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US Fed Meeting 2026 LIVE: The US Federal Reserve's monetary policy meeting for the month of April, which started on 28 April, is set to conclude today. The FOMC will announce its decision on the rate trajectory later in the evening on 29 April.

Traders expect the central bank to leave rates unchanged, but will closely track Fed chair Jerome Powell's remarks amid the ongoing US-Iran war. This will likely be the final press conference for Powell as the head of the US central bank, whose term ends on 15 May ahead of the May policy meeting (17-18 May).

US President Donald Trump has nominated Kevin Warsh to succeed Powell. A US Senate panel voted today to advance the nomination of Warsh for Federal Reserve chair.

Ahead of the US Federal Reserve's policy outcome, Wall Street's key indices opened with cuts. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.56%, the S&P 500 lost 0.18%, and the Nasdaq Composite lost 0.17%.

Analysts largely expect the US Federal Reserve to hold the rates in its April policy, with markets largely pricing in a prolonged higher-for-longer environment.

With no fresh economic projections or dot plot to guide markets, attention will shift to Chair Powell’s tone and the statement’s language. As of April 2026, the Federal Reserve has maintained the federal funds rate target range at 3.5%–3.75%. This rate has been held steady for a third consecutive meeting following cuts in late 2025.

The Fed has said it was monitoring risks tied to the conflict, and with tensions in the Middle East showing few signs of easing, investors are tracking the central bank's assessment of the same on the economy and inflation.

The Federal Reserve will announce its interest rate decision today, 29 April, at 2:00 PM ET. This announcement will be followed by a press conference with Fed Chair Jerome Powell at 2:30 PM ET.

For those looking to track the policy from India, the Fed rate decision will be announced at 11.30 and policy remarks at 12 am.

Track this space for LIVE updates on US Fed meeting 2026.

Kevin Warsh, nominated by US President Donald Trump to lead the Federal Reserve, cleared a key procedural hurdle on Wednesday. This opens the way for him to succeed Jerome Powell as the next Fed chair.

According to a Reuters report, Senate Banking Committee voted along party lines to advance Warsh's nomination to the full Republican-controlled Senate. All 13 Republicans on the panel supported Warsh after North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis dropped his opposition following the Department of Justice's decision on Friday to end a criminal investigation into Powell that Tillis viewed as a threat to the Fed's political independence, the report added.

Gold traded weak, declining around ₹900 to ₹149100, as continued profit booking and rising crude-led inflation concerns kept pressure on prices. Higher oil prices are reinforcing expectations that the US Fed may maintain a tighter stance, which supports the dollar and limits upside in gold.

COMEX gold is hovering near $4600–$4620, facing resistance at higher levels, indicating a lack of strong buying momentum.

Market participants are now closely watching the US Fed policy decision and commentary, which will be crucial in shaping the outlook for interest rates amid ongoing US–Iran uncertainty. In the near term, gold is expected to remain volatile and range-bound, with support near ₹148000 and resistance around ₹152000.

The Federal Reserve is widely expected to hold the federal funds rate steady at 3.50%-3.75% when its meeting concludes on Wednesday. With no fresh economic projections or dot plot to guide markets, attention will shift to Chair Jerome Powell’s tone and the statement’s language.

Policymakers must balance two competing risks: that Middle East conflict and elevated energy prices stoke inflation, and that geopolitical uncertainty drags on growth. Because the United States is a net energy exporter, the terms-of-trade hit is milder than for major importers, giving the Fed latitude to look through oil-driven price spikes and stay focused on domestic demand.

Money markets have priced in unchanged rates this year, per LSEG data, yet the implied probability of eventual cuts remains higher than that of hikes. That asymmetric skew suggests investors believe growth risks will ultimately dominate. Vocal political pressure for lower borrowing costs adds background noise, though the Fed will stress its independence and remain data dependent.

With first-quarter GDP, PCE inflation, the employment cost index and April’s ISM manufacturing survey all arriving within two days, officials have every reason to avoid dramatic guidance. Expect a deliberately cautious message that acknowledges uncertainty but preserves optionality until the economic fog clears.

— Ajitabh Bharti, Co-founder and Executive Director, CapitalXB

Vested Finance said that with megacap earnings and the Fed decision lined up, stock-specific moves are intensifying beneath a relatively stable index.

The S&P 500 edged 0.2% lower, a day after falling from its latest all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 127 points, or 0.3%. and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.5%.

A status quo by the US Fed is already priced in, but a hawkish Powell would matter more for India. With US CPI at 3.3%, Fed cuts being pushed out, and FPIs having pulled over $20 billion from Indian equities in 2026 so far, the immediate impact could be a stronger dollar, firmer US yields and renewed pressure on risk appetite.

For Indian equities, this is not a structural bearish trigger, but it can cap near-term upside and keep Nifty range-bound. Domestic liquidity remains the key shock absorber, with equity mutual fund inflows at ₹40,450 crore in March and SIP flows at a record ₹32,100 crore. We would expect markets to reward earnings visibility over liquidity-driven momentum. Banks, consumption and defensives may hold better, while IT and high-valuation growth pockets could remain more sensitive to Fed commentary.

— Harshal Dasani, Business Head at INVasset PMS

Wednesday is set to deliver a Federal Reserve interest rate decision, a Senate committee vote on a new Fed chairman, and late-day earnings reports from four Mag Seven companies.

US stock index futures were mixed, in a cautious start to a day packed with several Big Tech earnings reports and a Federal Reserve meeting expected to be the last for Jerome Powell as its Chair.

Nasdaq 100 E-minis were up 91.25 points, or 0.34%, S&P 500 E-minis gained 4.75 points, or 0.07%, and Dow E-minis rose 19 points, or 0.04%.

Amazon, Meta Platforms, Microsoft and Google-parent Alphabet are set to report after the closing bell, when investors will gauge how their AI bets are paying off.

(Source: Reuters)

Gold prices slipped ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve meeting outcome and comments from Chair Jerome Powell on the future path of interest rates. Higher crude oil prices also weighed on the bullion.

Spot gold was down 0.6% at $4,567.56 per ounce, after falling to its lowest level since April 2 in the previous session. US gold futures for June delivery fell 0.6% to $4,580.80.

Traders expect the central bank to leave rates unchanged, but will closely track Fed chair Jerome Powell's remarks amid the ongoing US-Iran war.

Investors will tune in to Fed Chair Jerome Powell's final press conference as the head of the US central bank. Powell's term expires on May 15 this year. Kevin Warsh has been nominated by US President Donald Trump as his replacement.

The Federal Reserve will announce its interest rate decision today, April 29, 2026, at 2:00 PM ET. This announcement will be followed by a press conference with Fed Chair Jerome Powell at 2:30 PM ET.Saloni Goel has over nine years of experience as a business journalist, with a strong track record of covering the financial markets. Over the course of her career, she has reported extensively on global and domestic equities, IPO market activity, commodities, and broader macroeconomic trends. Her reporting reflects a keen eye for detail, data-driven analysis, and the ability to spot emerging themes early.

At Mint, Saloni has been part of the markets team for nearly two years, where she currently works as Chief Content Producer. In this role, she plays a key part in shaping market coverage, driving editorial strategy, and ensuring timely, accurate, and insightful reporting across. She has been closely involved in breaking news coverage and in crafting stories that help decode the complex financial developments.

Before joining Mint, Saloni worked with some of India’s leading business newsrooms, including The Economic Times and Business Standard. Throughout her career, she has worn multiple hats—ranging from reporting and editing to contributing in-depth features and identifying new storytelling formats and market trends.

Her experience in fast-paced digital newsrooms has given her an edge in simplifying complex market concepts without losing analytical depth. Outside of work, Saloni enjoys reading books and spending time with her pet.

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