Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen predicts she'll hike interest rates soon

Speaking at Harvard University, Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen said Friday that she expects to hike interest rates "probably in the coming months" if the economy continues to improve.

Yellen noted that "growth looks to be picking up from the various data that we monitor," referencing rising oil prices and a weaker, stabilizing dollar as the rationale for her decision, which corresponds with recent remarks from other Fed policymakers.

She argued that a gradual increase from the near-zero rate the central bank has maintained since the 2008 financial crisis "would be appropriate" to push inflation toward the Fed's 2 percent goal.

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