美聯儲加息25個基點 預計明年加息三次
The Federal Reserve has raised short-term interest rates for the second time in a decade and forecast a faster pace of tightening in the coming year, as it responds to a US economy that has been gathering momentum and may receive further stimulus from Republican tax cuts.
美聯儲(Fed) 10年來第二次上調短期利率，並預期明年收緊的步伐將更快，這是對美國經濟復甦勢頭增強且可能會進一步受到共和黨減稅政策刺激的迴應。
With the US on the cusp of full employment and inflation gradually approaching the Fed’s target, the central bank raised the target range for its federal funds rate by a quarter-point to 0.5-0.75 per cent, as was widely expected in the financial markets.
伴隨美國走向充分就業且通脹逐漸接近美聯儲的目標，美國央行將聯邦基金利率目標區間上調了25個基點，至0.5%-0.75%，與金融市場的普遍預期一致。
Following a long procession of downgrades to its interest-rate forecasts in recent quarters, the central bank’s policymakers penciled in a median projection of three quarter-point increases for 2017, up from two previously.
在最近幾個季度接連調降加息預測之後，美國央行的政策制定者對2017年加息次數的預估中值從之前的兩次上調至三次，每次25個基點。
The decision to lift rates on Wednesday, which was unanimous, came in the Fed’s final meeting before president-elect Donald Trump is due to take office, and as Republicans contemplate tax-cutting plans that could add further fuel to the recovery.
週三一致通過的加息決定，是美聯儲在當選總統唐納德•特朗普(Donald Trump)上任前的最後一次會議上做出的，同時共和黨正在醞釀的減稅計劃有望進一步助推經濟復甦。
In its post-meeting statement the Fed said it was raising rates in view of realized and expected labour market conditions and inflation while reiterating its existing guidance that increases will be gradual.
美聯儲在會後發表的聲明中表示，加息的依據是已實現的和預期的勞動力市場狀況和通脹，同時重申加息將循序漸進的現有指引。
It added that policy remained accommodative and that this would support some further strengthening of the labour market – words that suggested the central bank thinks it is closer to maximum employment.
美聯儲還表示，政策依然寬鬆，而這將支持勞動力市場進一步有所增強——這些措辭表明美國央行認爲現在正接近充分就業。
