Traders on Friday kept bets that the Federal Reserve will wait until June to resume interest rate cuts, after government data showed inflation by the U.S. central bank's targeted measure ticked up to 2.

After three cuts at the end of last year, Federal Reserve officials paused rate moves as they weigh a solid economy and rising inflation risks. Jerome H. Powell, the Fed chair, said the central bank was not on a “pre-set course.

A spike in energy prices helped to lift the headline PCE price index in December. The combined cost of gasoline, electricity, and other energy goods and services jumped 2.7% durin

The Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged on January 29, and an interest rate cut is unlikely when the Fed issues its next policy decision on March 19, 2025.

Consumers and traders are waiting to learn if the Fed’s pause is a one-meeting hold or the start of a longer stretch.

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.