hello and welcome to audiences in the uk and around the world. we begin in the us where the central bank is expected to increase interest rates by another 75 basis points today which would be the fourth consecutive increase of this size. many are hoping for signs the federal reserve may soften its approach in the months ahead with markets anticipating a 0.5% rate rise in december. so what s different within the us economy that would lead the fed to change its current course? here s michelle fleury. since march the federal chair hiked the rate by three percentage points, in so doing caused more expensive loans on everything, from houses to cars and credit cards, so far they have done so without any damaging slowdown in job have done so without any damaging slowdown injob or growth wealth creation. the trouble is there is no sign of a living rolling off with consumer prices, inflation still high at over 8% and still the fed has focused on. and until it sees inflation coming