Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System

Accessible Version

Table data for charts presented with Summary of Economic Projections given within the FOMC Minutes on March 17-18, 2015.

Figure 1. Central tendencies and ranges of economic projections, 2015-17 and over the longer run

Central tendencies and ranges of economic projections for years 2015 through 2017 and over the longer run. Actual values for years 2010 through 2014.

Change in real GDP
Percent

Unemployment rate
Percent

PCE inflation
Percent

Core PCE inflation
Percent

Note: Definitions of variables are in the general note to the projections table. The data for the actual values of the variables are annual.

Figure 2. Overview of FOMC participants' assessments of appropriate monetary policy

Appropriate timing of policy firming

Note: In the upper panel, the height of each bar denotes the number of FOMC participants who judge that, under appropriate monetary policy, the first increase in the target range for the federal funds rate from its current range of 0 to 1/4 percent will occur in the specified calendar year. In December 2014, the numbers of FOMC participants who judged that the first increase in the target federal funds rate would occur in 2015, and 2016 were, respectively, 15, and 2.

Appropriate pace of policy firming: Midpoint of target range or target level for the federal funds rate
Number of participants with projected midpoint of target range or target level

Note: In the lower panel, each shaded circle indicates the value (rounded to the nearest 1/8 percentage point) of an individual participant's judgment of the midpoint of the appropriate target range for the federal funds rate or the appropriate target level for the federal funds rate at the end of the specified calendar year or over the longer run.

Figure 3.A. Distribution of participants' projections for the change in real GDP, 2015-17 and over the longer run

Histograms, four panels. Definitions of variables are in the general note to table 1.

Number of Participants

Note: Definitions of variables are in the general note to table 1.

Figure 3.B. Distribution of participants' projections for the unemployment rate, 2015-17 and over the longer run

Histograms, four panels. Definitions of variables are in the general note to table 1.

Number of Participants

Note: Definitions of variables are in the general note to table 1.

Figure 3.C. Distribution of participants' projections for PCE inflation, 2015-17 and over the longer run

Histograms, four panels. Definitions of variables are in the general note to table 1.

Number of Participants

Note: Definitions of variables are in the general note to table 1.

Figure 3.D. Distribution of participants' projections for core PCE inflation, 2015-17

Histograms, three panels. Definitions of variables are in the general note to table 1.

Number of Participants

Note: Definitions of variables are in the general note to table 1.

Figure 3.E. Distribution of participants' judgments of the midpoint of the appropriate target range for the federal funds rate or the appropriate target level for the federal funds rate, 2015-17 and over the longer run

Histograms, four panels.

Number of Participants

Note: The midpoints of the target ranges for the federal funds rate and the target levels for the federal funds rate are measured at the end of the specified calendar year or over the longer run.

Figure 4. Uncertainty and risks in economic projections

Histograms, eight panels. For definitions of uncertainty and risks in economic projections, see the box "Forecast Uncertainty." Definitions of variables are in the general note to table 1.

Uncertainty about GDP growth
Number of participants

Uncertainty about Unemployment rate
Number of participants

Uncertainty about PCE inflation
Number of participants

Uncertainty about Core PCE inflation
Number of participants

Risks to GDP Growth
Number of participants

Risks to Unemployment rate
Number of participants

Risks to PCE inflation
Number of participants

Risks to Core PCE inflation
Number of participants

Note: For definitions of uncertainty and risks in economic projections, see the box "Forecast Uncertainty." Definitions of variables are in the general note to table 1.