Fed Holds Rates, Signals Possible Hike Later This Year, Dollar Strengthens
By Aboki Forex —
The U.S. dollar rose broadly on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged but signaled borrowing costs could go up later this year.
The central bank kept its benchmark rate at 3.50% to 3.75%, as widely expected. However, updated quarterly projections showed that nine policymakers now expect a rate hike before the end of 2026.
The Fed also changed its policy statement. It removed language that had suggested the possibility of interest rate cuts in 2026. Policymakers eliminated all forward guidance about future rate decisions. The statement now focuses mainly on the rate decision itself and reaffirms the Fed's commitment to its inflation target.
Investors saw the changes as a more hawkish stance from the central bank. That helped lift the dollar against major currencies.
“This Fed decision was short, but not sweet,” said Karl Schamotta, Chief Market Strategist at Corpay in Toronto. “Kevin Warsh moved swiftly to put his stamp on the central bank's communication strategy by executing a dramatic revision to the official statement, wiping out anything resembling forward guidance and editing out the bulk of the contextual information typically parsed most closely in financial markets.”