Accessible Version

Table data for charts presented with Summary of Economic Projections given within the FOMC Minutes on December 15-16, 2015.

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 - - - - - 2.2 2.7 2.5 2.4 2.3
Upper End of Central Tendency - - - - - 2.1 2.5 2.3 2.2 2.2
Median - - - - - 2.1 2.4 2.2 2.0 2.0
Lower End of Central Tendency - - - - - 2.1 2.3 2.0 1.8 1.8
Lower End of Range - - - - - 2.0 2.0 1.8 1.7 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 - - - - - 5.0 4.9 5.0 5.3 5.8
Upper End of Central Tendency - - - - - 5.0 4.8 4.8 5.0 5.0
Median - - - - - 5.0 4.7 4.7 4.7 4.9
Lower End of Central Tendency - - - - - 5.0 4.6 4.6 4.6 4.8
Lower End of Range - - - - - 5.0 4.3 4.5 4.5 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 - - - - - 0.5 2.1 2.0 2.1 2.0
Upper End of Central Tendency - - - - - 0.4 1.7 2.0 2.0 2.0
Median - - - - - 0.4 1.6 1.9 2.0 2.0
Lower End of Central Tendency - - - - - 0.4 1.2 1.8 1.9 2.0
Lower End of Range - - - - - 0.3 1.2 1.7 1.7 2.0

Core PCE inflation
Percent

  2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Longer Run
Actual 1.0 1.9 1.8 1.5 1.4 - - - -  
Upper End of Range - - - - - 1.4 2.1 2.0 2.1 n.a.
Upper End of Central Tendency - - - - - 1.3 1.7 2.0 2.0 n.a.
Median - - - - - 1.3 1.6 1.9 2.0 n.a.
Lower End of Central Tendency - - - - - 1.3 1.5 1.7 1.9 n.a.
Lower End of Range - - - - - 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.7 n.a.

Note: Definitions of variables are in the general note to table 1. The data for the actual values of the variables are annual.

Figure 2. FOMC participants' assessments of appropriate monetary policy: 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
or target level (Percent)
2015 2016 2017 2018 Longer Run
0.125 2        
0.250          
0.375 15        
0.500          
0.625          
0.750          
0.875   4      
1.000          
1.125   3      
1.250          
1.375   7      
1.500          
1.625   2      
1.750          
1.875     5    
2.000          
2.125   1 2 1  
2.250          
2.375     4    
2.500       1  
2.625     2    
2.750          
2.875       4  
3.000     1 1 2
3.125     2 1  
3.250       1 6
3.375     1 3  
3.500       2 6
3.625       2  
3.750         2
3.875       1  
4.000         1

Note: 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.

Figure 3.A. Distribution of participants' projections for the change in real GDP, 2015-18 and over the longer run

Histograms, five panels.

Number of Participants

Percent range 2015 2016 2017 2018 Longer Run
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
1.6 - 1.7 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0
1.8 - 1.9 0 1 0 0 2 2 5 6 6 6
2 - 2.1 14 8 1 1 6 5 7 6 7 7
2.2 - 2.3 3 5 5 8 7 6 3 3 4 3
2.4 - 2.5 0 3 9 3 2 3 1 1 0 0
2.6 - 2.7 0 0 2 3 0 1 0 0 0 1
2.8 - 2.9 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0

Note: Definitions of variables are in the general note to table 1.

Figure 3.B. Distribution of participants' projections for the unemployment rate, 2015-18 and over the longer run

Histograms, five panels.

Number of Participants

Percent range 2015 2016 2017 2018 Longer Run
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
4.2 - 4.3 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4.4 - 4.5 0 0 2 1 2 2 2 0 0 0
4.6 - 4.7 0 0 8 5 9 4 7 5 2 1
4.8 - 4.9 0 3 6 9 5 8 4 6 9 8
5 - 5.1 17 13 0 2 1 3 3 4 3 4
5.2 - 5.3 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 2 3
5.4 - 5.5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5.6 - 5.7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5.8 - 5.9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1

Note: Definitions of variables are in the general note to table 1.

Figure 3.C. Distribution of participants' projections for PCE inflation, 2015-18 and over the longer run

Histograms, five panels.

Number of Participants

Percent range 2015 2016 2017 2018 Longer Run
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
0.3 - 0.4 14 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0.5 - 0.6 3 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0.7 - 0.8 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0.9 - 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1.1 - 1.2 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1.3 - 1.4 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1.5 - 1.6 0 0 5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0
1.7 - 1.8 0 0 4 9 7 5 2 1 0 0
1.9 - 2 0 0 0 2 10 11 14 15 17 17
2.1 - 2.2 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0
2.3 - 2.4 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

Note: Definitions of variables are in the general note to table 1.

Figure 3.D. Distribution of participants' projections for core PCE inflation, 2015-18

Histograms, four panels.

Number of Participants

Percent range 2015 2016 2017 2018
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
December
projections
September
projections
1.1 - 1.2 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0
1.3 - 1.4 16 12 3 0 0 0 0 0
1.5 - 1.6 0 1 7 7 1 0 0 0
1.7 - 1.8 0 1 6 7 7 5 2 2
1.9 - 2 0 0 0 2 9 11 14 14
2.1 - 2.2 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 1
2.3 - 2.4 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

Note: Definitions of variables are in the general note to table 1.

Figure 3.E. Distribution of participants' judgments of the midpoint of the appropriate target range for the federal funds rate or the appropriate target level for the federal funds rate, 2015-18 and over the longer run

Histograms, five panels.

Number of Participants

Percent Range 2015 2016 2017 2018 Longer Run
December Projections September Projections December Projections September Projections December Projections September Projections December Projections September Projections December Projections September Projections
-0.37 - -0.13 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
-0.12 - 0.12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0.13 - 0.37 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0.38 - 0.62 15 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0.63 - 0.87 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0.88 - 1.12 0 1 4 2 0 1 0 0 0 0
1.13 - 1.37 0 0 3 4 0 0 0 0 0 0
1.38 - 1.62 0 0 7 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
1.63 - 1.87 0 0 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0
1.88 - 2.12* 0 0 0 1 5 2 0 0 0 0
2.13 - 2.37 0 0 1 2 2 2 1 0 0 0
2.38 - 2.62 0 0 0 1 4 2 1 0 0 0
2.63 - 2.87 0 0 0 0 2 3 0 0 0 0
2.88 - 3.12 0 0 0 1 1 2 5 4 2 1
3.13 - 3.37 0 0 0 0 2 1 2 4 6 6
3.38 - 3.62 0 0 0 0 1 3 5 4 6 5
3.63 - 3.87 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 2 4
3.88 - 4.12 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1

Note: The midpoints of the target ranges for the federal funds rate and the target levels for the federal funds rate are measured at the end of the specified calendar year or over the longer run.

* On March 23, 2016, this entry in the percent range column was corrected; the values in the data table and the graphical version of Figure 3.E were not affected.

Figure 4. Uncertainty and risks in economic projections

Histograms, eight panels.

Uncertainty about GDP growth
Number of participants

  Lower Broadly similar Higher
December projections 0 15 2
September projections 0 15 2

Uncertainty about Unemployment rate
Number of participants

  Lower Broadly similar Higher
December projections 0 16 1
September projections 0 16 1

Uncertainty about PCE inflation
Number of participants

  Lower Broadly similar Higher
December projections 0 15 2
September projections 0 14 3

Uncertainty about Core PCE inflation
Number of participants

  Lower Broadly similar Higher
December projections 0 15 2
September projections 0 14 3

Risks to GDP Growth
Number of participants

  Weighted to downside Broadly balanced Weighted to upside
December projections 3 13 1
September projections 7 10 0

Risks to Unemployment rate
Number of participants

  Weighted to downside Broadly balanced Weighted to upside
December projections 2 13 2
September projections 1 10 6

Risks to PCE inflation
Number of participants

  Weighted to downside Broadly balanced Weighted to upside
December projections 7 10 0
September projections 9 7 1

Risks to Core PCE inflation
Number of participants

  Weighted to downside Broadly balanced Weighted to upside
December projections 8 9 0
September projections 9 7 1

Note: For definitions of uncertainty and risks in economic projections, see the box "Forecast Uncertainty." Definitions of variables are in the general note to table 1.

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Last Update: March 23, 2016