Fed hopes economy is on cusp of inflation slowdown as rate hikes loom

WASHINGTON, Feb 9 (Reuters) – The U.S. economy may be nearing a turn lower in inflation, Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic said on Wednesday, though he added he is still leaning towards a slightly faster pace of interest rate increases this year.

“I am very hopeful we are going to start to see that decline … There is some evidence we are on the cusp of that,” Bostic said in an interview with CNBC.

While Bostic still expects three quarter-percentage-point rate increases will be appropriate this year, he said: “I am leaning a little towards four. We are going to have to see how the economy responds as we take our first steps,” with an initial rate increase expected in March.

New inflation data on Thursday is forecast to show the consumer price index continued to rise at an annualized pace of more than 7% in January – a level reminiscent of the inflation shocks of the 1970s…