The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by the most since 2000 on Wednesday as part of efforts to fight 40-year-high inflation.
Officials serving on the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) agreed to hike the benchmark fed funds rate by 50 basis points, bringing it to a target range of 0.75 percent to 1 percent. The central bank’s decision was in line with the market expectation.
The Fed will also begin trimming its nearly $9 trillion balance sheet. The institution confirmed that it will start selling $47.5 billion in assets per month. After three months, the central bank would increase it to $95 billion, a measure that might reduce liquidity from money markets for several years.