US Fed Meeting 2025: Date, Time, What To Expect And How To Watch Jerome Powell's Speech Live

Catch all the live updates on US Federal Reserve interest rate decision here.

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is set to convene on Mar. 18 and 19, for its second monetary policy meeting of 2025. With market volatility heightened by US President Donald Trump's newly introduced tariff policies, all eyes will be on the Federal Reserve as it announces its decision on benchmark interest rates.

The Fed’s rate announcement is expected to maintain short-term interest rates at their current level of 4.25% to 4.50%, with little likelihood of a rate cut. These rates have remained steady since Dec. 2024, when policymakers projected two quarter-percentage-point cuts for 2025.  

The FOMC holds eight scheduled meetings annually, with additional sessions as needed. The upcoming two-day meeting will take place on Mar. 18 and 19, with the key interest rate announcement scheduled for Mar. 19 at 2 p.m. ET (Mar. 20, 12:30 a.m. IST). Alongside the decision, the FOMC's economic projections will also be released.

Following the end of the meeting, US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will hold a press conference on Mar. 19 at 2:30 p.m. ET (Mar. 20, 1 a.m. IST) to discuss the policy outlook and address questions from the media.

Powell's press conference following the meeting will be streamed live on NDTV Profit's YouTube channel.

The Federal Reserve will also livestream the press conference on its official platforms, allowing the public and investors to tune in. You can watch the streaming at:

• Federal Reserve YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/federalreserve

• Federal Reserve X (formerly Twitter) handle: https://x.com/federalreserve

• Federal Reserve official website: https://www.federalreserve.gov/live-broadcast.htm

The Federal Reserve will keep interest rates steady through the first half of the year, before delivering two reductions beginning in September, according to economists surveyed by Bloomberg News.

One of the most expected aspects of the meeting will be Powell’s comments on key economic indicators, including inflation, employment and overall economic stability. With Trump's tariff policies adding uncertainty, investors will be keen to understand the Fed’s stance on the short- and long-term implications of these trade measures.

"The Fed is in a very tough spot right now, facing a more stagflationary outlook even as core inflation remains well above its medium-term target," said Scott Anderson, chief US economist at BMO Capital Markets. 

"Uncertainty around the magnitude, duration and targets of future tariffs further complicates the monetary policy outlook. They have the potential to roil monetary policy expectations as well as financial markets," he added. 

Following the March 2025 session, the next FOMC meeting is scheduled to take place on May 6 and 7, 2025.