Washington ? When Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan goes before Congress today to deliver the Fed’s new economic forecast, investors will be listening for hints about his own future as well as the economy’s.

The issue of whether Greenspan, now in his 15th year as Fed chairman, will leave the central bank before his term is over in June 2004 has become a hot subject on Wall Street.

The Blue Chip Economic Indicators forecasting newsletter polled its 52 top economic forecasters this month for their picks of who should succeed Greenspan. The top choice: Treasury Undersecretary John Taylor, an academic economist who served on the Council of Economic Advisers for President Bush’s father.

Those who believe the chairman may be contemplating an early exit point to the calendar. Greenspan, who will turn 76 next week, already has served in the Fed job longer than all but one of his predecessors.

With the economy apparently pulling out of recession, why not step down at the top of your game?

The election calendar also plays a role in the leaving-early scenario. Greenspan’s term ends in the middle of an election year, a tough time to get a new nominee through Senate confirmation.

“If Greenspan wants to give the existing president the opportunity to appoint the new chairman, he will turn in his resignation sometime early next year,” said Lyle Gramley, a former Fed board member.

When asked Tuesday about the retirement rumors, Fed spokesman David Skidmore gave the standard Fed response: “It is our practice not to comment on rumors.”

Private economists in the staying-put camp say the only thing that would make Greenspan leave early would be if his health started to fail, something that is not evident in his still-vigorous tennis game.

Some analysts say it is not out of the realm of possibility that Greenspan would be tapped by Bush for a fifth term in 2004, allowing him to serve at least until 2006 when he would be 80 and his 14-year board term would be up. Fed governors are limited to one full 14-year board term.

“Greenspan’s hobby is crunching economic numbers. There is no better place for him to be,” said Sung Won Sohn, chief economist at Wells Fargo in Minneapolis.