Bernanke Seeks to Divorce QE Tapering From Interest Rates via Bloomberg

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke will have a chance to use testimony to Congress today to drive home his message that winding down asset purchases won’t presage an increase in the Fed’s benchmark interest rate.

Bernanke has said the Fed may start reducing $85 billion in monthly bond purchases later this year, assuming economic growth meets the Fed’s predictions. At the same time, policy makers’ forecasts have indicated the federal funds rate won’t rise until 2015, long after Bernanke’s second term ends Jan. 31.

“The Fed’s bifurcated message will continue,” said Michael Gapen, senior U.S. economist at Barclays Plc in New York and a former Fed economist. “Their outlook is for an environment where we can start tapering -- so a hawkish tone on tapering switching to a dovish tone on rate hikes.”

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