Federal Reserve raises rates for first time since 2023 and projects another increase

The U.S. Federal Reserve raised interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point, a move that marks the first increase since July 2023 and aims to contain inflationary pressures in the world's largest economy, according to Bloomberg Línea, which was detailed by the outlet Ámbito.

With this decision, made on September 16, 2026, the Federal Open Market Committee voted unanimously to bring the federal funds target rate to a range of 3.75% to 4%. Monetary authorities said the move is intended to steer inflation toward the agency's 2% target.

The decision by the U.S. central bank has a direct impact on international markets and global financing conditions. By making dollar borrowing more expensive, emerging economies and peripheral countries face greater pressure on their external debt costs and greater currency volatility against the dollar.

In terms of projections, the agency's officials expect another increase before the end of the year. The median estimates of monetary policymakers raised the forecast for end-2026 from 3.8% to 4.1%, reflecting growing support for maintaining a restrictive stance to cool consumption and investment.