Fed cites uncertainty in holding guidance steady (by Greg Robb)

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - Some Federal Reserve officials were not confident enough about signs of an upturn in growth to alter their guidance that rates were likely to stay exceptionally low until late 2014, according to minutes of their April meeting released Wednesday. Fed officials cited uncertainty surrounding the forecasts of the economy in making no changes to the guidance, the minutes said. Some Fed officials expressed more confidence about the durability of the recovery, while others said they were more concerned about inflation. Several members also indicated that additional monetary policy accommodation could be necessary "if the economic recovery lost momentum or the downside risks to the forecast became great enough," the minutes state. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke asked Fed officials to look into ways to reconcile the FOMC's rate guidance with the individual rate forecasts of FOMC members. A third of the FOMC believe the central bank should raise rates either in 2012 or 2013 and this has led some analysts to doubt the Fed's statement that conditions will likely justify rates staying low through 2014. The Fed also has decided to exclusively hold two-day FOMC meetings, as opposed to the previous mix of one- and two-day sessions.