Fed Raises Rates Quarter Point

It’s Fed day today.  1st release by new Federal Reserve chair- Jay Powell.  Update courtesy of Sean Murphy at Guaranteed Rate Affinity:

• Fed Raises Rates Quarter Point.  Now at 1.75% - The Prime Interest Rate is 4.75%  (This change means that Home Equity Lines of Credit and Credit Card interest rates will be increasing).
• Spending, Investment have moderated from strong Q4
• Fed estimates show steeper path for rate increases in 2019-20 based on “economic outlook has strengthened in recent months”.
• Fed forecasts Unemployment Rate at 3.6% in 2019.
• Fed says inflation low, but is expected to rise in coming months and to stabilize” around the Fed’s 2% target “over the medium term.”
• Fed says three rate hikes for 2018, raises outlook for hikes in 2019, 2020.