Fed acknowledges slower growth, leaves rates unchanged

Washington

THE Federal Reserve acknowledged on Wednesday that the US economy has slowed but provided little guidance about when it would raise interest rates again.

The central bank began pulling back its support for the recovery in December and signalled that it anticipated increasing its benchmark rate four times this year. But weeks of turmoil on Wall Street have spurred doubts about whether the Fed will forge ahead.

For now, the central bank is standing pat. In a unanimous …