Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady, but 3 officials vote for hikeThe Federal Reserve said on Wednesday that it is leaving its benchmark interest rate unchanged, a sign policymakers expect inflation to ebb despite higher energy costs due to the war in Iran. This marks the fifth consecutive time the central bank has kept interest rates in the target range of 3.5% to 3.75%. The last time Fed officials voted to change interest rates was in December 2025, when it reduced its key rate by 0.25 percentage points. The dissenting members were Beth Hammack, CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland; Neel Kashkari, CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis; and Lorie K. Logan, CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Other policymakers have been less reticent, with some Fed officials signaling an openness to raising rates.