The Fed has kept its target rate at 0% since 2008, when it slashed¹ rates in an effort to stimulate² the economy and combat the recession.

 

However, members cautioned during the meeting that a discussion did not signal a rate rise was imminent³（即将来临的）.

 

Most observers expect a rate rise in the latter half of 2015.

 

"The committee's discussion of this topic was undertaken as part of prudent⁴ planning and did not imply that normalization⁵ would necessarily begin sometime soon," the minutes said.

 

US stock markets seemed to accept those assurances, with all three indexes rising in the wake of the release.

 

 

The Fed has been in the process of removing some of the stimulus⁶ efforts put in place to help support the US economy in the wake of the financial crisis and subsequent recession in 2008 and 2009.

 

This pull-back has focused on reducing the bank's monthly bond buying purchases, known as quantitative⁷ easing, which were undertaken in an effort to keep long-term interest rates low and encourage spending.

 

The Fed began "tapering⁸", or trimming, these purchases, in January (although it announced the move in December). In April, the Fed announced it had cut its purchases to $45bn a month, from a high of $85bn.

 

Fed chairwoman Janet Yellen has said that the central bank believes the US economy is growing, and that growth is set to pick up in the latter half of this year.

 

According to the minutes, Fed members felt that "recent indicators⁹ pointed¹⁰ to a rebound¹¹ and suggested that the economy had returned to a trajectory¹²（轨道） of moderate growth".

 

Nonetheless, the members of the committee also had concerns, noting that while the unemployment rate was falling rapidly, other measures indicated that the labour market was still shaky.

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