You Said It: A TSC Weekly Poll: Will the Fed Raise Short-Term Interest Rates Again?

The guessing game is afoot again on Wall Street. The seemingly settled question of whether the Federal Reserve will raise short-term interest rates at its Aug. 22 Federal Open Market Committee meeting is more and more unsettled, and so are investors.

Recent economic data, most notably Friday's hot second-quarter gross domestic product reading, have bumped up the odds of a rate hike, but fed funds futures traders in Chicago still see it as slightly more likely that the Fed will stand pat. Tell us how you see it, and take our weekly stock-market sentiment poll, too.

Here's how you voted.

Question: Will the Fed hike interest rates at its next meeting?

Responses: 1202 Last updated: Mon Jul 31, 8:58 AM EDT Yes. The Fed needs to keep moving to rein in the hot economy. 28% Yes, but it will be a mistake; the economy is doing fine on its own. 24% No. The Fed realizes the economy doesn't need further slowing. 43% No, but it will be a mistake. The Fed should hike. 3% The Fed will cut interest rates, just for kicks. 1%

Question: What's your sentiment on the stock market?

Responses: 1184 Last updated: Mon Jul 31, 8:58 AM EDT Very bullish. 6% Somewhat bullish. 29% Neutral. 29% Somewhat bearish. 25% Very bearish. 10%

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