Atlanta Fed's Lockhart: Only Major Weakness Would Prevent Him Backing September Hike

Dennis Lockhart, the president of the Atlanta Fed, on Tuesday said he supports a rate hike at the U.S. central bank's next policy meeting in September. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Lockhart said it would take major weakness in the data to convince him not to move. "I think there is a high bar right now to not acting, speaking for myself," Lockhart said. The Atlanta Fed president is a voting member on rate policy this year. He is seen by Fed watchers as a key bellwether of the thinking of the majority on the U.S. central bank due to his pragmatic approach to economic issues. Lockhart is the second Fed official in as many days to come out in favor of a rate hike in September. St. Louis Fed President James Bullard said in a WSJ interview released on Monday that he was in favor of a move after the Sept. 16-17 meeting.