Episode Details

This week on Fed Watch, ITR Economist and Speaker Lauren Saidel-Baker breaks down why the Fed held rates steady and what shifting market expectations signal for the year ahead. With rate cuts now pushed further into the future, many business leaders are asking: are we prepared for higher-for-longer interest rates? Lauren explores the growing possibility that the Fed’s next move may not be a cut at all. She also unpacks rising oil prices, inflation risks, and why today’s energy costs may not hit the economy as hard as in the past. Plus, insight into internal Fed debates and what leadership uncertainty could mean for policy direction. Are markets underestimating the risk of sustained or even rising rates?