FRANKFURT — The US Federal Reserve’s decision next week on whether to raise interest rates is a vital issue for markets and investors around the world.The problem is, all the speeches, forecasts, meeting minutes, press conferences and media interviews given by Fed officials in the lead up is muddying, not clarifying, the outlook.A case in point: Boston Fed president Eric Rosengren on September 9 said the economy could overheat if they waited too long to raise interest rates. Three days later, Fed governor Lael Brainard released a post-crisis monetary policy manifesto that argued there is no rush to tighten."To say the Fed is confusing is an understatement," said Hao Hong, chief China strategist at Bocom International Holdings in Hong Kong. "The more speeches, the more room for confusion."That means a nod for a rate hike from chairwoman Janet Yellen on September 21 could send stocks, bonds and currencies into a tailspin from Brazil to South Korea.Dot PlotTo steer investors, the Fed’s...
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