RATE MOVE MAY HAPPEN THIS MONTH

YELLEN: RATE MOVE MAY HAPPEN THIS MONTH

In Chicago Friday, Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen said that if hiring and inflation indicators continue to meet the central bank's expectations, an interest rate hike "would likely be appropriate" at its March policy meeting. She also noted that, barring unforeseen events, the pace of tightening in the near term "likely will not be as slow as it was during the past couple of years." After these statements, the Fed futures market put the chance of a March rate increase at 82%. 1