Lockhart speaking with MNI:

  • His policy thinking may change on market turmoil assessment
  • Preference for timing not reason for Sept dissent
  • Economy in 'quite solid' mode of expansion
  • Low potential for making policy error if liftoff later
  • Sees some risk factor of market events spilling over
  • 'Sensible' to not make policy change in midst of storm
  • October liftoff possible, every meeting live

Lockhart was a guns-a-blazin' hawk two weeks ago and now he's backing down.

"I think there is a high bar right now to not acting, speaking for myself," Mr. Lockhart said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.

This should mitigate some of the effects for more hawkish comments from Fischer.