The Chair of the US Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, is scheduled to reveal the results of the two-day Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting today. He is anticipated to speak to the press following the meeting to reveal the policy decision.
FOMC meeting March 2026: When will Jerome Powell declare Fed rate cut decision?
The FOMC, responsible for setting rates, is set to meet for a two-day session on March 17-18, 2026. This meeting holds particular importance as it marks the first since the intensification of conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, which has caused turmoil in global markets.
The policy announcement is planned for 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on March 18, following which Powell will hold a press conference.
Fed meeting today: Here’s when and where to watch Powell’s speech
After the policy statement is released, Powell will conduct a press conference to explain the decision and respond to inquiries from journalists. This event will be streamed live via official Federal Reserve channels, which include: The central bank’s official website, its YouTube channel and verified social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter).
Know about Fed cuts
Currently, the Federal Reserve’s benchmark interest rate is positioned within the range of 3.5% to 3.75%. Earlier this year, the central bank opted to pause any changes to the rate after executing three consecutive quarter-percentage-point reductions.
Prior to this, it had declared three successive rate cuts of 0.25% each, aiming to avert a further decline in the job market that could lead to increased unemployment.
Market analysts predict that the US Federal Reserve is expected to maintain the interest rate at its current level during the forthcoming FOMC meeting in March 2026, as market conditions remain sensitive to fluctuations in oil prices due to the ongoing US-Iran conflict.
Moreover, the job growth in US in February fell significantly short of economists’ expectations. Last month, the U.S. lost 92,000 nonfarm jobs.
