Fed tends to fix interest at Powell farewell meeting

Monetary policymakers at the US Federal Reserve are preparing for a pivotal meeting next Wednesday, where the Federal Open Market Committee will determine the fate of interest rates in a decision that may be of a historic nature, as it is the likely last meeting of Jerome Powell as head of the central bank. Powell faces the end of his official term on May 15, after an eight-year career during which he led US monetary policy in Many economic challenges remained, including high energy prices and stalled negotiations with Iran, casting uncertainty over the future of economic and monetary policies. The Federal Open Market Committee, the body responsible for monetary policymaking, is expected to vote to keep benchmark interest rates at their current range between 3.5% and3.75%, a level that has held steady since December 2025. However, this meeting and the next press conference They may reveal fundamental issues, especially the stance of monetary policymakers on the possibility of raising interest rates later this year if the pace of inflation accelerates, in addition to clarifying whether Powell will remain a member of the Board of Governors even if his potential successor, Kevin Warsh, is appointed before the June meeting. In previous statements, Powell broke with the tradition of Federal Reserve chairmen resigning when their terms expired, citing the likelihood that he would stay and that “The decision will be made based on the interest of the institution and the people we serve,” in a position that puts the central bank's independence at stake in President Donald Trump's efforts to meddle in its affairs. This meeting comes amid international anticipation of the Federal Reserve's decisions, especially with the increasing global economic challenges and the need to maintain financial stability in the world's largest economy.