Key Points
The US Federal Reserve on Wednesday left the key lending rates unchanged at 5.25 per cent - 5.50 per cent for a fifth straight meeting after a two-day Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) consultation, despite signs that inflation stayed surprisingly high at the start of the year..
They left the headline inflation forecast unchanged but slightly raised the outlook for annual "core" inflation excluding energy and food prices to 2.6%..
In considering any adjustments to the target range for the federal funds rate, the Committee will carefully assess incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks..
The Committee does not expect it will be appropriate to reduce the target range until it has gained greater confidence that inflation is moving sustainably toward 2 percent..
The Committee's assessments will take into account a wide range of information, including readings on labor market conditions, inflation pressures and inflation expectations, and financial and international developments..
