Accessible Version

Table data for charts presented with Summary of Economic Projections given within the FOMC Minutes on December 13-14, 2016.

Figure 1. Medians, central tendencies, and ranges of economic projections, 2016-19 and over the longer run

Change in real GDP
Percent

  2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Longer run
Actual 1.7 1.3 2.7 2.5 1.9 - - - - -
Upper End of Range - - - - - 2.0 2.4 2.3 2.2 2.2
Upper End of Central Tendency - - - - - 1.9 2.3 2.2 2.0 2.0
Median - - - - - 1.9 2.1 2.0 1.9 1.8
Lower End of Central Tendency - - - - - 1.8 1.9 1.8 1.8 1.8
Lower End of Range - - - - - 1.8 1.7 1.7 1.5 1.6

Unemployment rate
Percent

  2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Longer run
Actual 8.7 7.8 7.0 5.7 5.0 - - - - -
Upper End of Range - - - - - 4.8 4.7 4.7 4.8 5.0
Upper End of Central Tendency - - - - - 4.8 4.6 4.7 4.8 5.0
Median - - - - - 4.7 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.8
Lower End of Central Tendency - - - - - 4.7 4.5 4.3 4.3 4.7
Lower End of Range - - - - - 4.7 4.4 4.2 4.1 4.5

PCE inflation
Percent

  2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Longer run
Actual 2.7 1.8 1.2 1.2 0.4 - - - - -
Upper End of Range - - - - - 1.6 2.0 2.2 2.2 2.0
Upper End of Central Tendency - - - - - 1.5 2.0 2.0 2.1 2.0
Median - - - - - 1.5 1.9 2.0 2.0 2.0
Lower End of Central Tendency - - - - - 1.5 1.7 1.9 2.0 2.0
Lower End of Range - - - - - 1.5 1.7 1.8 1.8 2.0

Core PCE Inflation
Percent

  2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Longer run
Actual 1.9 1.8 1.5 1.6 1.4 - - - - -
Upper End of Range - - - - - 1.8 2.0 2.2 2.2 n.a
Upper End of Central Tendency - - - - - 1.8 1.9 2.0 2.0 n.a
Median - - - - - 1.7 1.8 2.0 2.0 n.a
Lower End of Central Tendency - - - - - 1.7 1.8 1.9 2.0 n.a
Lower End of Range - - - - - 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.8 n.a

Note: Definitions of variables and other explanations are in the notes to the projections table. The data for the actual values of the variables are annual.

Figure 2. FOMC participants' assessments of appropriate monetary policy: Midpoint of target range or target level for the federal funds rate

Midpoint of target range
or target level (Percent)
2016 2017 2018 2019 Longer run
0.125          
0.250          
0.375          
0.500          
0.625 17        
0.750          
0.875   2 1 1  
1.000          
1.125   4      
1.250          
1.375   6      
1.500          
1.625   3 1    
1.750   1      
1.875     5    
2.000          
2.125   1 3 1  
2.250          
2.375     2 2  
2.500         1
2.625     2 3  
2.750         6
2.875       2  
3.000     1 2 7
3.125       2  
3.250     1 2  
3.375     1    
3.500         1
3.625       1  
3.750         1
3.875*       1  

Note: 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. One participant did not submit longer-run projections for the federal funds rate.

* On January 18, 2017, this entry was updated to include a missing data point; the values in the graphical version of Figure 2 were not affected.

Figure 3.A. Distribution of participants' projections for the change in real GDP, 2016-19 and over the longer run

Histograms, five panels.

Number of Participants

Percent range 2016 2017 2018 2019 Longer Run
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
1.4 - 1.5 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0
1.6 - 1.7 0 5 1 2 1 2 2 7 3 5
1.8 - 1.9 15 9 3 3 4 3 7 4 8 6
2 - 2.1 2 3 5 5 8 9 6 5 4 4
2.2 - 2.3 0 0 6 5 4 2 1 1 1 1
2.4 - 2.5 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0

Note: Definitions of variables and other explanations are in the notes to table 1.

Figure 3.B. Distribution of participants' projections for the unemployment rate, 2016-19 and over the longer run

Histograms, five panels.

Number of Participants

Percent range 2016 2017 2018 2019 Longer Run
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
4 - 4.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
4.2 - 4.3 0 0 0 0 4 3 3 3 0 0
4.4 - 4.5 0 0 9 6 9 6 5 4 1 1
4.6 - 4.7 9 4 8 9 4 5 4 6 7 7
4.8 - 4.9 8 13 0 2 0 3 4 2 4 4
5 - 5.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 4

Note: Definitions of variables and other explanations are in the notes to table 1.

Figure 3.C. Distribution of participants' projections for PCE inflation, 2016-19 and over the longer run

Histograms, five panels.

Number of Participants

Percent range 2016 2017 2018 2019 Longer Run
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
1.1 - 1.2 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1.3 - 1.4 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1.5 - 1.6 17 2 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0
1.7 - 1.8 0 1 8 5 1 4 1 1 0 0
1.9 - 2 0 0 9 9 14 13 12 15 17 17
2.1 - 2.2 0 0 0 0 2 0 4 1 0 0

Note: Definitions of variables and other explanations are in the notes to table 1.

Figure 3.D. Distribution of participants' projections for core PCE inflation, 2016-19

Histograms, four panels.

Number of Participants

Percent range 2016 2017 2018 2019
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
1.5 - 1.6 1 8 0 2 0 0 0 0
1.7 - 1.8 16 8 9 8 1 3 1 1
1.9 - 2 0 1 8 7 14 14 13 15
2.1 - 2.2 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 1

Note: Definitions of variables and other explanations are in the notes 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, 2016-19 and over the longer run

Histograms, five panels.

Number of Participants

Percent Range 2016 2017 2018 2019 Longer Run
December Projections September Projections December Projections September Projections December Projections September Projections December Projections September Projections December Projections September Projections
0.38 - 0.62 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0.63 - 0.87 17 10 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 0
0.88 - 1.12 0 3 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 0
1.13 - 1.37 0 1 4 7 0 0 0 0 0 0
1.38 - 1.62 0 0 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
1.63 - 1.87 0 0 4 3 1 2 0 0 0 0
1.88 - 2.12 0 0 0 2 5 7 0 0 0 0
2.13 - 2.37 0 0 1 1 3 1 1 1 0 0
2.38 - 2.62 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 3 1 3
2.63 - 2.87 0 0 0 0 2 4 3 6 6 5
2.88 - 3.12 0 0 0 0 1 1 4 3 7 6
3.13 - 3.37 0 0 0 0 1 1 4 1 0 0
3.38 - 3.62 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 1
3.63 - 3.87 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1
3.88 - 4.12 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

Note: Definitions of variables and other explanations are in the notes to table 1.

Figure 4. Uncertainty and risks in economic projections

Histograms, eight panels.

Uncertainty about GDP growth
Number of participants

  Lower Broadly similar Higher
December projections 0 11 6
September projections 1 15 1

Uncertainty about the unemployment rate
Number of participants

  Lower Broadly similar Higher
December projections 0 12 5
September projections 1 15 1

Uncertainty about PCE inflation
Number of participants

  Lower Broadly similar Higher
December projections 0 13 4
September projections 0 15 2

Uncertainty about core PCE inflation
Number of participants

  Lower Broadly similar Higher
December projections 0 14 3
September projections 1 16 0

Risks to GDP growth
Number of participants

  Weighted to downside Broadly balanced Weighted to upside
December projections 1 12 4
September projections 4 12 1

Risks to the unemployment rate
Number of participants

  Weighted to downside Broadly balanced Weighted to upside
December projections 3 14 0
September projections 2 12 3

Risks to PCE inflation
Number of participants

  Weighted to downside Broadly balanced Weighted to upside
December projections 2 12 3
September projections 5 11 1

Risks to core PCE inflation
Number of participants

  Weighted to downside Broadly balanced Weighted to upside
December projections 2 12 3
September projections 5 11 1

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

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Last Update: January 18, 2017