The latest "dot plot" from September 2026 shows a committee that expects to keep interest rates higher for longer than previously thought. For the end of 2026, most officials now expect the benchmark interest rate to sit between 4.1% and 4.4% (up from their previous estimate of 3.6% to 4.1%).

There is a more than 90% chance the Federal Reserve will leave its federal funds rate intact during this month's meeting.

Mortgage rates have fallen for the second week in a row. Can it be the beginning of a trend of mortgage rates going down? With the Fed eyeing an interest rate hike before the end of the year, hopes for lower home loan rates are dim.

Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh said the central bank will cut back on the number of meetings where members vote on rates. "We believe eight meetings per year is the right number for the FOMC, but in 2027, one meeting will focus exclusively on broad monetary policy strategy,

Kevin Warsh, the Federal Reserve chairman, will explain the central bank’s decision on rates, as energy prices and A.I. spending keep inflation uncomfortably high.

Private student loans are offered by banks, credit unions, and online lenders, many of which use the prime rate as a basis for setting their interest rates. The prime rate moves alongside the Federal Reserve's rate decisions. So, when the Fed raises rates, new private loan rates usually rise, and when it cuts rates, they tend to fall.

The Federal Reserve is expected to hold interest rates steady Wednesday despite rising inflation, setting the stage for a possible December rate hike.

The federal funds rate can impact a host of borrowing costs, including mortgages and auto loans, and thus the entire U.S. economy.