Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell announced the interest rate increase Wednesday.
By DAN MCCALEB
THE CENTER SQUARE EXECUTIVE EDITOR
(The Center Square) — The Federal Reserve on Wednesday said it was raising interest rates by 0.5 percentage points, the largest hike since 2020.
The increase, an attempt to bring skyrocketing inflation under control, comes after a 0.25 percentage point increase in March.
The Fed’s benchmark interest rate now has a target rate range of 0.75% to 1.0%.
Several more interest rate hikes, which drive up the costs of borrowing for everything from cars to homes, are expected this year.
This latest hike comes as inflation soared to 40-year highs last month.
The Consumer Price Index, a key indicator of inflation, increased an additional 1.2% in March, part of an 8.5% spike in the past 12 months.
The producer price index rose 1.4% in March and 11.2% in the last 12 months.
U.S. Gross Domestic Product, a key measure of the size of the economy, declined in the first three months of 2022, raising concerns about a possible recession.
email: dmccaleb@thecentersquare.com
