01:45 PM EDT, 04/03/2024 (MT Newswires) -- US equity indexes rose after midday Wednesday as a closely monitored services gauge unexpectedly fell, and Jerome Powell, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, reiterated the central bank's dependence on data for policy decisions. The S&P 500 climbed 0.4% to 5,224.9, the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.5% to 16,317.7 and the Dow Jones Industrial...

(Reuters) - Federal Reserve Governor Adriana Kugler on Wednesday said she believes inflation will continue to fall this year as households and businesses trim spending and the supply of goods and services continues to improve. I expect the disinflationary trend to continue and help pave the way for rate cuts over the course of the year, Kugler said in comments...

03:37 PM EDT, 04/03/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Most policymakers expect that it would be appropriate to start reducing interest rates at some point in 2024, though more evidence is needed that inflation is easing, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday. Last month, the central bank's Federal Open Market Committee kept its benchmark lending rate unchanged at 5.25% to 5.50%,...

02:56 PM EDT, 04/03/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Fed Chairman Jerome Powell (voter) said that it could still be appropriate to lower interest rates this year despite the recent stronger-than-expected inflation and employment data, but repeated that decisions will continue to be based on incoming data and made on a meeting-by-meeting basis. Powell added that the FOMC is in good position...