WASHINGTON (AURN News) — The Federal Reserve has announced that there will be no change in interest rates following the conclusion of its Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) two-day meeting. This decision came as a pivotal moment for the nation’s economic watchers amid high inflation.
The Fed cited robust economic activity during the third quarter and praised the overall health of the U.S. banking system. Nevertheless, in a statement, it acknowledged that inflation remained “elevated” and expressed a continued commitment to reducing it to the target rate of 2 percent.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, in a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, spoke to a strong labor market. “In the labor market. What we’ve seen is a very positive rebalancing of supply and demand, partly through just much more supply coming online. And with labor demand still clearly remaining very strong when you’re when we have the kind of job growth we’ve had over the last quarter. It’s still very strong demand,” Powell stated.
The decision not to change interest rates comes amidst persistent concerns about high inflation, which has been a pressing economic issue since last year. Inflation currently stands at 3.7 percent, down from last year’s high of 6.5 percent. Investors and financial markets had been eagerly awaiting the FOMC decision, as it carries significant implications for borrowing costs, investment decisions, and broader economic trends.
The decision not to raise interest rates was welcomed by many investors and markets as stocks rose after the announcement. The next FOMC meeting is scheduled to take place on December 12 and 13 when the Federal Reserve will once again evaluate economic conditions, make any necessary adjustments to its monetary policy, and determine if interest rates will increase.
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