Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco President John Williams said in a published interview he expects the Federal Reserve to raise rates this year, but wouldn't comment on whether this would occur at its next meeting next week.
"All of the data that we have had up until now has been, I think, encouraging," Williams told the Wall Street Journal. "But there are some pretty significant — and I would say have now grown larger — headwinds that have developed."
But, he noted, "I still would say that it would be reasonable, from my own perspective, to see interest rate increases sometime later this year — or an interest rate increase — starting that later this year."
Of course, Williams noted that any rate hike decision must be supported by economic data.
The Journal noted, "John Williams seems on the fence, and his views tend to reflect the center of thinking inside the Fed."
