasts will continue to point to two rate increases this year. They calculate eight of the Fed&#39;s 17 policymakers would need to shift their outlook for the closely-watched median forecast to move to only one increase. 
 
Prices for interest rate futures suggest investors are betting on just one rate rise this year, according to CME Group. 
 
Economists expect the Fed will raise rates at least once this year, based on a view of an improving US jobs market and the central bank coming under pressure to keep inflation from rising well above its 2 per cent target. 
 
&quot;With the unemployment rate at 4.7 per cent, wage growth clearly picking up, and financial conditions much easier, there is likely a limit to how long the Fed&#39;s pause can last,&quot; Goldman Sachs economists Jan Hatzius and Zach Pandl wrote in a recent note to clients. 
(Reuters)

The US Federal Reserve had raised its lending rate last December for the first time since 2006 by a quarter-percentage point

The Federal Reserve is expected to keep interest rates unchanged and signal if it still plans to double the rates in 2016 amid concerns about a US hiring slowdown and Britain's possible exit from the European Union. The Fed had raised its key overnight lending rate in December for the first time in nearly a decade, but it has backed away from further monetary policy tightening this year largely due to a global economic slowdown and financial market volatility. The US central bank is scheduled to issue its latest policy statement and updated economic projections following a two-day meeting at 2 p.m. EDT (1800 GMT). Fed Chair Janet Yellen will hold a news conference today. The Fed's targeted overnight lending rate is forecast to remain in the current range of 0.25 per cent to 0.50 per cent, according to a Reuters poll of 151 economists. Fed forecasts in March pointed to two rate rises in 2016, but a sharp slowdown in US job gains in May and the prospect that Britain could vote next week to leave the EU have added to doubts about the economic outlook. With US hiring expected to bounce back in June and no financial meltdown from the Brexit vote currently seen, economists now expect the Fed to tighten monetary policy in July or September. Yellen, however, recently warned that a British exit from the EU could have a significant economic impact, a concern shared by other Fed policymakers. "We shouldn't expect the Fed to be prepared to send a clear signal about a timing of rate hikes," said Roberto Perli, an economist at Cornerstone Macro. The Fed telegraphed December's rate increase by saying in October it would consider tightening at its next meeting. While such clarity appears unlikely today, policymakers could provide guidance through their updated economic forecasts. Perli and other analysts expect those forecasts will continue to point to two rate increases this year. They calculate eight of the Fed's 17 policymakers would need to shift their outlook for the closely-watched median forecast to move to only one increase. Prices for interest rate futures suggest investors are betting on just one rate rise this year, according to CME Group. Economists expect the Fed will raise rates at least once this year, based on a view of an improving US jobs market and the central bank coming under pressure to keep inflation from rising well above its 2 per cent target. "With the unemployment rate at 4.7 per cent, wage growth clearly picking up, and financial conditions much easier, there is likely a limit to how long the Fed's pause can last," Goldman Sachs economists Jan Hatzius and Zach Pandl wrote in a recent note to clients. (Reuters)

Fed expected to keep interest rates unchanged in wake of possible Brexit

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