美聯儲官員表示暫時不宜加息

Soggy US growth in the early months of the year has raised new questions over the next Federal Reserve interest rate rise as policymakers balance evidence of strong corporate hiring against softer activity and inflation numbers.

今年頭幾個月美國疲軟的增長爲美聯儲(Fed)下次加息打上了問號，政策制定者們需要在強勁的企業用工證據與更疲軟的經濟活動及通脹數字之間進行權衡。

James Bullard, president of the St Louis Federal Reserve, said in an interview on Friday that weak first-quarter growth numbers were “somewhat concerning” and supported arguments for patience as the central bank assessed the pace at which it lifts rates.

上週五，聖路易斯聯邦儲備銀行(St Louis Federal Reserve)行長詹姆斯•布拉德(James Bullard)在訪談中表示，疲軟的美國一季度增長數字“有些令人擔憂”，在美聯儲評估其加息節奏之際，他支持要耐心一些的理由。

He spoke a day after Dennis Lockhart, president of the Atlanta Fed, signalled he would no longer be pushing for an interest rate move this month as soft spending and price growth “gives me pause”.

在他發表講話一天之前，亞特蘭大聯邦儲備銀行行長丹尼斯•洛克哈特(Dennis Lockhart)曾釋放信號表示，他不會再推動在本月調整利率，原因是疲軟的支出和價格上漲“讓我猶豫”。

Janet Yellen, Fed chair, last month sent a strong message that she wanted to proceed cautiously given the overseas risks confronting the central bank.

上個月，美聯儲主席珍妮特•耶倫(Janet Yellen)曾傳遞出強烈信號表示，考慮到美聯儲面臨的境外風險，她希望謹慎從事。

A rate move at the Fed’s April 26-27 meeting now appears to be off the table, and some analysts question whether the central bank will be ready to pull the trigger on a second rate increase as soon as June.

現在看來，美聯儲在4月26日到27日的議息會議上不會把調整利息提上議程。部分分析師質疑美聯儲能否準備好在6月份就進行第二次加息。