The Federal Reserve is scheduled to announce its next interest rate decision at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, with a press conference at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

Quick Scoop: Key Details

  • Announcement date: January 28, 2026.
  • Announcement time: 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time (19:00 UTC).
  • Press conference with Chair Jerome Powell: 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time (19:30 UTC).
  • Context: This decision comes during the January 27–28, 2026 FOMC meeting, one of eight regular meetings held each year.

How This Usually Works

  • The FOMC meets over two days and releases its rate statement at 2:00 p.m. ET. Markets typically react within seconds as traders parse the wording for hints about future moves.
  • About 30 minutes later, the Fed Chair’s press conference adds color on how they see inflation, growth, and jobs, often moving markets again if the tone differs from expectations.

Why Today’s Decision Matters

  • The Fed has already shifted from a hiking cycle to cutting rates in late 2025, and investors are watching whether 2026 brings further cuts, a pause, or a reversal if inflation re-accelerates.
  • With a still-elevated but easing inflation backdrop and a softer labor market, this January 2026 decision helps set the tone for the rest of the year’s policy path.

In forum discussions and market chats, traders often say “2 p.m. Fed o’clock” because that’s when volatility typically spikes around the rate decision.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.