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M. Continuo

Fed releases template for rate forecasts


    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve previewed its new practice of announcing policymakers' interest rates projections on Friday, issuing a table that showed analysts may be able to guess where the policy consensus lies.

    One blank chart, which extends out to 2016, will show the distribution of expectations for the first policy tightening following years of near-zero interest rates.

    Another panel, which will show forecasts for the benchmark federal funds rate over time, could give observers the chance to see where individual officials' forecasts lie -- even if the estimates will not be linked to particular names.

    (Reporting By Pedro da Costa and Mark Felsenthal; Editing by Leslie Adler)