Not only did the Federal Reserve decide not to raise interest rates, but it also indicated that no more hikes will be coming this year.
The Federal Reserve decided Wednesday to hold interest rates steady and indicated that no more hikes will be coming this year.
However, there now appears to be no likelihood of a hike unless conditions change significantly. In its post-meeting statement, the FOMC indicated it would remain"patient" before adopting any further increases. For a central bank not so long ago intent on normalizing policy from its financial crisis-era accommodation levels, the developments at this week's meeting represent a striking change in direction.
Along with the historic lows in rate came three rounds of bond buying that helped provide liquidity to financial markets. The program had pushed the Fed's balance sheet to $4.5 trillion, which it has sought to lower through a program that allowed proceeds from the bonds to roll off each month. The unemployment rate for this year is now seen at 3.7 percent, up 0.2 percentage points from December.
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