Fed Hike Forecasts Fade as Investors Stick to Higher-for-Longer Rates

Federal Reserve did not see rising inflation expectations from higher crude oil prices.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speaks at a news conference following the Federal Open Market Committee meeting in Washington on March 18, 2026. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

Investors are no longer pricing in a Federal Reserve rate hike later this year, but they expect a higher-for-longer policy stance.

Last week’s futures market data indicated that traders were betting that the central bank would raise interest rates in October or December to address rising war-driven inflation pressures.