Economics
Powell to Ponder Hawkish Tone in FOMC Debut: Decision Day Guide
- The Fed faces a close call on whether to boost 2018 dot plot
- Forecasts and chairman’s briefing will be closely watched
This article is for subscribers only.
Jerome Powell will likely make headlines Wednesday with an interest-rate hike in his first meeting as Federal Reserve chairman. But look to the fine print for his biggest news.
The rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee is expected to lift the target federal funds rate by a quarter percentage point to 1.5 percent to 1.75 percent after its two-day meeting in Washington on Wednesday. A policy statement will be released at 2 p.m. and he’ll host a press conference that begins 30 minutes later.