Excerpt:
The Fed cut its benchmark interest rate to near zero in March 2020 and has been purchasing at least $120 billion a month in Treasurys and mortgage bonds to provide extra stimulus to the economy. Officials since the end of last year said those purchases would continue until they see “substantial further progress” toward their goals of low unemployment and stable inflation.
Officials said in a statement Wednesday, at the conclusion of their two-day meeting, “the economy has made progress toward these goals” this year and indicated they would “assess progress in coming meetings.”
That is a clue the Fed could outline plans to start reducing, or tapering, the purchases, later this year. The central bank’s next meetings are scheduled for Sept. 21-22 and Nov. 2-3.
Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said at a virtual news conference Wednesday that the central bank was nowhere near considering plans to raise interest rates.
Author(s): Nick Timiraos
Publication Date: 28 July 2021
Publication Site: WSJ