Federal Reserve officials are discussing the future of their vow to hold interest rates low for a "considerable time," ahead of a meeting next week where they will weigh that pledge against signs of economic strength.

Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Dennis Lockhart, foreshadowing a debate for the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) on Dec. 16 to 17, said yesterday there were dangers in dropping the U.S. central bank's commitment, even after good news on job creation.

"I am not in a rush to drop the 'considerable time' phrase if it would in any way convey an imminent liftoff decision," he told reporters after a speech in Atlanta in which he highlighted the perils of raising rates too soon. "I am comfortable with continuing with that language."

Complete your profile to continue reading and get FREE access to Treasury & Risk, part of your ALM digital membership.

Your access to unlimited Treasury & Risk content isn’t changing.
Once you are an ALM digital member, you’ll receive:

  • Thought leadership on regulatory changes, economic trends, corporate success stories, and tactical solutions for treasurers, CFOs, risk managers, controllers, and other finance professionals
  • Informative weekly newsletter featuring news, analysis, real-world case studies, and other critical content
  • Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
  • Critical coverage of the employee benefits and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, PropertyCasualty360 and ThinkAdvisor
NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.