Fed Opens March Policy Meeting With Iran Conflict Clouding the Outlook

The futures market widely expects the Federal Reserve will leave interest rates unchanged.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speaks at a news conference following the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting in Washington, on Oct. 29, 2025. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

The Federal Reserve opened its two-day policy meeting on Mar. 17, and Wall Street overwhelmingly expects the central bank to leave interest rates unchanged.

At the January meeting of the policy-making Federal Open Market Committee, Fed officials left the benchmark federal funds rate—a policy rate that influences borrowing costs for businesses and households—unchanged at a range of 3.50–3.75 percent.