How to Watch the Federal Reserve Meeting

Want to hear what Fed Chair Jerome Powell has to say about the economy and the potential for interest rate cuts this year?  He’ll speak after the Fed concludes its next meeting on Wednesday. Here’s how you can tune in.

Where to watch FOMC conference

The press conference is slated for 2:30 p.m. ET on July 31, 2024. You can watch the Fed’s press conference:

Be sure to also tune in to our live blog to get up-to-date information about the Fed’s decision.

What to expect

It’s unlikely the Fed will initiate a rate cut at the July meeting, with most predictions slating a cut at the September meeting. Instead, it’s widely expected that the Fed will hold the benchmark interest rate at 5.25% to 5.5%, as it’s done since last summer.

The federal funds rate affects the overnight rate used by US banks to lend or borrow money, which has a ripple effect on interest rates for your credit card, mortgage, high-yield savings account and other credit products.

The Federal Reserve meets eight times throughout the year. Each time, it meets to set the monetary policy based on factors like inflation, spending, unemployment rates and the overall health of the US economy.