Federal Reserve

Fed's Unwinding Of Crisis Programs Expected To Push Up Interest Rates Very Gradually

5:07pm September 20, 2017

by John Ydstie

The Federal Reserve in October will begin unwinding the extraordinary stimulus it used to battle the Great Recession. That means that over the long run, rates on car loans and mortgages could go up.

A television screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange shows the Federal Reserve's rate decision on Wednesday.

Federal Reserve Holds Interest Rates Steady

4:44pm July 26, 2017

by John Ydstie

As expected, the Federal Reserve says it will hold interest rates in a range between 1 percent and 1.25 percent, while noting job gains have been solid and the labor market continues to strengthen.

Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen speaks to reporters in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday after the Fed announced it would increase interest rates by a quarter-point.

Fed Raises Key Interest Rate For 4th Time Since 2015

3:55pm June 14, 2017

by Avie Schneider

The quarter-point increase in the Federal Reserve's benchmark rate was widely expected. Rates are still near historic lows, but the increase will mean higher borrowing costs for consumers.

A television screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange reflects the Federal Reserve's decision Wednesday to hold rates steady.

Federal Reserve Leaves Interest Rates Unchanged

4:41pm May 03, 2017

by John Ydstie

Central bank policymakers provided little guidance on the timing of a rate hike. They said slow growth in the first quarter it is likely transitory and that inflation is close to a goal of 2 percent.

Former Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke says the tax cuts proposed by President Trump could boost the budget deficit.

In His Post-Fed Life, Bernanke Talks Taxes, Trump And Partisan Perceptions

11:58am May 01, 2017

by Rachel Martin

Former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke discusses the contradictory partisan divide in people's views of the economy, the economy's health and the problem of those left behind by economic change.

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Trump's economic adviser Gary Cohn (left) and adviser Jared Kushner listen to President Trump at a meeting with business leaders Jan. 23.

Trump's Flip-Flops On Economics Move Policies Toward The Status Quo

11:27am April 14, 2017

by John Ydstie

President Trump is beating a path back toward the center on economic policy. Some economists think it may be due to influence from Trump advisers like Gary Cohn and Jared Kushner.

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Jeffrey Lacker, former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond in Virginia, resigned on Tuesday.

National

Head Of Federal Reserve's Richmond Bank Resigns Over 'Improper Disclosure'

5:55pm April 04, 2017

by Camila Domonoske

Jeffrey Lacker was under investigation for possibly disclosing confidential information to a Wall Street analyst in 2012. The Virginia bank president now says he regrets the role he "may have played."

Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen speaks during a news conference in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.

Federal Reserve Raises Key Interest Rate, Signals 2 More Increases This Year

5:16pm March 15, 2017

by Yuki Noguchi

The Fed also said it is looking to increase rates three times in 2018, as inflation approaches the central bank's target annual rate of 2 percent and the unemployment rate appears stable.

Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen speaks during a House Financial Services Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 28.

Fed Leaves Rates Unchanged, But Signals Increase May Be Coming

4:22pm November 02, 2016

by Marilyn Geewax

Federal Reserve policymakers finished meeting Wednesday, less than a week before Election Day. They left interest rates unchanged but said the case for more expensive loans is strengthening.

International Monetary Fund Lowers Its Outlook For U.S. Economic Growth

2:20pm October 04, 2016

by Yuki Noguchi

The U.S. economy is projected to see 1.6 percent growth this year, down from the 2.2 percent that the IMF had previously forecast. Globally, growth is seen essentially moving sideways in 2016.