The U.S. Federal Reserve will not need to see balanced risks to the economy to proceed with an interest rate hike in September, according to former Fed officials and a review of central bank statements through recent turns in policy. In its latest statement, released Wednesday, the Fed said it continued to judge the risks to the U.S. economy as “nearly balanced,” meaning it still sees a greater threat of a new downturn than it does of accelerating inflation and excessive growth.