The ongoing war between the US and Iran, events in the Middle East, and the rapid rise in oil prices have all begun to fuel fears about inflation and the Federal Reserve.
At this point, with discussions suggesting a possible delay in Fed interest rate cuts, or even a decision to raise rates, economists’ expectations have emerged.
Most economists surveyed by Reuters expect the Fed to cut interest rates by 25 basis points next quarter, bringing them to between 3.25% and 3.50%.
Of the 96 economists surveyed, 63 supported this view; this is higher than the 51 out of 101 participants who predicted a rate cut in the February survey.
In a survey conducted between March 6-12, all economists expect the Fed to keep interest rates unchanged at 3.50-3.75 percent on March 18.
However, approximately two-thirds of economists predict that the Fed will cut interest rates to 3.25-3.50 percent in June.
In contrast, 29 of the 37 economists surveyed said it was more likely that the Fed would keep interest rates stable for an extended period.
The survey median suggests there could be two interest rate cuts by the end of the year.
*This is not investment advice.
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