Kevin Lamarque | Reuters
Richmond Federal Reserve Bank President Jeff Lacker
The Federal Reserve
will have a "strong" case to hike U.S. interest rates in June, a
hawkish Fed official said on Tuesday, dismissing recently weak economic
data as transitory and perhaps due to unseasonable weather.
Richmond Fed President Jeffrey Lacker, who has long called for a prompt tightening of monetary policy, said consumer spending, the labor market and other economic conditions have improved significantly over the last year.
Read MoreNew data show US economy stalled in first quarter
A voting member this year on Fed policy who made many familiar arguments, Lacker predicted more improvement in the labor market and wages in the months ahead, and 2.0 to 2.5 percent GDP growth for the year. He said moves in the dollar and in oil prices were likely transitory, so U.S. inflation should rise to a 2-percent target.
"Given what we know today, a strong case can be made that the federal funds rate should be higher than it is now," Lacker said in prepared remarks to the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce. "I expect that, unless incoming economic reports diverge substantially from projections, the case for raising rates will remain strong at the June meeting."
Economists expect the Fed to hike rates from near zero by June at the earliest, though September is seen as more likely due to weak inflation and an economic slowdown in the winter.
Richmond Fed President Jeffrey Lacker, who has long called for a prompt tightening of monetary policy, said consumer spending, the labor market and other economic conditions have improved significantly over the last year.
Read MoreNew data show US economy stalled in first quarter
A voting member this year on Fed policy who made many familiar arguments, Lacker predicted more improvement in the labor market and wages in the months ahead, and 2.0 to 2.5 percent GDP growth for the year. He said moves in the dollar and in oil prices were likely transitory, so U.S. inflation should rise to a 2-percent target.
"Given what we know today, a strong case can be made that the federal funds rate should be higher than it is now," Lacker said in prepared remarks to the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce. "I expect that, unless incoming economic reports diverge substantially from projections, the case for raising rates will remain strong at the June meeting."
Economists expect the Fed to hike rates from near zero by June at the earliest, though September is seen as more likely due to weak inflation and an economic slowdown in the winter.
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