One of the recurring explanations given why the Fed is eager to hike rates is so it has some dry powder ahead of the next recession which, some 6 years after the last one ended is overdue (especially with a negative GDP Q1). Which, incidentally, is just the topic of the next Economist cover titled simply “Watch out” adding that the world is not ready for the next recession…
There is, of course, the question of just how much dry powder does a 25 bps increase in the Fed Funds rate provide, especially considering that Europe tried precisely that in the summer of 2011 only to unleash a crippling recession on the continent that required yet another Fed bailout in November 2011.
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