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Accessible Version
Advance release of table 1 of the Summary of Economic Projections to be released
with the FOMC minutes
Percent
Median1
Variable

2015 2016 2017 2018

Central tendency2
Longer
2015
run

Change in real
2.1 2.3 2.2 2.0 2.0
GDP
June projection 1.9 2.5 2.3 n.a. 2.0
Unemployment
5.0 4.8 4.8 4.8 4.9
rate
June projection 5.3 5.1 5.0 n.a. 5.0
PCE inflation 0.4 1.7 1.9 2.0 2.0
June projection 0.7 1.8 2.0 n.a. 2.0
Core PCE
1.4 1.7 1.9 2.0
inflation4
June projection 1.3 1.8 2.0 n.a.
Memo: Projected appropriate policy path
Federal funds
0.4 1.4 2.6 3.4 3.5
rate
June projection 0.6 1.6 2.9 n.a. 3.8

2016

2017

2018

Range3
Longer
run

2015

2016

2017

2018

Longer
run

2.0 - 2.3 2.2 - 2.6 2.0 - 2.4 1.8 - 2.2 1.8 - 2.2 1.9 - 2.5 2.1 - 2.8 1.9 - 2.6 1.6 - 2.4 1.8 - 2.7
1.8 - 2.0 2.4 - 2.7 2.1 - 2.5 n.a.

2.0 - 2.3 1.7 - 2.3 2.3 - 3.0 2.0 - 2.5 n.a.

1.8 - 2.5

5.0 - 5.1 4.7 - 4.9 4.7 - 4.9 4.7 - 5.0 4.9 - 5.2 4.9 - 5.2 4.5 - 5.0 4.5 - 5.0 4.6 - 5.3 4.7 - 5.8
5.2 - 5.3 4.9 - 5.1 4.9 - 5.1 n.a.
0.3 - 0.5 1.5 - 1.8 1.8 - 2.0 2.0
0.6 - 0.8 1.6 - 1.9 1.9 - 2.0 n.a.

5.0 - 5.2 5.0 - 5.3 4.6 - 5.2 4.8 - 5.5 n.a.
5.0 - 5.8
2.0
0.3 - 1.0 1.5 - 2.4 1.7 - 2.2 1.8 - 2.1 2.0
2.0
0.6 - 1.0 1.5 - 2.4 1.7 - 2.2 n.a.
2.0

1.3 - 1.4 1.5 - 1.8 1.8 - 2.0 1.9 - 2.0

1.2 - 1.7 1.5 - 2.4 1.7 - 2.2 1.8 - 2.1

1.3 - 1.4 1.6 - 1.9 1.9 - 2.0 n.a.

1.2 - 1.6 1.5 - 2.4 1.7 - 2.2 n.a.

0.1 - 0.6 1.1 - 2.1 2.1 - 3.4 3.0 - 3.6 3.3 - 3.8 -0.1 - 0.9 -0.1 - 2.9 1.0 - 3.9 2.9 - 3.9 3.0 - 4.0
0.4 - 0.9 1.4 - 2.4 2.4 - 3.8 n.a.

3.5 - 3.8 0.1 - 0.9 0.4 - 2.9 2.0 - 3.9 n.a.

3.3 - 4.3

Note: Projections of change in real gross domestic product (GDP) and projections for both measures of inflation are percent changes from
the fourth quarter of the previous year to the fourth quarter of the year indicated. PCE inflation and core PCE inflation are the percentage
rates of change in, respectively, the price index for personal consumption expenditures (PCE) and the price index for PCE excluding food
and energy. Projections for the unemployment rate are for the average civilian unemployment rate in the fourth quarter of the year
indicated. Each participant's projections are based on his or her assessment of appropriate monetary policy. Longer-run projections
represent each participant's assessment of the rate to which each variable would be expected to converge under appropriate monetary
policy and in the absence of further shocks to the economy. The projections for the federal funds rate are the value (rounded to the nearest
1/8 percentage point) of the midpoint of the projected appropriate target range for the federal funds rate or the projected appropriate target
level for the federal funds rate at the end of the specified calendar year or over the longer run. The June projections were made in
conjunction with the meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee on June 16-17, 2015.
1. For each period, the median is the middle projection when the projections are arranged from lowest to highest. When the number of
projections is even, the median is the average of the two middle projections. Return to table
2. The central tendency excludes the three highest and three lowest projections for each variable in each year. Return to table
3. The range for a variable in a given year includes all participants' projections, from lowest to highest, for that variable in that
year. Return to table
4. Longer-run projections for core PCE inflation are not collected. Return to table

Figure 1. Medians, central tendencies, and ranges of economic projections, 2015-18
and over the longer run
Medians, central tendencies, and ranges of economic projections for years 2015 through 2018 and over the longer run. Actual values for
years 2010 through 2014.

Change in real GDP
Percent
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Longer Run
Actual
2.7 1.7 1.3 2.5 2.5 Upper End of Range
2.5 2.8 2.6 2.4 2.7
Upper End of Central Tendency 2.3 2.6 2.4 2.2 2.2
Median
2.1 2.3 2.2 2.0 2.0
Lower End of Central Tendency 2.0 2.2 2.0 1.8 1.8
Lower End of Range
1.9 2.1 1.9 1.6 1.8
Unemployment rate
Percent
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Longer Run
Actual
9.5 8.7 7.8 7.0 5.7 Upper End of Range
5.2 5.0 5.0 5.3 5.8
Upper End of Central Tendency 5.1 4.9 4.9 5.0 5.2
Median
5.0 4.8 4.8 4.8 4.9
Lower End of Central Tendency 5.0 4.7 4.7 4.7 4.9
Lower End of Range
4.9 4.5 4.5 4.6 4.7
PCE inflation
Percent
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Longer Run
Actual
1.3 2.7 1.8 1.2 1.1 Upper End of Range
1.0 2.4 2.2 2.1 2.0
Upper End of Central Tendency 0.5 1.8 2.0 2.0 2.0
Median
0.4 1.7 1.9 2.0 2.0
Lower End of Central Tendency 0.3 1.5 1.8 2.0 2.0
Lower End of Range
0.3 1.5 1.7 1.8 2.0
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
2015 2016 2017
Number of participants 13 3
1
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 June 2015, the numbers of FOMC participants who judged that the first increase in the target federal funds rate would
occur in 2015, 2016, and 2017 were, respectively, 15, 2, and 0.
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
Midpoint of target range
2015 2016 2017 2018 Longer Run
or target level (Percent)
-0.125
1
1
0.000
0.125
3
0.250
0.375
7
0.500
0.625
5

0.750
0.875
1.000
1.125
1.250
1.375
1.500
1.625
1.750
1.875
2.000
2.125
2.250
2.375
2.500
2.625
2.750
2.875
3.000
3.125
3.250
3.375
3.500
3.625
3.750
3.875
4.000

1

2
1
4
2
3
1

2

2

2

1

2
3

1
2
1
2
1

1

3
1
2
2
1
3
3
1
1

1
6
5
1
3
1

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.