NEW YORK (AP) — Federal Reserve policymakers expect to hike rates a total of three times this year, including the increase announced Wednesday. That's the same as their December forecast. But more Fed officials now support that view: Nine of 17 Fed policymakers support three hikes, up from six in December.

The Fed also forecast three hikes in 2018, the same as they projected three months earlier, and between three and four increases 2019.

Their mostly status quo outlook was also seen in their economic projections. Fed policymakers project modest growth of 2.1 percent this year and in 2018, slowing to 1.9 percent in 2019. The unemployment rate should fall to 4.5 percent at the end of this year and remain at that level through 2019, also unchanged.