Fed May Be Slowing Rate Hikes, Minutes Show

ederal Reserve policy makers may be close to ending their series of interest rate increases, the minutes of the Fed’s Dec. 13 meeting show.

“Views differed on how much further tightening might be required,” the Federal Open Market Committee said in the minutes, which were released Tuesday. “Members thought that the policy outlook was becoming considerably less certain.”

The Federal Open Market Committee said the December meeting showed the number of additional moves needed to control inflation “probably would not be large.”

Following the Dec. 13 meeting — its last of the year — the Fed tempered prospects for future interest rate increases by saying that only “some further measured policy firming is likely to be needed,” Bloomberg reported.