The U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday voted unanimously to keep its benchmark fed-funds rate steady in a range between 1.5% and 1.75%. The central bank said the labor market remains strong, growth is being helped by consumer spending, and inflation is still below the 2.0% target. Fed chairman Jerome Powell suggested the central bank’s rate-setting committee is likely to remain on hold for quite some time, assuming little changes in current trends.
The Fed also said it is closely monitoring the severity of the deadly coronavirus and the potential for the illness to disrupt the global economy.