US Federal Reserve raises interest rates for the first time since 2023
The US Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate by a quarter-percentage point to a range of 3.75% to 4% on Wednesday, marking the first increase since July 2023. This decision was made unanimously by the Fed's open market committee as part of its ongoing effort to combat high inflation. Fed Chair Kevin Warsh stated that inflation remains too high and underlying trends have not significantly improved. Following the announcement, former President Donald Trump publicly urged for lower interest rates, suggesting they should be 1% or less. Projections indicate a majority of Fed officials anticipate another rate hike before the end of the year, with inflation not expected to reach the 2% goal until around 2029.