The expectation of interest increase by Fed is getting stronger

The expectation of interest increase by Fed is getting stronger according to the latest data. Fed Chairman Janet Yellen said in a speech in Chicago on Friday that it might be appropriate to raise interest rates in March if the economy goes as expected. The Fed Chairman said that the gradual realization of monetary tightening could continue to be appropriate. Yellen said that the Federal Reserve authorities are cautious about the increase in interest rates in the economy, and he did not give a hint of how many times the interest rate will raise during the year and expressed that a long wait for interest rate would lead to a faster monetary tightening in the future.

Consumer confidence, which rose to 114.8 points in February, indicates that spending growth could improve in the first quarter of the new year. Such a scenario could also support the Fed's interest-raising process, positively reflecting on economic growth figures. On the other hand, we have seen a slight acceleration in the housing sector. However, Thursday's weekly unemployment rate applicants data shows that the sector continues to improve and this may continue to reflect positively on the housing sector in the coming months. When we look at the Euro zone economies, we see that the positive trend in the data continues. The French economy, which is increasingly uncertain due to the upcoming elections, has performed well in the last quarter of 2016, with an annual growth rate of 1.2 %.