Fed meets with rate "patience" on the line

The Federal Reserve's capacity for patience is on the line Tuesday when US monetary policymakers meet to discuss how soon to begin raising interest rates. Having signalled for months that an increase in the federal funds rate could come as early as mid-year, the Federal Open Market Committee has to decide whether a recent soft spot in the economy and the soaring dollar dictate putting that trajectory on hold. The two-day meeting ends Wednesday afternoon with a policy statement and new econo