Fed’s Next Meeting: Rate Hike Expected After Sept. 15-16 Decision

The FOMC’s next gathering takes place on Sept. 15-16, and market watchers are waiting for any sign about where interest rates may be headed.

Eight times a year, the FOMC, which is part of the Federal Reserve and tasked with setting monetary policy, gathers to weigh the state of the economy and settle on the federal funds rate. Those choices then travel outward, touching savings account rates, credit card interest, mortgage terms, and other costs that affect daily living.

A gathering of the committee convened on July 28-29, 2026, which was its last meeting to date. A further assembly has been set for Sept. 15-16.

The Full Schedule for 2026

The Federal Reserve has a set list of meetings still to come this year. Here is how the remaining dates line up.

The asterisk (*) indicates meetings where a Summary of Economic Projections was attached.

What the Committee Looks At

These gatherings bring together policymakers who measure the strength of the economy through a review of key data, including the Consumer Price Index (CPI), gross domestic product (GDP), and the unemployment rate. These numbers then guide decisions about monetary policy.

Three weeks after a policy decision is made, the minutes from the regularly scheduled meetings are released. The Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh holds live press conferences, which are both livestreamed and recorded.

Once each meeting concludes, the FOMC releases its policy decisions at 2 p.m. Eastern time. Then the Fed chairman holds a press conference at 2:30 p.m.

What Happened at the Last Meeting

The FOMC did not change the federal funds rate after its most recent meeting in July 2026. The committee issued a statement saying it decided to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 3-1/2 to 3-3/4 percent, in support of the Federal Reserve’s dual mandate.

The committee’s current approach remains one of keeping plentiful reserves within the banking system.

The economy is growing at a steady clip even with high uncertainty tied to the war in the Middle East. Output per worker and spending on equipment are both rising strongly. New jobs have matched the growth of the workforce, and the jobless rate has remained roughly where it was.

Prices continue to rise above the Committee’s stated 2 percent target, partly due to supply disruptions that have pushed up costs in specific areas, with energy among them. The Committee is committed to achieving stable prices.

What Markets Expect

Markets expect the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates this week for the first time in over three years. That would mark a shift from the pattern set in 2024 and 2025, when the Fed lowered its target rate three times in each of those years.

The committee made no suggestion in its July statement about a near-term move. The economic picture it painted — solid growth, elevated uncertainty, and inflation above the target — points toward a direction that matches what markets expect.

What Consumers Should Watch

Keeping track of when the Fed meets lets you gauge the broader health of the economy and adapt your own money plans to match. The statements and forecasts issued during FOMC gatherings offer telling signs about where the economy is headed.

The next meeting is expected to provide Americans with an update on the federal funds rate. The Fed’s current target range is 3.5%-3.75%.

The Bottom Line

The Fed’s next meeting is scheduled for Sept. 15-16. The committee’s decisions will be released at 2 p.m. Eastern time, followed by a press conference at 2:30 p.m.

There is still no settled answer on whether the Fed will raise rates again. A number of economists do not foresee a rate cut in 2026; instead they expect a rate increase. The statement from the committee following the July meeting contained no guidance on timing, and the economic data cited within that statement indicates the committee sees room for further tightening.

The schedule has been fixed, and traders are keeping an eye on it. What happens over the next few weeks will be the real test.

economic projections · Fed meetings · federal funds rate · Federal Reserve · interest rates