PRIME TIME NEWS 22:00 The U.S. Federal Reserve keeps its key rate at near zero,... easing uncertainties in the global stock markets, including Korea′s. The Japanese government aims at pushing through controversial security bills to expand its military′s role,... despite political and public protests. Korea′s producer prices hit their lowest point in five years... due to continuing low global oil prices. Hello... and welcome to Prime Time News... on this Friday, September 18th. I′m Hwang Ji-hye. And I′m Daniel Choy. Thanks for joining us. Title: U.S. Federal Reserve leaves key interest rate unchanged Let′s begin with the highly-anticipated economic news out of the U.S. The Federal Reserve has decided to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged at near zero... citing slow inflation growth. Kwon Soa has the details. The speculation is over...for now at least. The U.S. Central bank froze its key interest rate Thursday,... following a two-day policy meeting... with only one out of 10 committee members opposing the move. This despite the U.S. economy on a recovery track through robust spending and declining unemployment. Fed chairwoman Janet Yellen said she expects the U.S. economy to continue to perform well,... but that recent global market volatility and other factors are delaying.... what would be.... the first rate hike in a decade. "Inflation, however, has continued to run below our longer run objective, partly reflecting declines in energy and import prices." Yellen said a rate lift-off will come when there is more confidence of inflation rising to... two percent,... the previous target of the central bank. U.S. inflation currently stands at around 1-point-2 percent. Analysts say,... the U.S. also had to consider effects on developing countries,... as a hike would have crushed the purchasing power of developing nations. "If we have the emerging markets starting to struggle and we′re not able to export goods and we′re not able to create some sort of global inflation by a growing economy around it, that′s going to be trouble for the U.S. economy as well." Experts say the Fed′s decision has lifted uncertainties for now,... in those emerging markets,... including Korea... which dealt with a lot of foreign capital outflow in recent weeks. "Even if the interest rate increases later on,... it will happen gradually... So, Korea won′t be affected that much." There was positive reaction to the freeze in most Asian stock markets Friday,... including Korea′s benchmark Kospi and tech-heavy Kosdaq... while U.S. and European stock markets saw some setbacks. Korea′s central bank chief said there could be a chance of a U.S. hike in October or December... with questions remaining on whether Korea will also raise its key interest rate this year. Kwon Soa, Arirang News. Title: Japan′s controversial security bills expected to pass full assembly Friday Japan′s 70 years of pacifism looks set to g

• published: 18 Sep 2015
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