美联储主席表示12月份很可能加息

While the European Central Bank is easing policy, the US central bank looks set to raise interest rates later this month. It would be the first time in nine years.

Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen gave the Congress Joint Economic Committee an upbeat assessment of the economy's progress since the Fed's last meeting in October. She described it as in line with its expectations for the labor market and inflation.

Yellen told Congress that economic conditions are falling into place for policy-makers to raise interest rates when they meet in two weeks, as long as there are no major shocks that undermine her confidence.

"The US economy has recovered substantially since the Great Recession. The unemployment rate, which peaked at 10 percent in October 2009, declined to 5 percent in October of this year," Yellen said.

"At that level, the unemployment rate is near the median of Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) participants' most recent estimates of its longer-run normal level. The economy has created about 13 million jobs since the low point for employment in early 2010.

"I anticipate continued economic growth at a moderate pace that will be sufficient to generate additional increases in employment and a rise in inflation to our 2 percent objective. Although the economic outlook, as always, is uncertain, I currently see the risks to the outlook for economic activity and the labor market as very close to balanced."