US Federal Reserve raises key rate by quarter-point despite bank turmoil

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve extended its year-long fight against high inflation Wednesday by raising its key interest rate by a quarter-point despite concerns that higher borrowing rates could worsen the turmoil that has gripped the banking system.

“The U.S. banking system is sound and resilient,” the Fed said in a statement after its latest policy meeting ended.

At the same time, the Fed warned that the upheaval stemming from the fall of two major banks is “likely to result in tighter credit conditions” and “weigh on economic activity, hiring and inflation.”

The central bank also signalled that it's likely nearing the end of its aggressive streak of rate hikes. In its statement, it removed language that had previously said it would keep raising rates at future meetings.

The statement now says “some additional policy firming may be appropriate” — a weaker commitment to future hikes.

In its latest quarterly projections, the policymakers forecast that they expect to raise their key rate just once more — from its new level of about 4.9% to 5.1%, the same peak they projected in December.

Still, the Fed's statement included some language that indicated that its inflation fight remains far from complete.

It noted that “inflation remains elevated,” and it removed a phrase, “inflation has eased somewhat,” that was in its statement in February.

Speaking at a news conference, Chair Jerome Powell said, “The process of getting inflation back down to 2% has a long way to go and is likely to be bumpy.”

Despite the Fed's projection that it will impose only one more rate hike, Powell said the central bank may still choose to carry out additional hikes if inflation remained chronically high.

Powell acknowledged that some banks may reduce their pace of lending at a time of high anxiety in the financial system.

Any such pullback in lending, he said, could slow the economy and possibly act as the equivalent of an additional quarter-point rate hike.

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