The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady on Wednesday but said the risks of higher inflation and unemployment had risen, further clouding the U.S. economic outlook as its policymakers grapple with the impact of U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs.
At this point, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said, it isn't clear if the economy will continue its steady pace of growth, or wilt under mounting uncertainty and a possible coming spike in inflation.
With so much unsettled about what Trump will ultimately decide and what of that survives possible court and political battles, "the scope, the scale, the persistence of those effects are very, very uncertain," Powell said in a news conference at the end of a two-day policy meeting. "So it's not at all clear what the appropriate response for monetary policy is at this time. ... It's really not at all clear what it is we should do."
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.