Fed lifts rates 25 points to 4.25%
美联储(Fed)将隔夜利率提高0.25个百分点至4.25%，并表示未来可能还会升息，但可能正接近其25个基点连续升息周期的终点。
The Federal Reserve increased overnight rates by a quarter point to 4.25 per cent and signalled there may be more rises to come but that it may be nearing the end of its cycle of automatic quarter point increases.
联邦公开市场委员会(FOMC)在周二声明中表示，“可能需要进一步有节制地收紧政策，以保持实现经济可持续增长和物价稳定两者的风险基本平衡”。
In its statement on Tuesday, the Federal Open Market Committee said “some further measured policy firming is likely to be needed to keep the risks to the attainment of both sustainable economic growth and price stability roughly in balance”.
这是自美联储去年6月开始其紧缩战略以来第13次升息，而目前经济增长强劲，通胀压力也得到了控制。
It is the 13th consecutive rate rise since Fed began its strategy of tightening in June last year amid robust economic growth and contained inflationary pressures.
美联储主要担忧的是，假如企业开始将上升的成本转嫁给消费者，则能源成本上升可能对通货膨胀造成影响。迄今为止的迹象表明，制造商已基本上消化了价格的'上涨。
The Fed’s main concern has been the possible inflationary impact of higher energy costs should businesses start passing on higher costs to consumers. Signs so far indicate that manufacturers have been largely absorbing the price increases.
联邦公开市场委员会一致赞成最新升息行动。该委员会在声明中表示，通胀仍有回升可能，并表示，它需要有对经济形势意外变化采取行动的余地。“近几个月，核心通货膨胀维持在相对低水平，且长期通胀预期仍然得到抑制。然而，资源利用的可能增加，以及能源价格高企，具有加大通胀压力的可能。”
In its statement, the FOMC, which voted for the latest rate rise unanimously, said there was still potential for inflation to take hold and it signalled it wanted scope to act to unexpected changes in economic conditions: “Core inflation has stayed relatively low in recent months and longer-term inflation expectations remain contained. Nevertheless, possible increases in resource utilization as well as elevated energy prices have the potential to add to inflation pressures.”
该委员会补充指出，它将“对经济前景的变化作出必要反应”，以支持经济可持续增长与物价稳定之间的大体平衡。
It added that it would “respond to changes in economic prospects as needed” to foster a rough balance between sustainable economic growth and price stability.
在美联储升息决定出台后，美国国债几分钟内应声大涨，收益率下降，原因是投资者预期，这一轮货币紧缩周期已接近尾声。
Treasuries rallied and yields fell in the minutes following the Fed’s decisions on expectations the monetary tightening cycle was near its end.
同时，美元兑欧元、英镑及日元温和下挫，美国主要股指均告上扬。
Meanwhile, the dollar suffered modest declines against the euro, the pound and the yen as the main US stock indices advanced.
在声明中，联邦公开市场委员会放弃了它通常提到的“政策适应”(policy accommodation)，表明它“的升息进程多少已经过半”，Argus Research首席经济学家理查德·亚麦隆(Richard Yamarone)说。“我们认为，美联储无法对能源价格高企损害经济的效应视而不见。”
In its statement, the FOMC dropped its usual reference to “policy accommodation,” suggesting it is “somewhat past the midway point in its rate hike campaign”, said Richard Yamarone, chief economist at Argus Research. “We believe that the Fed simply cannot turn a blind eye to the economically-compromising effects of elevated energy prices.”