Fresh tariffs amid high inflation are making the Fed’s job uniquely difficult and feeding uncertainty about what to expect for interest rates this year.

U.S. stock index futures rose on Friday, driven by gains in Apple following a strong sales growth forecast, as investors focused on key inflation data expected later in the day that could influence the Federal Reserve's policy decisions.

The Federal Reserve's favorite inflation gauge is due out this morning. Follow along for live updates on stocks, bonds and other markets, including the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite.

The Federal Reserve kicked off its second Trump era right where it left off: Doing exactly what it wanted to do, ignoring President Donald Trump’s demands that it lower rates.

The Federal Reserve is nearly certain to keep its key interest rate unchanged at its policy meeting this week, just a few days after President Donald Trump said he would soon demand lower rates.

Federal Reserve policymakers voted Wednesday to hold interest rates steady in its first rate decision of the year.

The Federal Reserve expressed concern that inflation has not eased enough for it to continue lowering interest rates.

The Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged Wednesday as it began a new wait-and-see policy stance amid a cloudy economic outlook and uncertainty over whether some of President Donald Trump’s policies could stymie the fight against inflation.

Policy changes: When the Fed adjusts the federal funds rate, it spills over into many aspects of the economy, including mortgage rates. The federal funds rate affects how much it costs banks to borrow money, which in turn affects what banks charge consumers to make a profit.

Stagflation poses a serious economic risk because it limits the effectiveness of conventional monetary and fiscal policies. In a normal slowdown, central banks can lower interest rates and governments can boost spending to stimulate demand.

Gold is on track for its best monthly performance since March last year as sentiment remains strong and participants consider the possible influence of American politics. Both it and the dollar remained strong this week as the Federal Reserve (‘the Fed’) held rates and the European Central Bank (‘the ECB’) cut as expected.