The US Federal Reserve Wednesday announced its interest rate decision after a two-day Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, leaving the key interest rates unchanged for the third time in a row and foresees three rate cuts next year.
The Fed's decision to keep its benchmark lending rate between 5.25% and 5.50% gives policymakers time to determine the "extent of any additional policy firming that may be appropriate," the US central bank said in a statement.
Releasing the FOMC statement, the Federal Reserve said that the recent economic indicators suggest that growth of economic activity has slowed from its strong pace in the third quarter. Job gains have moderated since earlier in the year but remain strong, and the unemployment rate has remained low. Inflation has eased over the past year but remains elevated.
Here are key takeaways from the Federal Reserve's interest-rate decision and economic forecasts:
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