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US Fed Meeting Updates: Fed's Chair Defends Rate Hike; White House Slams 'Unfortunate' Decision
Follow updates on the Fed rate decision, Kevin Warsh's press conference, US dollar, Treasury yields, Wall Street, gold prices, Sensex, Nifty and the rupee.
US Fed Meeting Updates: The US Federal Reserve on Wednesday raised its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 3.75%-4%, marking its first rate hike since July 2023. The decision comes as the US central bank grapples with persistent inflation, elevated energy prices and financial conditions that have kept borrowing costs high. Markets had largely anticipated the 25-basis-point move ahead of the September 15-16 FOMC meeting.
With the rate decision largely priced in, investors will now focus on US Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh’s speech. Warsh is scheduled to address the media at 12 midnight IST. His comments on inflation, oil prices, the labour market and the future path of interest rates will be closely watched by investors.
The Fed’s September 2026 dot plot shows a higher interest-rate path than projected in June. The median federal funds rate projection has been raised to 4.1% for 2026 from 3.8%, while the median for 2027 has been lifted to 4.1% from 3.6%. The median is now 3.9% for 2028, compared with 3.4% in June.
The Fed decision is also significant for Indian markets. Changes in US interest-rate expectations can influence the US dollar, Treasury yields, gold prices and global capital flows, with potential implications for the rupee, Nifty, Sensex, Indian bond yields and RBI policy. The rupee was already under pressure ahead of the decision, with the currency closing at 95.955 per dollar on Wednesday.
The decision comes against the backdrop of persistent US inflation and renewed energy-price pressures. US consumer prices rose 3.4% year-on-year in August, while CPI increased 0.4% month-on-month. Core CPI rose 0.3% in August and 2.4% annually.
The Fed’s communication will be closely watched by global markets. A key question is whether the September hike is a one-off move or the beginning of a broader tightening cycle. Investors will therefore track inflation and growth projections, Warsh’s comments and the Fed’s assessment of future rate moves.
US Fed Meeting Live Updates: Trump Slams Fed Rate Hike, Demands 1% Interest Rate
US President Donald Trump called Wednesday for lower interest rates after the Federal Reserve raised them for the first time in three years, but he avoided directly criticizing central bank chief Kevin Warsh.
“We are ‘carrying’ almost every country in the World, and that cannot go on any longer. LOWER THE INTEREST RATES FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND FAST!” Trump said on his Truth Social network.
US Fed Meeting Live Updates: US Stocks Fall As Fed Hike Fuels Bets On More Rate Increases
Wall Street stocks fell while the dollar advanced Wednesday after the Federal Reserve lifted interest rates for the first time since 2023.
All three major indices finished lower, with the S&P 500 down 0.5 percent.
A rate increase had been widely anticipated, but markets judged the central bank’s overall message as more hawkish than expected after a majority of Fed policymakers penciled in at least one more rate hike before the end of 2026.
US Fed Meeting Live Updates: White House Calls Fed's Rate Hike 'Unfortunate'
The White House on Wednesday criticized the US Federal Reserve’s “unfortunate” decision to raise interest rates despite demands by President Donald Trump to lower them.
“Today’s rather unfortunate decision by the Federal Reserve to hike interest rates was not, from the administration’s point of view, backed by a particularly compelling economic case,” spokesman Kush Desai told Fox News.
US Fed Meeting Live Updates: US Fed Chair Says Rate Hike Was 'Our Decision', Not Markets
US Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh stressed Wednesday that the central bank’s decision to raise interest rates was not influenced by financial markets.
“We made this decision today based on our assessment of the situation,” Warsh told a press conference. “I’ll observe market prices and see what they have to say. But today was our decision.”
US Fed Meeting Live Updates: Fed Chair Defends Independence, Says Central Bank Will 'Stay in Its Lane
US Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh said Wednesday that the central bank’s independence comes from staying focused on its objectives, in comments that come amid political pressure for lower interest rates.
“Part of the independence of the Federal Reserve is we stay in our lane,” Warsh said. “We let people that do trade policy and fiscal policy stay in their lane too. That’s how we can stand up here and call them the way we see them.”
US Fed Meeting Live Updates: US Fed Chair Says Inflation Now Top Priority After Rate Hike
US Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh said Wednesday that the US central bank’s main focus now is on inflation, in remarks shortly after its first rate hike since 2023.
“Our predominant focus is on the price stability side of our mandate. The plain fact is that inflation is too high, and has been for too long,” he told a press conference.
US Fed Meeting Live Updates: Wall Street, Gold React After Fed Rate Hike
US markets are showing a mixed reaction after the Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 3.75%-4%, its first rate hike since July 2023.
The S&P 500 is up 0.32% at 7,609.76, while the Nasdaq gains 0.70% to 26,164.26. The Russell 2000 rises 0.35% to 2,880.31. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 0.11% at 52,036.22.
Gold is trading at $4,379.20, up 1.07% or $46.40, while Bitcoin is down 0.16% at $75,805.62.
Investors are now assessing the Fed’s higher rate projections for 2026-28 and will closely watch Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s comments for further clues on the policy path. The Fed’s September projections put the median federal funds rate at 4.1% in 2026, up from 3.8% in June.
US Fed Meeting Live Updates: What The Fed's New Dot Plot Shows
The September dot plot puts the median federal funds rate at:
The 2026-28 medians are all higher than the corresponding June projections.
US Fed Meeting Live Updates: Inflation Forecast Raised For 2026
The Fed’s September 2026 projections put 2026 PCE inflation at 3.7%, compared with 3.6% in June. The median core PCE inflation projection has also increased to 3.4% from 3.3%.
US Fed Meeting Live Updates: Fed Raises 2026 Growth Forecast
The Fed on Wednesday raised its median projection for 2026 real GDP growth to 2.3% from 2.2% in June. The unemployment-rate projection has also been lowered to 4.1% from 4.3%, indicating a stronger labour-market outlook than policymakers had projected in June.
US Fed Meeting Live Updates: Fed Signals Higher Rates Than Previously Projected
The Fed’s September dot plot shows a higher interest-rate path than projected in June. The median federal funds rate projection has been raised to 4.1% for 2026 from 3.8%, while the median for 2027 has been lifted to 4.1% from 3.6%. The median is now 3.9% for 2028, compared with 3.4% in June.
US Fed Meeting Live Updates: Fed Raises Rates 25 Bps, First Hike Since July 2023
The US Federal Reserve on Wednesday raised its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 3.75%-4%, marking its first rate hike since July 2023.
The FOMC approved the decision by a unanimous 12-0 vote. The Fed said economic activity is expanding at a solid pace, while inflation remains elevated.
Kevin Warsh-FOMC Raises Interest Rates by 25 Bps To 3.75-4%; First Hike Since July 2023
US Fed Meeting Live Updates: US Fed Is Scheduled to Announce Rate Hike Decision Shortly
The US Fed is set to announce its rate hike decision shortly.
US Fed Meeting Live Updates: Bitcoin Falls 1.61% Ahead Of Fed Decision
Bitcoin is trading at $75,669, down $1,240 or 1.61%, ahead of the Fed’s monetary-policy announcement. The cryptocurrency market is also watching the Fed’s guidance for clues on financial conditions and liquidity.
US Fed Meeting Live Updates: US Dollar Holds Near Two-Week High Ahead of FOMC Meeting Outcome
The dollar held steady near a two-week high on Wednesday ahead of a Federal Reserve decision that traders expect will mark the first in a series of US interest rate hikes. Market participants are betting heavily that Fed policymakers will lift their benchmark rate by a quarter of a percentage point, to a 3.75%-4% range, and signal further tightening ahead.
US Fed Meeting Live Updates: Gold Gains 1.18% Ahead Of Fed Decision
Gold is trading at $4,384.10, up 1.18%, ahead of the Federal Reserve’s rate decision. Investors are positioning for potential volatility in the precious metal as the Fed’s decision, dot plot and policy guidance could trigger moves in the dollar and US Treasury yields.
US Fed Meeting Live Updates: US 10-Year Yield Slips Ahead Of Fed Decision
Treasury 10-year yields dropped from a nearly two-decade high. The US 10-year Treasury yield is at 4.955%, down 4.1 basis points, as of 10:50 pm IST. The movement in Treasury yields will be closely watched after the Fed decision, as it could influence the dollar, global bond markets, equities and gold.
US Fed Meeting Live Updates: US Stocks Mixed Ahead Of Fed Decision
Ahead of the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate decision, US equities are trading mixed. As 10:50 IST, the S&P 500 is up 0.31% at 7,609.38, while the Nasdaq gains 0.66% to 26,152.31. The Russell 2000 rises 0.49% to 2,884.28. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is marginally lower at 52,080.01, down 0.03%.
US Fed Meeting Live Updates: FOMC Scheduled to Announce Interest-Rate Decision at 11:30 pm
The US Federal Reserve’s September policy decision is now less than an hour away. The FOMC is scheduled to announce its interest-rate decision at 11:30 pm IST, followed by Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s press conference at midnight. Markets are widely expecting a 25-basis-point hike.