WASHINGTON, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Federal Reserve is likely to announce that the central bank will begin tapering its asset purchase program before the end of the year, according to a survey of 49 economists released by Bloomberg on Monday.
More than two-thirds of the economists expect that the Fed will give an early-warning signal of tapering this year, with the largest number looking for a nod during the third quarter, the survey shows.
About 45 percent of the economists expect the Fed to announce tapering in the fourth quarter while 14 percent see that happening in the third quarter, according to the survey.
The survey, conducted from April 16 to 21, also shows that most economists expect the Fed's tapering of asset purchases to last seven to 12 months.
But the Fed is unlikely to provide any signals about tapering after concluding its two-day policy meeting on Wednesday.
"While investors will be looking for an upgrade to the economic assessment, which they will receive, they will not get - either in the statement or in the news conference after the meeting - any hint of the start or the magnitude of the Fed's tapering operations," Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist at accounting and consulting firm RSM US LLP, wrote Monday in an analysis.
The Fed last month decided to continue its asset purchase program at least at the current pace of 120 billion U.S. dollars per month, while expecting to keep its benchmark interest rate at the record-low level of near zero at least through 2023.
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