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Federal Reserve Maintains Key Interest Rate, Signals Potential Cuts Amid Easing Inflation

Staff

The Federal Reserve, in its latest meeting, decided not to change the key interest rate, keeping it within the 5.25%-5.5% range. This marks the third consecutive time the rate has been held steady. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) unanimously agreed on this decision, citing improvements in inflation rates and economic stability.


Furthermore, the committee hinted at potential interest rate reductions in the coming years. For 2024, they anticipate at least three cuts, which is more aggressive than their previous stance but still less than market expectations of four cuts. They also forecast four more cuts in 2025 and three in 2026, potentially lowering the rate to between 2%-2.25%.


These decisions come amidst a more optimistic outlook on inflation, which has seen a decline from its peak in mid-2022. Fed Chair Jerome Powell acknowledged this positive trend, noting that inflation has decreased without significantly impacting unemployment rates. The Fed's projections show core inflation falling to 3.2% in 2023, 2.4% in 2024, and reaching the 2% target by 2026.


Economic data supports this positive trend, with recent reports indicating stable consumer and wholesale prices. Some analyses suggest that the Fed is nearing its 2% inflation target. The overall economy, however, has shown signs of slowing down. Powell mentioned that while growth has decelerated from the high rates seen earlier, the GDP is expected to expand by about 2.5% for the current year.


The FOMC's plans also include continuing to allow up to $95 billion a month from maturing bonds to roll off its balance sheet, indicating no change in this aspect of their policy. While there's a possibility of rate hikes if inflation rises again, Fed officials have expressed a readiness to wait and observe the effects of their previous policy adjustments on the economy.


Political factors, such as the upcoming presidential election in 2024, could influence the Fed's decision-making, though their current focus seems to be on real rates and inflation data. President Joe Biden's administration has been under scrutiny for handling the economy, particularly the issue of high prices, which has affected his approval ratings.

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