Fed signals slow rate rises after economic data struggles

The Federal Reserve has signalled that interest rate rises could be slower than markets anticipate after the latest meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee.

In her latest speech, Fed chair Janet Yellen (pictured) said that any rate rise would be gradual, as improvements in US economic data remain uncertain. She said: "Economic conditions are currently anticipated to evolve in a manner that will warrant only gradual increases in the target federal funds rate." The speech, at the margin, appeared to slightly reduce the possibility that the first rate hike will arrive as soon as September, according to analysts. One of the key factors to which analysts have been pointing analysts is the improvements seen in the US employment rate and wage...