NEW YORK - A centrist Federal Reserve president on Wednesday said he backed an interest rate hike "in the near future," adding to the very high odds that the U.S. central bank will tighten monetary policy next month.

Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan told reporters he had been "comfortable" with a rate hike at policy meetings in both September and early November. "My view has not changed. I believe we are at the point where we ought to be removing some amount of accommodation in the near future," he said.

Earlier on Wednesday he said: "I would advocate that we take further action" to raise rates next year.