US Fed set to begin stimulus taper amid sticky inflationFederal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell could find himself caught between the inflation hawks and doves at the central bank's next meeting. "I think it'll be one of the biggest surprises in a long time if they didn't taper. The latest sign of the wave came Friday when the Commerce Department -- the central bank's preferred inflation gauge-taker -- reported prices rose 4.4% year-on-year in September. The most potent policy move the Fed could make against inflation is raising its lending rate off zero. Lackluster data usually supports keeping monetary policy easy, but there's evidence that stubbornly highs prices are getting to FOMC members.
