Fed mouthpiece: Fed Vice Chair hints more time may be needed before another rate hike

PANews, October 2 - "Fed mouthpiece" Nick Timiraos said Fed Vice Chair Jefferson hinted that officials may want to wait longer before raising rates again, echoing remarks by New York Fed President John Williams.

The Fed's two most senior officials are now both implicitly questioning an October rate hike, just days after investors had been steadily raising bets on one.

In his remarks, Jefferson said: Looking ahead, I believe any future policy adjustments should be determined by carefully studying data trends, the evolving economic outlook, and the balance of risks. Since the September meeting, yields across maturities have risen further, indicating that investors are reassessing the changing macroeconomic situation. My colleagues and I need to make our own judgments, and that may take more time. I will continue to assess whether underlying trends suggest inflation can return to target quickly enough. As more data becomes available, we may be able to judge these trends more clearly, as well as what monetary policy stance is appropriate.