Fed to Hold Rates Steady Amid Uncertainty: Decision-Day Guide

Federal Reserve officials will likely hold interest rates steady when they meet Wednesday, buying time to assess how President Donald Trump’s policies impact an economy facing both lingering inflationary pressures and mounting growth concerns.

Fresh tariffs from the Trump administration, paired with retaliatory action from US trade partners, have dented consumer sentiment and fanned Americans’ expectations for future inflation. And with some levies getting postponed shortly after being announced, it’s unclear how the trade war will ultimately shape the economy.

The uncertainty will likely keep policymakers in a wait-and-see mode, reluctant to wed themselves to a particular path ...