Sticky inflation could be a wild card for easing timetable at Fed meeting

The U.S. Federal Reserve is widely expected to keep rates unchanged when it ends its two-day meeting on Wednesday, but policy makers could show more concern about stubborn inflation and present more hawkish signals about the timing and extent of any easing this year. Traders are now pricing in three 25 basis points cuts, in line with Fed policymakers’ median expectations made in December. The Fed is due to give updated economic projections and refresh its “dot plot” graphing policymakers’ interest rate projections at the meeting.