美聯儲會議紀要 6月加息可能性降低

Doubts about the strength of the US recovery appeared to grow among Federal Reserve policy makers in their latest rate-setting meeting as soggy economic data further diminished the prospect of a rate rise in the summer.

在最近一次議息會議上，美聯儲(Fed)政策制定者對美國復甦力度的懷疑似乎有所增加。慘淡的經濟數據，進一步降低了今年夏季加息的可能性。

Minutes from the meeting on April 28-29 reveal a Federal Open Market Committee that was divided over when the central bank’s target range for the federal funds rate should be lifted from today’s near-zero levels. A “range of views” were expressed on the right time for a move.

4月28日至29日議息會議的會談紀要披露，對於何時應把美聯儲聯邦基金利率的目標範圍，從目前接近零的水平提升上來，聯邦公開市場委員會(FOMC)存在分歧。對於加息的適當時機，與會者表達了“各種不同觀點”。

Whereas a few rate-setters thought June could still be the right time for the first increase, they were outnumbered by those who thought conditions were unlikely to be right by then, following the release of weak economic data early in the year.

雖然少數與會者認爲6月份仍是首次加息的合適時機，由於今年初發布的疲軟經濟數據，認爲屆時條件仍不成熟的人數更多一些。

Bonds yields crept lower following release of the minutes. The yield on the ten-year Treasury note was down 3 basis points at 2.26 per cent.

會談紀要發佈後，美國國債的收益率進一步降低。十年期國債收益率下降3個基點，跌至2.26%。

The dollar, which has rallied for much of the last year on the prospect of the Fed lifting rates, gave up some of its gains against the euro to trade at $1.11. The S&P 500 closed little changed at 2125.85.

美元兌歐元匯率則跌去了此前的部分漲幅，跌至1歐元兌1.11美元。標普500(S&P 500)指數收盤時幾乎不變，落在2125.85點。此前出於美聯儲可能加息的預期，去年多數時間美元匯率一直在上升。

The key question now confronting the central bank is how much of that slowdown reflects anomalous factors such as a port strike and bad weather, and whether a sharp rebound is in the offing.

美聯儲目前面臨的一個關鍵問題是：經濟放緩在多大程度上反映了碼頭罷工及惡劣天氣等異常因素，美國經濟是否很快就會快速反彈。