Fed likely to keep rates unchanged in face of global slump
With the global economy struggling and U.S. inflation still below the Fed's target rate, many economists see little likelihood of a rate increase even before the second half of the year.
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Fed keeps key rates unchanged; foresees fewer hikes in 2016
Fed officials expect to raise rates more gradually this year than they had envisioned in December. The officials now foresee two, rather than four, modest increases in their benchmark short-term rate during 2016.
Investors to weigh Fed words for clues to future rate hikes
Most Fed watchers think the central bank wants more time to assess the financial landscape. Resuming its rate hikes too soon could slow growth or rattle investors again.
Fed official sees hints of too-low inflation moving up
Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Stanley Fischer said Monday that inflation in the U.S. may be starting to tick up from too-low levels, a key condition for further interest rate hikes.
Fed voices concern about global economic pressures
Six weeks after it raised interest rates from record lows, the Fed took stock of a more perilous international picture that could alter its plans for further raising rates.
Stocks soar after Federal Reserve raises key interest rate
Shortly after the Fed's announcement, major banks began announcing that they were raising their prime lending rate from 3.25 percent to 3.50 percent. The prime rate is a benchmark for some types of consumer loans such as home equity loans.
Federal Reserve finally lifts key interest rate from near zero
The U.S. Federal Reserve is raising interest rates after seven years of record lows. But it's signaling that further rate hikes will likely be made slowly as the economy strengthens further and muted inflation rises.
Fed betting it will avoid central banks’ errors of the past
The U.S. Federal Reserve is poised to raise interest rates Wednesday for the first time in 9-1/2 years. It may not take long to know whether its decision was correct. History is filled with cases when central banks raised rates prematurely, sometimes with dire consequences.
Main Street’s muni-market fight with Fed gains force in Congress
Main Street and Wall Street are fighting the U.S. Federal Reserve over municipal bonds—and they’re gaining ground.
Fed’s Bullard says investors should prepare for uncertainty
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis President James Bullard said the Fed is “going to return to an era where there is a bit more uncertainty about what the committee is going to do, meeting to meeting.”
Fed’s most powerful trio keeps December rate rise on table
Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen and New York Fed President William Dudley said the central bank could boost interest rates as soon as next month, while Fed Vice Chairman Stanley Fischer voiced confidence that inflation isn’t too far below the goal.
Fed keeps rate at record low after slowdown in job growth
The Fed offered little clarity on the likely timing of a rate hike. Some Fed officials have signaled a desire to raise rates before year's end. But tepid economic reports have led many analysts to predict no hike until 2016.
Yellen says she expects Fed to raise rates by year’s end
In a lecture Thursday, Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen suggested that global economic weakness won't likely be significant enough to dissuade the Fed from raising its key short-term rate from zero by December.
Fed leaves key interest rate unchanged, citing low inflation
The Federal Reserve on Thursday decided to keep U.S. interest rates at record lows in the face of threats from a weak global economy, persistently low inflation and unstable financial markets.
Five things to watch for from the Federal Reserve
Will the Fed raise the benchmark short-term interest rate from a record low on Thursday afternoon? Economists remain unsure, though the consensus seems to have shifted against the likelihood of an increase.
Fed bankers still not ruling out September rate hike
Recent stock market turbulence hasn’t made members of the Federal Reserve abandon the idea of a slight rate increase as early as September.
Fed is moving toward rate hike, but just when still unclear
Many analysts predict that if the economy keeps improving, the Fed will raise its key short-term rate in September. That rate has been held near zero since 2008.
International Monetary Fund cuts U.S. growth forecast
The International Monetary Fund is downgrading its outlook for the U.S. economy this year and says the Federal Reserve should wait until the first half of 2016 to start raising short-term interest rates.
Fed promises ‘patient’ approach to a rate increase
The Federal Reserve is edging closer to raising interest rates from record lows but Chairwoman Janet Yellen said she foresees no rate increase during the first quarter of 2015.
Bullard says low inflation not enough to justify zero rates
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis President James Bullard said market-based measures of inflation expectations have declined to low levels in recent months but have rebounded since mid-October.