US EditionWall Street Ends Sharply Lower After Fed Keeps Rates Unchanged
The Federal Reserve plans only one rate cut in 2026 amid inflation and Middle East conflict risks; S&P 500 fell 1.36% on March 18, its lowest close in four months.
- On Wednesday, March 18, 2026, the Federal Open Market Committee held interest rates steady at 3.50% to 3.75% while projecting only a single rate cut for the year.
- Surging oil prices near $110 per barrel amid the Middle East conflict and Iran war prompted policymakers to prioritize price stability as inflation risks persist.
- Fed Chair Jerome Powell noted "resilient" consumer spending as the FOMC voted 11-1 to maintain rates, though major stock indexes declined Wednesday as investors grappled with uncertainty.
- Market analyst Bob Michele of JP Morgan stated he was "gobsmacked by the Fed" decision, while others viewed the statement as a neutral "non-event" amid ongoing uncertainty.
- Interest rates are projected to fall by a quarter of a percentage point this year, with the long-run dot nudged up to 3.1% as the Fed manages geopolitical risks.
12 Articles
12 Articles
New Strait Times
The Straits TimesWall Street ends sharply lower after Fed keeps rates unchanged
NEW YORK: Wall Street ended sharply lower on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve held US interest rates steady and projected only a single rate cut for the year, as officials took stock of economic risks from surging oil prices and the US and Israeli war with Iran.
Dow drops 768 points as Fed holds rates, stocks fall | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Wall Street ended sharply lower today after the Federal Reserve held U.S. interest rates steady and projected only a single rate cut for the year as officials took stock of economic risks from surging oil prices and the U.S. and Israeli war with Iran.
New York Stock Market Closes Lower Amid Fear of Escalation and Interest Rate Freeze; All three major New York stock indices fell by more than 1%. On the 18th, at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Eastern Time, the Dow Jones 30 Industrial Average closed at 46,225.15, plunging 768.11 points, or 1.63%, from the previous close. ...
The Fed Just Froze — And the Dow Cratered to Its Worst Level of 2026
The Federal Reserve did exactly what everyone expected on Wednesday — nothing. And somehow, the market still found a way to hate it. The FOMC voted 11-1 to hold rates steady at 3.5%–3.75%, citing persistent inflation and the wildcard of a Middle East war that’s already rewriting the global energy map. The Dow responded by dumping 768 points — a 1.63% nosedive to 46,225, marking a new closing low for 2026. The S&P 500 shed 1.36% to 6,624.70, and …
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