US Federal Reserve maintains benchmark interest rate in face of external pressure from Trump administration

The United States Federal Reserve has left its key lending rate unchanged at a range of 4.25% to 4.50% following a unanimous decision by policymakers on January 29. This marks the end of a downward cycle of rate reductions that began in September 2024, and a pause in the trend of decreasing interest rates. Consumer price inflation in the US has fallen from a peak of nearly 10% in 2022 to just above the Fed's 2% target, which may have contributed to the decision to maintain the current interest rates.