Jerome Powell is set to step down this week after a particularly eventful tenure
The rate relief buyers were waiting for may not be coming
Members of the Federal Open Market Committee were split 8-4
Policymakers raised the possibility of increases if inflation proves more stubborn than expected
Economist Doug Duncan weighs in on the challenges facing economic forecasters today, cutbacks in economic reports produced by Fannie and Freddie, Fed independence, and more
The next Fed chair may be more receptive to the president's calls for rate cuts, but they'll have to convince other central bank policymakers to give up their independence
A vote to reappoint 11 of the Fed's 12 regional bank presidents puts an end to speculation that the Trump administration might try to unseat inflation hawks opposed to interest rate cuts
The 9-3 split vote reflects differing views on whether the central bank's biggest worry is inflation or rising unemployment, with data lagging after the government shutdown
The president jokingly told Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that his job is also on the line if rates don't come down, as poll shows inflation will be a key issue in 2026 midterm elections
After hitting a 2025 low on Oct. 28, mortgage rates continue to rise as hopes dim for a December Fed rate cut. Futures market investors see only a 34% chance of a Dec. 10 rate cut.
The resignation of Biden appointee Adriana Kugler and pending retirement of Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic renews speculation that Trump will seek to undermine Fed independence
The Treasury Secretary blamed the Federal Reserve for the current housing recession and said that if the central bank cut interest rates more quickly, the recession might come to a close
MBA forecasts rates will probably stay right where they are now in 2026, as investors have already priced in future Fed rate cuts. But look for 3 years of steady growth in home sales ahead
In predicting that mortgage rates will drop below 6% next year, economists at Fannie Mae are more optimistic about growth and less worried about inflation than their MBA counterparts
Recent Trump appointee Stephen Miran was the lone dissenter in Wednesday's 11-1 vote, holding out for a bigger, 1/2 percentage point rate cut advocated by the president