The Federal Reserve maintained its previously expected pace of rate cuts but signaled higher inflation and a slowdown in economic growth for 2025.
Instant View: Fed doesn't change rates, will slow pace of balance sheet reduction
Taking stock of the Trump administration's rollout of tariffs, Fed officials actually marked up their outlook for inflation this year, with their preferred measure of price increases expected to end the year at 2.7% versus the 2.5% pace anticipated in December. But the Federal Open Market Committee also marked down the outlook for economic growth for this year from 2.1% to 1.7%, with slightly higher unemployment by the end of this year. Fed Chair Jerome Powell said in post-statement news conference that he had no reason to believe that the U.S. was experiencing 1970s-style high inflation that prompted the Fed to sharply raise rates and induce a deep recession to defeat it.
Federal Reserve Holds Key Interest Rate Steady Amid Uncertainty About The Economy's Future
As widely expected, the Federal Reserve held its key interest rate steady. Officials are waiting for the economy to send signals about its trajectory amid uncertainty about the effects of President Donald Trump's trade war.
Fed keeps interest rates steady after a stock market sell-off and a brewing trade war
Outlooks for the U.S. economy continue to be opaque due to the president’s shifting tariff policies.
Fed policymakers project two rate cuts this year, some see fewer
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. central bankers on Wednesday signaled they are likely to deliver two quarter-point interest-rate cuts later this year, the same median forecast as three months ago, even as they forecast slower economic growth and higher inflation. But there was substantial disagreement among policymakers about the appropriate path of policy, reflecting uncertainty over how the Trump administration's trade and other policies will play out in the real economy, and how the Federal Reserve should respond. As was widely expected, the Fed kept the policy rate unchanged in the 4.25-4.50% range.
Watch live: Fed Chair Jerome Powell answers questions after interest rate decision
Fed Chair Jerome Powell is taking questions from journalists after the central bank held interest rates steady.
Fed says it will slow balance sheet runoff process
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Federal Reserve said on Wednesday that starting next month it will slow the pace of its balance sheet drawdown amid an ongoing impasse over lifting the government’s borrowing limit, a shift that will likely hold for the remainder of the process. The shift on the balance sheet had been hinted at in the meeting minutes for the January FOMC meeting, released last month. Fed Governor Christopher Waller, who has at times been at odds with his colleagues over the management of the central bank's stock of cash and bonds, dissented against the shift in the balance sheet drawdown.
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Key Takeaways From Fed Decision to Hold Rates Steady
(Bloomberg) -- Here are key takeaways from the Federal Reserve's interest-rate decision on Wednesday:Most Read from BloombergDespite Cost-Cutting Moves, Trump Plans to Remake DC in His StyleAmtrak CEO Departs Amid Threats of a Transit Funding PullbackNYC Plans for Flood Protection Without Federal FundsThe Scary Thing About the Wildfire That Was StoppedA Malibu Model for Residents on the Fire Frontlines Federal Open Market Committee votes to maintain benchmark rate in target range of 4.25%- 4.5%
Watch Fed Chair Powell's Press Conference Live Here
Fed Chair Jerome Powell is set to address the media live at 2:30 p.m. ET after the release of the Fed's latest interest-rate decision.