How Fed Rates Influence Mortgages, Credit Cards and More

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American households who are hoping interest rates will soon decline will have to wait a bit longer. The Federal Reserve is expected to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged on Wednesday, at least until there are clearer signs that inflation is growing more slowly. But forecasters will be listening to Jerome H. Powell, the Fed chair, for any clues about how much longer they expect to keep rates at relatively high levels. The central bank has raised its key interest rate to 5.33 percent from near zero in a series of increases between March 2022 and last summer, and they’ve remained unchanged since then. The goal was to tamp down inflation, which has cooled considerably, but it is still higher than the Fed would like, suggesting that interest rates could remain high for longer than economists had previously expected. For people with money stashed away in higher-yielding savings accounts, a continuation of elevated rates translates into more interest earnings. But for people saddled with high cost credit card debt, or aspiring homeowners who have been sidelined by higher interest rates, a lower-rate environment can’t come soon enough. “Shopping around, whether you’re looking for an auto loan, a credit card, a personal loan or any other type of loan, can make a huge difference,” said Matt Schulz, an analyst at LendingTree, an online loan marketplace.