[Bank of America: Friday's Non-Farm Payroll Data May Not Be the Decisive Factor for a Rate Hike, Still Expecting a September Hike] BlockBeats News, September 3 – Amid recent sharp fluctuations in the bond market, investors are awaiting two key U.S. data points that could influence the Federal Reserve's decision: the August Non-Farm Payroll report to be released this Friday, and the August CPI data set to be published on September 11. However, according to Bank of America, the weight of these two data points in the Federal Reserve's September 15-16 FOMC meeting is not equal. The bank believes that the Non-Farm Payroll report is more like an "appetizer," while the "main course" that will truly determine whether the Fed raises rates is still the CPI. Bank of America analysts stated on Wednesday: 'Non-Farm Payroll data is unlikely to be the decisive factor for a September rate hike. A significantly weak report could reduce the probability of a hike, but CPI remains the key data point in determining whether the Fed follows through with a rate increase. We maintain our expectation of a September rate hike.' Unless Friday's Non-Farm Payroll data shows a significant downside surprise, the employment report is unlikely to become the ultimate deciding factor in the September FOMC meeting debate. The bank particularly emphasized that inflation remains the issue the Federal Reserve is most focused on at present.