Guessing Game Back On With Hike In Federal Interest Rates

It wasn't too long ago when it seemed inevitable the Federal Reserve was going to (finally) jack up interest rates. Remember those days? (Video via Federal Reserve System)

While before, the question of when the Feds would raise interest rates seemed to be a simple curiosity. Now, it seems to be more of a harbinger of doom.

The global stock market has taken a clobbering, and that's not translating well for U.S. stocks. 

Right, so we're in something of a one-week bear market. And analysts are noting the Fed seems to be in a bit of a quagmire when it comes to raising interest rates from their current near-zero rate. (Video via Federal Reserve System) 

Many thought that rate hike would come next month. But with not only the global market but the U.S.'s own market in disarray, is that still likely? Perhaps.

The minutes from the Fed's July meeting show the health of two factors may alter the decision in finally pulling the trigger on raising rates — GDP and job growth. (Video via Federal Reserve System) 

Job numbers for July were decent as has been the case a lot recently — an estimated 215,000 new jobs were added. And the latest GDP growth estimate was alright.

And yet, the minutes also revealed worries over Greece's financial crisis, and China's economic woes could affect a rate hike. (Video via European Commission)

Put all of it together — the global market, uncertainty in Greece, China and the U.S. sell-off — and it seems as if, once again, we're left guessing on what will happen at the next Fed meeting in September.

This video includes images from Getty Images. Music by Frenic / CC BY 3.0.