22 February 2017, 17:06 GMT
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The chair noted that gradual increase of the rate will be appropriate if the economic data continues to meet expectations.
"At our meeting later this month, the Committee will evaluate whether employment and inflation are continuing to evolve in line with our expectations, in which case a further adjustment of the federal funds rate would likely be appropriate," Yellen said in a speech in Chicago.
In February, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) kept the interest rate unchanged at 0.5-0.75 percent range.
