IMF says Fed 'can hold off' on interest rate rise

The International Monetary Fund said Thursday that the Federal Reserve has the room to hold off from raising interest rates for the moment amid a "pretty bumpy" global economic situation. "Our general view is that they have flexibility to hold off," said IMF spokesman William Murray, adding that the Fed "should proceed gradually" with its planned series of rate hikes. "The situation globally is pretty bumpy," he said, and the IMF view is that the Fed "should proceed gradually" with its plan to b