by Calculated Risk on 12/16/2015 02:15:00 PM
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
FOMC Projections and Press Conference
Statement here. Fed Funds Rate target range increased to 1/4 to 1/2 percent.
As far as the "Appropriate timing of policy firming", participant generally think there will be three to four rate hikes in 2016.
The FOMC projections for inflation are still on the low side through 2018.
Yellen press conference here.
On the projections, mostly projection for Q4 2015 were just narrowed.
GDP projections of Federal Reserve Governors and Reserve Bank presidents | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Change in Real GDP1 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
Dec 2015 | 2.1 | 2.3 to 2.5 | 2.0 to 2.3 | 1.8 to 2.2 |
Sept 2015 | 2.0 to 2.3 | 2.2 to 2.6 | 2.0 to 2.4 | 1.8 to 2.2 |
The unemployment rate was at 5.0% in November, so the unemployment rate projection for Q4 2015 was set to 5.0%.
Unemployment projections of Federal Reserve Governors and Reserve Bank presidents | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Unemployment Rate2 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
Dec 2015 | 5.0 | 4.6 to 4.8 | 4.6 to 4.8 | 4.6 to 5.0 |
Sept 2015 | 5.0 to 5.1 | 4.7 to 4.9 | 4.7 to 4.9 | 4.7 to 5.0 |
As of October, PCE inflation was up only 0.2% from October 2014.
Inflation projections of Federal Reserve Governors and Reserve Bank presidents | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
PCE Inflation1 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
Dec 2015 | 0.4 | 1.2 to 1.7 | 1.8 to 2.0 | 1.9 to 2.0 |
Sept 2015 | 0.3 to 0.5 | 1.5 to 1.8 | 1.8 to 2.0 | 2.0 |
PCE core inflation was up only 1.3% in October year-over-year.
Core Inflation projections of Federal Reserve Governors and Reserve Bank presidents | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Core Inflation1 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
Dec 2015 | 1.3 | 1.5 to 1.7 | 1.7 to 2.0 | 1.9 to 2.0 |
Sept 2015 | 1.3 to 1.4 | 1.5 to 1.8 | 1.8 to 2.0 | 1.9 to 2.0 |