Wall Street Journal (08/13/15) Ben Leubsdorf

Approximately 82% of economists believe the U.S. Federal Reserve will implement a short-term interest rate increase in September, according to a survey by the Wall Street Journal. Thirteen percent of surveyed economists say the central bank will wait until December to increase rates.

According to Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Dennis Lockhart, “it would take a significant deterioration in the economic picture” for the central bank to be disinclined to move ahead at the September meeting. Fed Chairman Janet Yellen has acknowledged the concerns of economists who worry the Fed will act too late or too soon, consistently assuring that any rise in rates will occur “cautiously and gradually,” whenever it does happen.