US Federal Reserve

The US Federal Reserve has voted to keep interest rates unchanged as new figures show inflation climbing to its highest level in three years. The decision keeps borrowing costs at their current level despite persistent price pressures. Analysts are watching closely for signals on when the central bank might move, with the combination of a rate pause and rising inflation fueling debate about the economy's direction.

UBS has published its assessment of whether the US Federal Reserve's tightening cycle represents a fundamental shift for emerging market assets. The analysis addresses how higher US rates affect capital flows, currency pressure, and investment appetite across developing economies. The commentary is circulating among investors weighing whether Fed policy now changes the outlook for EM exposure.

Beth Hammack, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, said she is concerned that inflation expectations among consumers and businesses could worsen if price pressures persist. Her comments add to a debate within the US central bank over how long to keep interest rates elevated while policymakers wait for clearer evidence that inflation is returning to the 2% target.

Standard Chartered is forecasting two further US Federal Reserve rate hikes before mid-2027, contrary to market expectations of cuts, and says it remains overweight on equities. The bank's strategists argue equities can still perform despite higher borrowing costs, and investors are weighing the call against expectations of an easing cycle. The outlook is drawing attention from market watchers tracking inflation and Fed policy.

A new analysis argues Bitcoin is undergoing its biggest regime change yet, moving from a risk asset sensitive to Federal Reserve policy toward something closer to a hedge against US Treasury and fiscal risks. The piece suggests investors may increasingly hold Bitcoin as protection against government debt and deficit concerns rather than as a high-beta trade on interest rate expectations.

The Federal Reserve has put forward proposed rules governing stablecoins under the GENIUS Act, the US legislation establishing a federal framework for dollar-pegged digital tokens. The proposal would set out how banks and issuers must comply with the new law, covering reserves, oversight and market access. Industry participants and policymakers are weighing how the rules will shape the US stablecoin market.

The Federal Reserve has raised interest rates again, a move being read as an acknowledgment that inflation is proving stubborn and the US economy is growing faster than expected. Commentators say policymakers are adjusting to a new environment in which price pressures persist despite earlier tightening, forcing the central bank to keep rates higher for longer than markets had anticipated.

Billionaire investor Bill Ackman said the US Federal Reserve may have made a policy mistake in the context of the AI era. He suggested that artificial intelligence-driven investment and productivity shifts may have changed the economic picture in ways the Fed's decisions did not account for. The comment is drawing attention among investors debating whether current interest rate policy fits an economy being reshaped by AI.