美聯儲考慮下月加息 Bullish Yellen signals possible rate increase

Janet Yellen, chair of the Federal Reserve, said the US economy was performing well and that Fed rate-setters might consider raising rates at their meeting next month.

美聯儲(Fed)主席珍妮特耶倫(Janet Yellen)表示，美國經濟表現良好，美聯儲利息制定者可能考慮在下月會議上加息。

The “downside risks” to the US economy from global economic and financial developments have diminished since September, the Fed chair said in a congressional hearing, reiterating the positive message the Fed projected after its October meeting.

這位美聯儲主席在國會聽證會上表示，全球經濟和金融事態給美國經濟帶來的“下行風險”自9月以來已經降低，她重申了美聯儲在10月會議後發出的積極信號。

Ms Yellen added that spare capacity in the jobs market had fallen “significantly” since earlier in the year, even if there had been a recent slowdown in the pace of job gains.

耶倫補充說，自今年早些時候以來，就業市場的閒置勞動力已“顯著”減少，儘管就業增長的速度最近有所放緩。

In light of this, the Fed’s December 15-16 meeting would be a “live possibility” for an increase in rates, Ms Yellen added.

耶倫補充說，鑑於這種局面，美聯儲12月15日至16日的會議將存在加息的“真正可能性”。

Her bullish remarks pushed the dollar higher and lifted short-term yields, adding to gains following robust services data from the Institute for Supply Management.

耶倫的樂觀言論推升了美元匯率及美國短期國債的收益率，擴大了它們此前在美國供應管理學會(Institute for Supply Management)公佈強勁服務業數據後出現的漲幅。