Fitch's chief economist Brian Coulton,..........>

FED: Fitch's chief economist Brian Coulton, managing director, is expecting the

Fed to green-light four hikes this year at this Wed's FOMC annc. Coulton notes

after "the word 'further' added to the January FOMC statement: 'The Committee

expects that economic conditions will...warrant further gradual increases in the

federal funds rate'." Meanwhile, Fed chair Powell "was pretty clear at his

testimony in late February that growth prospects had improved since the Fed's

December 2017 Summary of Economic Projections were published, not the least

because of the additional fiscal easing that was subsequently agreed." Lastly,

Coulton cites the much better than expected Feb jobs print of 313k for a more

consistently hawkish Fed this year.