Meanwhile, on Friday and Monday, an array of measures of inflation expectations moved in the wrong direction for a Fed that has said it is particularly sensitive to losing a grip on public psychology around price pressures.
A decision will not be made until the close of the meeting on Wednesday after what is likely to be a full debate about the risks that faster rate hikes might tip the economy into a recession, and the risks they might pose to the Fed's own credibility after leaning hard on half-point increases as adequate for now.
In this case, data shifting the inflation outlook came in at a time when Fed officials were proscribed by internal rules from speaking out publicly on how it affected their outlook.