On top of the more buoyant outlook for overall growth, Fed officials cut their estimates for the unemployment rate, to 3.9 percent in 2018 and 2019, two-tenths below the previous numbers. The 2020 rate is expected to be 4 percent, down from 4.2 percent, while the longer-run outlook remained at 4.6 percent. The current unemployment rate is 4.1 percent. The statement noted that the jobs market "will remain strong," an upgrade from the assessment at the Oct. 31-Nov. 1 meeting that conditions "will strengthen somewhat further." Later, the committee said the current stance of monetary policy is "supporting strong labor market conditions," a contrast to the language from the previous meeting that indicated "some further strengthening."
Fed hiked interest rates to 1.5%
The Federal Reserve had been expected to raise its benchmark interest rate a quarter point to a target range of 1.25 percent to 1.5 percent. Members of the Federal Open Market Committee raised its GDP estimate from 2.1 percent in September to 2.5 percent. The inflation forecast for 2018 also got a modest boost, from 1.6 percent to 1.7 percent. The statement noted that the jobs market "will remain strong," an upgrade from the assessment at the Oct. 31-Nov. 1 meeting that conditions "will strengthen somewhat further."
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