Interest Rates Will Remain Unchanged, Says the FED

As expected, the Fed keeps its rate benchmark in a target range of 1.5%-1.75%.

On balance, the individual members’ future projection’s “dot plot” indicated no hike in 2020.

To support the sustained expansion of a healthy labor market conditions and economic activity, the current stance of monetary policy is on an appropriate level, says the Committee judges. It is also in a situation to support inflation near the Committee’s symmetric 2% objective.

The Federal Reserve indicated that no action is likely to happen next year amid persistently low inflation. The Fed also held interest rates steady following its two-day meeting this week.

Furthermore, earlier this year, the central bank took down its benchmark rates three times. On Wednesday, meeting the Federal Open Market Committee met widely held expectations and kept the rate funds in a target range of 1.5%-1.75%.

The committee indicated that monetary policy would most probably stay where it is for an unknown time; the decision explained the statement. Nevertheless, officials will continue monitoring conditions as they develop. Following several dissents in recent meetings, the decision to keep rates steady was unanimous.

The statement said that the Committee judges support the decision of the economic activity expansion. They also support the inflation near the Committee’s symmetric 2% objective and stable labor conditions.

For the economic outlook, the Committee will continue monitoring the implications of incoming information. It will involve muted inflation pressures and global developments because it assesses the relative path of the target range for the federal rate of funds.

With recent statements from Jerome Powell, Fed Chairman, and his colleagues, the language is consistent. They said that a policy is in “right” place and most probably will remain unchanged as long as current positions persist.

FED Committee Members

There is a little chance of an increase or a cut in 2020, as FOMC suggests.

Individual members at the committee’s September meeting split on what might happen next year. Nine of them think that there is a likelihood of one or more increases while eight members anticipate no change.

A decided downward shift in the dots was seen on Wednesday’s projections. From 17 members, just four are anticipating one quarter-point rise in 2020.

With the chart indicating to at least one and possibly two increases, there was a general downward shift for 2021. The projection came down of each of the four years, including in the committee’s estimates. The average expectation for the fund’s rate in 2019 is 1.6%. In 2020, the fund’s price was down from 1.9% in the September estimate, and rising in 2021 to 1.9%.

Expectations for U.S. economic growth came without any changes. The committee projected to finish with a 2.2% gain in gross domestic product current year.

Their inflation expectations reduced this year.

The inflation remains stubbornly below 2%. In recent weeks members were discussing multiple strategies to solve this problem. Nevertheless, Wednesday’s statement did not show any changes to the approach of the Federal Reserve Bank. Let’s see what happens in the upcoming year.

Unemployment runs at a 50-year low, and job creation comes off a blockbuster November.