Federal Reserve governors Mester and Waller oppose the interest rate decision and support a 25 basis point rate cut

According to Jinshi reports, the Federal Reserve today decided to keep interest rates unchanged, citing that inflation remains at a high level and economic growth is robust. The policy statement provided little clue as to when interest rates might be cut again. The Federal Reserve voted 10 to 2 to maintain the benchmark interest rate in the range of 3.50% to 3.75%. The statement noted, "Economic activity continues to expand at a solid pace."

Board members Waller and Milan cast dissenting votes, advocating for a 25 basis point rate cut. The statement did not signal when the next rate cut might occur, only indicating that the magnitude and timing of "further adjustments" will depend on subsequent data and economic outlook. Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve stated that inflation "remains slightly elevated," while the labor market "has shown some signs of stabilization." Although the Federal Reserve pointed out that "job growth remains subdued," it removed previous language regarding rising risks to employment, indicating that policymakers' overall concerns about a rapid decline in the labor market have eased.