Fed's Poole - rates well positioned at moment

ST. LOUIS, Feb 9 (Reuters) - St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank President William Poole on Friday said interest rates were "well positioned," provided growth and inflation stay on track, but his bias was to raise interest rates if needed to bring prices down.

The consensus from economists puts U.S. economic growth at about 3 percent this year with inflation creeping down.

"If that comes to pass, it seems to me that the fed funds rate is well positioned where it is right now," he told reporters after delivering a speech here to a business group.

"I am prepared to lean on the side of raising rates to make sure inflation comes back convincingly in the 1-2 percent range," he said, referring to the core personal consumption expenditures price index.

((Reporting by Alister Bull, editing by Neil Stempleman; Reuters Messaging: alister.bull.reuters.com@reuters.net; email: alister.bull@reuters.com; Tel: 202 354 5820)) Keywords: USA FED/POOLE/RATES

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