Fed's Powell: 75 basis point rate hike not being 'actively considered'

NEW YORK (May 5) - Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Wednesday said central bank officials are not "actively" considering a rate hike of three-quarters of a percentage point at coming monetary policy meetings.

"A 75 basis point increase is not something that the committee is actively considering," Powell said in response to a question at a press conference following the Fed's latest meeting, at which it decided to lift rates by half a percentage point and signaled more increases are coming.

Interest rate futures markets had been assigning a significant probability to the Fed lifting rates by three quarters of a point at its next meeting in June.

REUTERS