U.S. Federal Reserve keeps rates unchanged but signals more potential hikes this year
BNN Bloomberg
The U.S. Federal Reserve kept its key interest rate unchanged Wednesday after having raised it 10 straight times to combat high inflation. But in a surprise move, the Fed signaled that it may raise rates twice more this year, beginning as soon as next month.
The Fed’s move to leave its benchmark rate at about 5.1 per cent, its highest level in 16 years, suggests that it believes the much higher borrowing rates it’s engineered have made some progress in taming inflation. But top Fed officials want to take time to more fully assess how their rate hikes have affected inflation and the economy.
The central bank’s 18 policymakers envision raising their key rate by an additional half-point this year, to about 5.6 per cent, according to economic forecasts they issued Wednesday.
The economic projections revealed a more hawkish Fed than many analysts had expected. Twelve of the 18 policymakers forecast at least two more quarter-point rate increases. Four supported a quarter-point increase. Only two envisioned keeping rates unchanged. The policymakers also predicted that their benchmark rate will stay higher for longer than they did three months ago.
