What to Watch at the Federal Reserve’s October Meeting

The U.S. central bank is widely expected to cut interest rates for the second meeting in a row even though the government shutdown is obscuring officials’ view of the economy.

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Fed’s Policy Path Looks More Treacherous as Shutdown Delays Critical Data

The central bank is poised to lower interest rates again on Wednesday despite having only a partial view of how the economy is faring.

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Bonds Should Be Boring. But They’ve Been on a Roller Coaster.

Despite reassuring bond returns lately, troubles abound in what was once a sleepy haven for risk-averse investors.

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Gold Price Nears $4,000 an Ounce, a Sign of Turmoil and Unease

Approaching the milestone for the first time, the precious metal is on course for its best year since the 1970s, highlighting unease among investors.

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Powell Stresses ‘Challenging Situation’ for Fed as Rate Debate Intensifies

Rising inflation and a weakening labor market have created a bind for the central bank, Jerome H. Powell, its chair, warned on Tuesday.

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Miran Says Interest Rates Should Fall to 2.5 Percent This Year

Stephen Miran, who joined the central bank last week, said he believed rates should be around 2.5 percent, or about two percentage points lower than they now are.

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What the Fed’s Rate Decision Means for Loans, Credit Cards, Mortgages and More

Here’s how the central bank’s interest rate stance influences car loans, credit cards, mortgages, savings and student loans.

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California’s $23 Billion Plan to Restore Federal Cuts to Scientific Research

Democrats are calling for the creation of a state equivalent of the National Institutes of Health, but first state lawmakers and then voters would need to approve it.

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How Trump Could Overhaul the Fed

The president wants to pack the central bank’s Board of Governors with loyalists, which would grant him greater sway over an institution that is supposed to be independent from the White House.

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Weak Jobs Report Raises Chances of a September Interest Rate Cut

The Federal Reserve held rates steady in July but two governors dissented, saying they had concerns about labor market fragility.

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