Fed minutes put in doubt a rate increase this June

Washington

THE Federal Reserve is looking increasingly unlikely to start raising its benchmark interest rate in June.

A number of Fed officials expressed doubts about the rise beginning in June during the March meeting of the Fed's policymaking committee, according to an account the central bank published on Wednesday. And those doubts have since been reinforced by a disappointing estimate of March job growth, and by the continued sluggishness of inflation.