President Trump has said he will "demand" lower interest rates, raising questions about his ability to influence the Federal Reserve.

Economists expect the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates unchanged as its Open Market Committee is set to conclude its meeting on Wednesday afternoon.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The American economy ended 2024 on a solid note with consumer spending continuing to drive growth. The Commerce Department reported Thursday that gross domestic product — the economy’s output of goods and services — expanded at a 2.3% annual rate from October through December.

Investors react to the Federal Reserve's policy decision and Chairman Jerome Powell's press conference, as well as results from Meta, Microsoft and Tesla.

A humming American economy ended 2024 on a solid note with consumer spending continuing to drive growth, and ahead of what could be a significant change in direction under a Trump

Thursday's coverage included more tech earnings, focus on Trump's latest on potential tariffs and more analysis around Monday's DeepSeek Dive.

While it was created with good intentions 13 years ago, the Federal Open Market Committee’s dot plot does not serve its primary purpose: providing transparency

Economists expect that real GDP grew about 2.3% in the period, below the third quarter’s growth rate, due to a trade deficit in goods.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell says, “We do not need to be in a hurry to adjust our policy stance.”

Powell said the Fed is working to align its workforce policies with Trump but signaled that changes could be limited.

The Federal Reserve is expected to pause rate cuts at its January 29 meeting, maintaining rates between 4.25% and 4.5%.