FOMC 성명 전문..."경기 회복 속도 예상보다 느려"

국채매입 6월말 종료 확인…경기판단 하향

미국 연방준비제도(이하 연준)는 22일(현지시간) 열린 연방공개시장위원회(FOMC)에서 2차 양적완화의 일환으로 실시해 온 미 국채 매입을 예정대로 6월말 종료한다고 밝혔다.

연준은 기준금리인 연방기금금리를 0~0.25%로 유지하기로 해 사실상 제로금리 정책은 지속되게 됐다.

연준은 기준금리에 대해 “앞으로도 장기간 이례적인 저금리 기조를 유지하는 것이 정당화할 가능성이 높다”는 기존의 표현도 유지했다.

연준은 “완만한 회복이 계속되고 있지만 예상보다 약간 느리다”면서 경기 판단을 기존에서 하향 조정했다.

이어 연준은 “최근 고용 관련 경제지표는 예상보다 약하다”며 고용 회복도 저조하다고 지적했다.

경기회복세가 둔화하는 데 대해서는 “일시적인 요인이 영향을 주고 있다”며 요인으로는 “식료ㆍ에너지나 동일본 대지진에 따른 서플라이 체인(부품 공급망)의 혼란”을 들었다.

다만 연준은 “향후 수 분기 안에 회복 속도가 개선되고 실업률도 서서히 낮아질 것”이라고 내다봤다.

연준은 이날 경제ㆍ물가 전망 수정치를 발표하고 오후 2시15분에는 벤 버냉키 의장이 두 번째 정례 기자회견을 실시한다.

다음은 FOMC 성명서 전문이다.

"Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in April indicates that the economic recovery is continuing at a moderate pace, though somewhat more slowly than the Committee had expected. Also, recent labor market indicators have been weaker than anticipated. The slower pace of the recovery reflects in part factors that are likely to be temporary, including the damping effect of higher food and energy prices on consumer purchasing power and spending as well as supply chain disruptions associated with the tragic events in Japan. Household spending and business investment in equipment and software continue to expand. However, investment in nonresidential structures is still weak, and the housing sector continues to be depressed. Inflation has picked up in recent months, mainly reflecting higher prices for some commodities and imported goods, as well as the recent supply chain disruptions. However, longer-term inflation expectations have remained stable.

Consistent with its statutory mandate, the Committee seeks to foster maximum employment and price stability. The unemployment rate remains elevated; however, the Committee expects the pace of recovery to pick up over coming quarters and the unemployment rate to resume its gradual decline toward levels that the Committee judges to be consistent with its dual mandate. Inflation has moved up recently, but the Committee anticipates that inflation will subside to levels at or below those consistent with the Committee's dual mandate as the effects of past energy and other commodity price increases dissipate. However, the Committee will continue to pay close attention to the evolution of inflation and inflation expectations.

To promote the ongoing economic recovery and to help ensure that inflation, over time, is at levels consistent with its mandate, the Committee decided today to keep the target range for the federal funds rate at 0 to 1/4 percent. The Committee continues to anticipate that economic conditions--including low rates of resource utilization and a subdued outlook for inflation over the medium run--are likely to warrant exceptionally low levels for the federal funds rate for an extended period. The Committee will complete its purchases of $600 billion of longer-term Treasury securities by the end of this month and will maintain its existing policy of reinvesting principal payments from its securities holdings. The Committee will regularly review the size and composition of its securities holdings and is prepared to adjust those holdings as appropriate.

The Committee will monitor the economic outlook and financial developments and will act as needed to best foster maximum employment and price stability.

Voting for the FOMC monetary policy action were: Ben S. Bernanke, Chairman; William C. Dudley, Vice Chairman; Elizabeth A. Duke; Charles L. Evans; Richard W. Fisher; Narayana Kocherlakota; Charles I. Plosser; Sarah Bloom Raskin; Daniel K. Tarullo; and Janet L. Yellen."