国际英语资讯:U.S. Fed officials warn of downside risks from rising trade uncertainty_时事

国际英语资讯:U.S. Fed officials warn of downside risks from rising trade uncertainty

"No doubt this uncertainty around trade is going to be a drag on the economy. How much of a drag is that what we're trying to assess," said Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester.

"What I want to focus on is, is that it's spilling over to the broader economy? Are firms now going to say there's so much uncertainty out there that not only am I not spending, I also may have to reduce my plant hiring," Mester told Yahoo Finance on Friday, adding she will be watching how businesses and consumers react to the trade uncertainty.

Kansas City Fed President Esther George noted on Thursday that the agriculture community in her district has experienced low farm incomes for a number of years, and escalating trade tensions contributed to further loss for farmers.

"Having markets disrupted, particularly for example in the soy bean production area has been another leg down for the AG sector. And so, this puts pressure on an already difficult situation," she said.

The Fed official saw the uncertainty over trade as sort of persistent at this stage. "It's hard to see how it will be resolved. So, you have to take that as it comes in terms of watching for data, it signals it's having an effect on the economy," she said.

The Fed trimmed the federal funds rate by 25 basis points to a target range of 2 percent to 2.25 percent last month, the first rate cut since the 2008 global financial crisis, amid rising concerns over trade tensions, a slowing global economy and muted inflation pressures. The central bank will hold its next policy meeting on Sept. 17-18.