[시사영어 2023-07-27] 준, 이자율 0.25 인상 이것이 마지막

Federal Reserve Raises Interest Rates to 22-Year High
22년만의 최고치로

Federal Reserve : 연방  
Interest Rates : 금리, 이자율

The Federal Reserve resumed lifting interest rates Wednesday with a quarter-percentage-point increase that will bring them to a 22-year high.
0.25퍼센포인트 인상 / 22년만의 최고치로 가져오다

quarter : 4/1, 0.25  
range : 범위  
resume : 재개하다(=restart, begin again)

The unanimous decision to raise the benchmark federal-funds rate to a range between 5.25% and 5.5% ended a brief pause in rate increases last month as officials debate whether they have done enough to combat inflation.

benchmark : 기준이 되는(=standard, yardstick)  
federal-funds rate : 연방기금금리  
a brief pause : 잠깐의 중지  
official : (고위)공무원, 임원, 공식적인  
debate : 논의하다, 논쟁, 토론, 숙고하다, 곰곰히 생각하다  
combat : 전투, 싸움, 싸우다

It marks the 11th increase since March 2022, when they lifted rates from near zero.

 

At a news conference after the meeting, Fed Chair Jerome Powell didn’t rule out another rate rise at the central bank’s next meeting, but he emphasized how much the central bank had already done and the amount of time it can take for monetary policy to cool inflation.

rule out : 배제하다(=exclude, leave out)  
monetary policy : 통화정책

 

Economic growth has likely been too firm in recent months for Powell to signal that Wednesday’s increase will be the last of the current tightening cycle, as many investors anticipate.

likely : 십중팔구, 다분히 (=probably)  
firm : 확고한, 견고한 (=solid, fixed, stable)  
anticipate : 기대하다, 고대하다(=expect, look forward to, hope for)

 

At the same time, a recent slowdown in inflation could take pressure off the need for central bank officials to keep raising rates.

slowdown : 둔화 (=reduction in speed)

 

Fed officials have been concerned that underlying price pressures may prove more persistent as a tight labor market allows workers to bargain for higher pay, making it harder to get inflation down further.

underlying : 기저의 내재하는(=basic, fundamental)  
pressures : 압박, 압력  
persistent : 끈덕진, 지속적인(=dogged, continuous)  
bargain : 싸게 사는 물건, 협상하다, 합의, 흥정