If not now, when?

THIS WEEK'S TOPIC: Should the US Federal Reserve start raising interest rates soon, or continue to wait? What would be the consequences for your business or industry either way?

Mark McFarland Global Chief Economist Coutts

IT has been 11 years since the US Federal Reserve last started to raise interest rates. Previously in 2004, the Fed delayed for years and hiked at almost every meeting for two years. This time around, we anticipate that rates will rise by 0.25 per cent over the next four Fed meetings, but very slowly.