国际英语资讯:Spotlight: U.S. Fed leaves rates unchanged, downplays inflation concerns_时事

国际英语资讯:Spotlight: U.S. Fed leaves rates unchanged, downplays inflation concerns

But some economists pointed out that the headline growth number overstated the U.S. economy's underlying strength, and the persistent soft inflation opened the door for policy-makers to consider a rate cut.

Excluding the volatile energy and food prices, the core personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index, a preferred inflation gauge by the Fed, was up 1.3 percent in the first quarter, still below the central bank's target of 2 percent.

"If we did see inflation running persistently below, that is something the committee would be concerned about and something we would take into account setting policy," Powell said, declining to say whether the Fed would consider a rate cut.

"Powell tried to temper expectations for a preemptive cut in rates tied to inflation. He underscored that the Fed still believes that the low pace of inflation is a transitory phenomenon," Diane Swonk, chief economist at Grant Thornton LLP, wrote Wednesday in an analysis.

"The Federal Reserve is walking a tightrope, balancing the current low rate of inflation against the risk of stoking additional asset bubbles. This will leave the Fed firmly on the sidelines this year," Swonk added.

Despite rising market speculation of a rate cut, the Fed is unlikely to cut interest rates anytime soon, analysts said, for fear that it looks like the central bank is caving to political pressure.

"Fed officials would likely worry about the risks that a rate cut could appear political or unnerve markets, which might mistake a cut in response to low inflation for serious concern about the growth outlook," Goldman Sachs analysts led by chief U.S. economist Jan Hatzius said in a recent note.