Federal Reserve

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Federal Reserve Holds Key Rate Steady

Central bank still expects 2 rate cuts this year

(Newser) - The Federal Reserve did exactly what Wall Street expected it to do on Wednesday: nothing. For the second meeting in a row—its second since President Trump began his second term—the central bank kept interest rates steady in a range of 4.25% to 4.5%, reports the New ...

Fed's Favorite Inflation Measure Drops

But consumers cut back sharply on spending in January

(Newser) - US consumers cut back sharply on spending last month, the most since February 2021, even as inflation declined, though stiff tariffs threatened by the White House could disrupt that progress. Americans cut their spending by 0.2% in January from the previous month, the Commerce Department said Friday, likely in...

Charges: Adviser Leaked Fed Secrets to China

John Harold Rogers faces espionage count

(Newser) - An economist who was a senior adviser to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors has been arrested, charged with stealing insider data to provide to China. John Harold Rogers, 63, was taken into custody on Friday, CNBC reports. The information could help China manipulate the American market "in a...

Key Inflation Indicator Rose in December

Consumer prices are up 2.6% year-on-year

(Newser) - An inflation gauge closely watched by the Federal Reserve rose slightly last month, the latest sign that some consumer prices remain stubbornly elevated, even as inflation is cooling in fits and starts. Friday's report from the Commerce Department showed that consumer prices rose 2.6% in December from a...

Fed Leaves Key Interest Rate Unchanged
Federal Reserve
Pauses Rate Cuts
Jan 29, 2025 1:20 PM CST

Federal Reserve Pauses Rate Cuts

Key rate left unchanged at first meeting of Trump's second term

(Newser) - After cutting its key interest rate at three meetings in a row, the Federal Reserve left it unchanged Wednesday. This was the first Fed meeting since President Trump took office, and while he has signaled that he wants lower rates, the vast majority of analysts weren't expecting a cut...

Fed Announces 3rd Rate Cut of the Year
Fed Announces 3rd
Rate Cut of the Year
UPDATED
Dec 18, 2024 2:02 PM CST

Fed Announces 3rd Rate Cut of the Year

Dow drops after central bank predicts fewer rate cuts in 2025

(Newser) - The Federal Reserve announced its third interest rate cut of the year on Wednesday. The quarter-point cut, which follows a plus-sized half-point cut in September and a quarter-point cut last month, brings the Fed's benchmark rate from about 4.6% to roughly 4.3%, the AP reports. The September...

The Fed Has Its Final Data Point Before Rate-Cut Decision

US inflation ticked up in November, but a cut is still expected

(Newser) - Fueled by pricier used cars, hotel rooms, and groceries, inflation in the United States moved slightly higher last month in the latest sign that some price pressures remain elevated. Consumer prices rose 2.7% in November from a year earlier, up from a yearly figure of 2.6% in October....

Powell: If Trump Asks Me to Resign, I'll Say No

Fed chair says election will have no near term effect on interest rate decisions

(Newser) - The Federal Reserve cut its key interest rate Thursday by a quarter-point in response to the steady decline in the once-high inflation that had angered Americans and helped drive Donald Trump's presidential election victory this week. In a statement after its latest meeting ended, the Fed said the "...

Federal Reserve Cuts Interest Rates Again

Central bank makes expected cut of a quarter-point

(Newser) - The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by another quarter-point on Thursday, reports CNBC . The move had been widely expected on Wall Street, with the bigger question being whether the central bank will continue to cut in subsequent meetings, per the New York Times . Thursday's reduction is in sync with...

Biggest Bank Suggests US Has Achieved a 'Soft Landing'

JPMorgan exec uses the phrase while discussing better-than-expected quarterly results

(Newser) - The Federal Reserve has been adjusting rates and watching inflation as it attempts to pull off an elusive "soft landing" for the economy. On Friday, an exec at the nation's biggest bank said the central bank appears to have pulled it off and avoided a recession. After JPMorgan...

Inflation Rate Falls Again to 3-Year Low

Cooling inflation seen as a potential boost to Kamala Harris' presidential campaign

(Newser) - Inflation in the US dropped last month to its lowest point since it first began surging more than three years ago, adding to a spate of encouraging economic news in the closing weeks of the presidential race. Consumer prices rose just 2.4% in September from a year earlier, down...

How Will Fed's 'Great News for the Middle Class' Affect You?

Unusually hefty half-point rate cut will mean possible relief on car loans, mortgages, credit cards

(Newser) - Borrowing over the past couple of years has been a painful prospect for Americans, as high interest rates meant to curb inflation kept consumer payments steep. Now, after the Federal Reserve made its unusually large half-point cut on Wednesday, leading to a key interest rate of between 4.75% and...

Fed Chair Says Big Rate Cut Is 'Timely'

Some critics think central bank 'jumped the gun' with half-point cut

(Newser) - "We know that it is time to recalibrate our policy to something that's more appropriate given the progress on inflation," Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said at a news conference Wednesday after the central bank cut its benchmark interest rate by an unusually large half-point. The move...

Federal Reserve Chooses Larger Interest Rate Cut

Key rate lowered by a half-point

(Newser) - The Federal Reserve, as had been almost universally expected, cut its key interest rate from a 23-year-high on Wednesday, dropping it by half a percentage point in what is likely to be the first in a series of cuts. There had been a lot of speculation over whether the Fed...

The Financial Question Driving Wednesday: How Big?

Whether the Fed will go with a 0.25% or 0.5% cut remains to be seen

(Newser) - Wednesday marks a long-awaited day: the Fed's first rate cut since the COVID pandemic began will likely be announced at 2pm ET. But while there is near-certainty a cut is coming to the current key interest rate of 5.3%, the size of the cut remains murkier.
  • CNN notes
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Jerome Powell Has a Very Big Week
Jerome Powell
Has a Very
Big Week
Sep 17, 2024 9:19 AM CDT

Jerome Powell Has a Very Big Week

Fed is expected to cut rates for the first time in 4 years, but by how much?

(Newser) - The Federal Reserve begins a highly anticipated two-day meeting on Tuesday in which the central bank is expected to cut interest rates for the first time in four years. The big question is whether the cut to its benchmark rate—currently between 5.25% and 5.5%—will be one...

The Fed Just Got a Big High Sign to Cut Interest Rates

US inflation cools for 5th month in a row

(Newser) - The post-pandemic spike in US inflation eased further last month as year-over-year price increases reached a three-year low, clearing the way for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates next week. Wednesday's report from the Labor Department showed that consumer prices rose 2.5% in August from a year...

Much-Anticipated Jobs Report a Bit Weaker Than Expected

Employers added 142K jobs in August, fewer than forecast, but that's up from July

(Newser) - One of the most anticipated jobs reports in years is out, and it's a mix of good and bad news. One big takeaway is that the data keeps the Federal Reserve on track to cut interest rates later this month, though the size of the potential cut isn't...

Why the Latest Jobs Report Is Such a Big Deal

It could affect White House race as well as Fed rate cuts

(Newser) - The monthly jobs report comes out Friday morning and since it has the potential to affect both the presidential race and the Federal Reserve's long-anticipated interest rate cut, it's being very closely watched. Economists will be watching to see if the unexpected spike in the unemployment rate in...

Fed Chief: 'The Time Has Come for Policy to Adjust'

Jerome Powell hints a rate cut is coming soon in a closely watched speech

(Newser) - The Fed chief gave a highly anticipated speech on Friday and delivered words Wall Street very much wanted to hear: "The time has come for policy to adjust." Translation: The Federal Reserve plans to cut interest rates at its September meeting, reports the Wall Street Journal . While Powell...

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