The Fed had an active 2019, as officials shifted away from a steady set of interest rate increases to pause before cutting rates three times in the face of trade tensions and global weakness. But at their final meeting last year, Fed officials signaled they plan to keep interest rates unchanged, at least for now. Policymakers, including Jerome H. Powell, the Fed chair, made clear last month that they were comfortable leaving interest rates unchanged. Officials are waiting to see how last year’s cuts, along with a possible easing of trade tensions, will affect the American economy. Fed meeting participants “expected sustained expansion of economic activity, strong labor market conditions, and inflation near the Committee’s symmetric 2 percent objective,” the minutes show.

Source: New York Times January 03, 2020 19:18 UTC