Poll: Federal Reserve likely to hike interest rates twice in 2015

A new Reuters poll of economists released Thursday suggests that the Federal Reserve will likely increase interest rates twice year. This would mark the first time interest rates have been touched since 2008, and raised since 2006.

According to the survey of economists, 55 percent say the United States central bank would hike its short-term lending rate twice. Sixty percent say a September rate hike is possible, while 85 percent are looking at the end of the year for a potential boost in rates.

Economists are also predicting the first rate hike to be 0.375 percent and the second to be 0.625 percent.

The Fed, according to many of the hints it has provided over the past few months, is currently looking at a 25 basis points increase.