The Federal Reserve is monitoring volatility in financial markets and developments in overseas economies as it left interest rates unchanged at 0.25-0.5 per cent following weeks of turmoil in equities and plunging commodity prices.

美联储正在监测金融市场的波动性以及海外经济体的动态。在股市动荡及大宗商品价格暴跌持续数周后，美联储将利率保持在0.25%至0.5%的水平不变。

The central bank said it was assessing what the gyrations around the world meant for the risks facing the US economy, leaving its options open as traders bet policymakers will leave rates unchanged until the second half of the year.

美联储称，正在评估世界各地的市场动荡对于美国经济面临的风险意味着什么，这使美联储保持行动的灵活性。目前交易员们押注政策制定者将维持利率不变至今年下半年。

The Fed pushed through a landmark interest rate increase in December despite worries within its policymaking committee about stubbornly low inflation.

去年12月，美联储进行了具有里程碑意义的加息，尽管其政策制定委员会内部对顽固的低通胀抱有担忧。

The global picture has darkened markedly since Fed policymakers last met in December. The European Central Bank, the Bank of Japan and the Bank of England have all sent out dovish signals in recent weeks, meaning the Fed has risked looking out of step with its overseas counterparts.

自从美联储政策制定者去年12月开会以来，全球局面已经显著恶化。最近数周，欧洲央行(ECB)、日本央行(BOJ)以及英国央行(BOE)均发出鸽派信号，这意味着美联储正冒着与其他央行步调不一致的风险。

The statement suggested the Fed does not want to rush to judgment about the implications of the market gyrations.

美联储的声明似乎表明，美联储目前不想对市场动荡的潜在影响匆忙做出判断。