The Federal Reserve stayed on course for a further increase in short-term interest rates as soon as next month as it highlighted the strength of the US economic expansion alongside inflation that is hovering close to target.The central bank held the target range for the federal funds rate at 1.75 per cent to 2 per cent, as widely expected by economists, in a unanimous decision by its policymakers. It gave a bullish assessment of the economy following its latest two-day meeting, describing a range of economic indicators