年內第四次加息 美聯儲宣佈上調基金利率25個基點

The US Federal Reserve raised interest rates last Wednesday and said it was keeping the core of its plan to tighten monetary policy intact even as central bank officials said they would likely slow the pace of further rate increases next year.

美國聯邦儲備委員會（美聯儲）於上週三加息，並表示將維持收緊貨幣政策計劃的核心不變，儘管其官員表示，明年可能放慢進一步加息的步伐。

The Fed officials lifted the target range for the federal funds rate by another quarter point to 2.25% - 2.5%, in a unanimous decision.

美國央行官員一致決定，將聯邦基金利率目標區間再上調25個基點，至2.25%-2.5%。

It marked the Fed's fourth rate hike this year and the ninth such move since late 2015, as it moves forward on the path of monetary policy normalization.

這標誌着美聯儲今年內的第四次加息，也是自2015年底以來的第九次加息，美聯儲正沿着貨幣政策正常化的道路前進。

Fed officials also revised down their forecast for US economic growth in 2019 to 2.3% from the 2.5% previously estimated.

美聯儲官員還將其對2019年美國經濟增速的預測從此前的2.5%下調至2.3%。

With an expected slowdown in the US economy, Fed officials envisioned two rate hikes next year, down from three estimated in September, according to the median forecast for the federal funds rate.

根據聯邦基金利率的預估中值，由於預計美國經濟將有所放緩，美聯儲官員估計明年將加息兩次，少於9月預估的三次。

The Fed has been raising rates to reduce the boost that monetary policy gives to the economy in recent years, which is growing faster than what central bank policymakers view as a sustainable rate.

美聯儲持續加息，以減少近年實施的貨幣政策給經濟帶來的提振。美國經濟目前的增速快於美聯儲認爲可持續的水平。

There are worries, however, that the economy could enter choppy waters next year as the fiscal boost from the Trump administration's spending and $1.5 trillion tax cut package fades and the global economy slows.

然而，人們擔心隨着特朗普政府的支出舉措和1.5萬億美元減稅計劃帶來的財政刺激逐漸消退，加之全球經濟放緩，明年美國經濟可能不容樂觀。